Cheng Bing (fl. 190s–220s), courtesy name Deshu, was an official and writer of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of China.

Cheng Bing
程秉
BornFamily name: Cheng (程)
Given name: Bing (秉)
Courtesy name: Deshu (德樞)

DOB unknown
Xiangcheng, Henan
DiedDOD unknown
OccupationOfficial, writer
Notable works

Life

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Cheng Bing was from Nandun County (南頓縣), Runan Commandery (汝南郡), which is located west of present-day Xiangcheng, Henan. He was a student of the Confucian scholar Zheng Xuan. When chaos broke out in China towards the end of the Han dynasty, Cheng Bing left for Jiao Province in southern China. Around this time, he studied with Liu Xi (劉熙) and became well versed in the Five Classics. Shi Xie, the Administrator of Jiaozhi Commandery, appointed him as a Chief Clerk (長史).[1]

Sometime in the early 220s, Sun Quan, the founding emperor of Eastern Wu, heard of Cheng Bing's fame as a learned Confucian scholar so he sent a messenger to Jiao Province to recruit Cheng to serve under him. Cheng Bing agreed and was appointed by Sun Quan as the Crown Prince's Tutor (太子太傅). In 225, Sun Quan arranged a marriage between his heir apparent, Sun Deng, and Zhou Yu's daughter. Cheng Bing was designated as the Minister of Ceremonies (太常) and was in charge of the wedding reception in Wu Commandery (around present-day Suzhou, Jiangsu). Sun Quan boarded Cheng Bing's ship during the ceremony and treated him with the utmost respect. Cheng Bing also guided Sun Deng on the formalities associated with the marriage.[2]

Cheng Bing died in office. No details about his death were recorded in history. Throughout his life, he wrote three major works: Selections from the Book of Changes (周易摘), Discussions on the Book of History (尚書駮), and Guide to the Analects (論語弼).[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ (程秉字德樞,汝南南頓人也。逮事鄭玄,後避亂交州,與劉熈考論大義,遂博通五經。士燮命為長史。) Sanguozhi vol. 53.
  2. ^ (權聞其名儒,以禮徵秉,旣到,拜太子太傅。黃武四年,權為太子登娉周瑜女,秉守太常,迎妃於吳,權親幸秉船,深見優禮。旣還,秉從容進說登曰:「婚姻人倫之始,王教之基,是以聖王重之,所以率先衆庶,風化天下,故詩美關雎,以為稱首。願太子尊禮教於閨房,存周南之所詠,則道化隆於上,頌聲作於下矣。」登笑曰:「將順其美,匡救其惡,誠所賴於傅君也。」) Sanguozhi vol. 53.
  3. ^ (病卒官。著周易摘、尚書駮、論語弼,凡三萬餘言。) Sanguozhi vol. 53.