Biography

Pang De was from Huandao County (狟道縣), Nan'an Commandery (南安郡), Liang Province, which is located east of present-day Longxi County, Gansu. In his youth, he served as an Assistant Officer (從事) in the local commandery office.

Early military career

During the Chuping era (190–193) in the reign of Emperor Xian, the Liang Province Rebellion broke out. Pang De joined the warlord Ma Teng in suppressing the revolts by the Qiang and Di tribes, and was promoted to Colonel (校尉) for his contributions in battle.

In 202, the warlord Cao Cao, who controlled the Han central government, led his forces to attack rival warlords Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang at the Battle of Liyang. When Yuan Tan ordered his subordinates Guo Yuan and Gao Gan to lead a separate force to attack Hedong Commandery, Cao Cao ordered Zhong Yao to recruit forces from Liang Province to deal with Guo Yuan and Gao Gan. Ma Teng responded to Zhong Yao's call and sent his son Ma Chao and Pang De to assist Zhong Yao in attacking Guo Yuan and Gao Gan at Pingyang County (平陽縣; west of present-day Linfen, Shanxi). Pang De led the vanguard, slew Guo Yuan in the midst of battle and took his head, without knowing that the man he killed was Guo Yuan. After the battle, when Zhong Yao's men searched the battlefield, they found Guo Yuan's headless body. Shortly after, Pang De went to meet Zhong Yao and he threw Guo Yuan's head in front of him. Zhong Yao cried when he recognised Guo Yuan's head because Guo was actually his maternal nephew. Pang De immediately apologised to Zhong Yao, who replied, "Even though Guo Yuan was my nephew, he was an enemy of the state. Why do you apologise?" For his contributions, Pang De was appointed as a General of the Household (中郎將) and made a Marquis of a Chief Village (都亭侯).

Later, Pang De followed Ma Teng to suppress a rebellion by Zhang Baiqi (張白騎) at Yao County (殽縣; present-day Luoning County, Henan). He was famous for his bravery in Ma Teng's army as Pang De recorded always personally charged inside the enemy formation during battles. When Ma Teng was recalled to the imperial capital, Xu (許; present-day Xuchang, Henan), to serve as Minister of the Guards (衛尉), Pang De remained behind in Liang Province with Ma Chao.

Battle of Tong Pass & submitting to Cao Cao

Around 211, Ma Chao started a rebellion against the Han central government and led a coalition of warlords from Liang Province to attack Cao Cao, leading to the Battle of Tong Pass. Cao Cao defeated Ma Chao and his allies at the battle and caused the coalition to break up. Despite his defeat, Ma Chao, with assistance from the Qiang tribes and the warlord Zhang Lu in Hanzhong Commandery, continued to ravage the lands in Liang Province and even seized control of the provincial governorship at one point. However, he was eventually driven out of Liang Province and forced to take shelter under Zhang Lu in Hanzhong. Pang De accompanied Ma Chao to Hanzhong and became one of Zhang Lu's subordinates.

In 215, Ma Chao defected to the warlord Liu Bei and aided him in seizing control of Yi Province (covering present-day Sichuan and Chongqing) from its provincial governor, Liu Zhang. Pang De remained in Hanzhong with Zhang Lu. Later that year, Cao Cao led his forces to attack Hanzhong and defeated Zhang Lu at the Battle of Yangping. Pang De joined Zhang Lu in surrendering to Cao Cao. As Cao Cao had heard of Pang De's valour, he immediately recruited Pang De as his subordinate and appointed him as General Who Establishes Righteousness (立義將軍). Pang De was also enfeoffed as the Marquis of Guanmen Village (關門亭侯) and given 300 taxable households to form his marquisate.

Battle of Fancheng & death

In 219, when Hou Yin (侯音) and Wei Kai (衛開) started a rebellion in Wan (宛; present-day Wancheng District, Nanyang, Henan), Cao Cao sent Pang De and Cao Ren to quell the uprising. After accomplishing their mission, they garrisoned at Fan (樊; also called Fancheng, in present-day Fancheng District, Xiangyang, Hubei) to defend Cao Cao's territories in northern Jing Province from advances by Liu Bei's general Guan Yu, who guarded Liu Bei's territories in southern Jing Province. As Ma Chao (Pang De's previous lord) and Pang Rou (龐柔; Pang De's cousin) both served under Liu Bei, many of Cao Cao's other subordinates were suspicious of Pang De's allegiance towards their lord. Pang De often said, "I've received grace from the State and I'm willing to serve the State with my life in the name of righteousness. I'll personally slay Guan Yu. If I don't kill Guan Yu within this year, he'll kill me."

As Pang De arrived in Fan, he battled the rebel forces and managed to slay the rebel leaders under Hou Yin (侯音) and Wei Kai (衛開) who conspired with Guan Yu. As Pang De often rode gray horse during the battle, so Guan Yu's men nicknamed him as "white-horse general" (baima jiangjun 白馬將軍), which he famous for, and feared him. Pang De later engaged Guan Yu in battle and fired an arrow which hit Guan's forehead at one time, nearly killing the Shu general.

Cao Ren ordered Pang De to set up a separate camp ten li north of Fan. At the time, there were heavy rains for more than ten days and the Han River next to Fan burst its banks, with the water level reaching up to five-six zhang. Pang De and his subordinates retreated to the top of a dam. Guan Yu then led his marines to attack Fan and fired arrows from their warships at the dam. Pang De donned his armour, armed himself with a bow and arrows, and returned fire at the enemy, with not a single arrow missing its target. When Dong Heng (董衡) and Dong Chao (董超), two of Pang De's colleagues, wanted to surrender to Guan Yu, Pang De executed them on the spot. The battle dragged on from morning until afternoon, with Guan Yu's attacks increasing in intensity as time passed. By afternoon, Pang De and his men had expended all their arrows but they continued to engage the enemy in close quarters combat with short weapons. Pang De told his subordinate Cheng He (成何), "I heard a good general doesn't fear death, nor does he hope to be spared. A martyr won't violate his principles for the sake of preserving his life. Today is the day I die." The battle raged on as the water level rose higher. By then, many of Pang De's men had surrendered, leaving Pang with only three men. They boarded a small boat and attempted to escape and return to Cao Ren's main camp. However, the boat capsized and Pang De fell into the water. While grabbing on to the boat to stay afloat, he was surrounded and captured by Guan Yu's soldiers.

When brought before Guan Yu, he refused to kneel down and surrender. Guan Yu told Pang De, "Your cousin is serving in Hanzhong, and I want to recruit you as a subordinate. Why don't you surrender now?" Pang De retorted angrily, "Mean fellow, what is surrender? The King of Wei has thousands of troops and his might trembles the Empire. Liu Bei is an inferior man. How can he hope to resist (the King of Wei)? I'd rather be a ghost of the State than be a servant of my enemy." Guan Yu had Pang De executed.

Cao Cao was deeply grieved when he learnt of Pang De's death and he shed tears. In 220, after Cao Pi – Cao Cao's son and successor – forced Emperor Xian to abdicate the throne to him and established the state of Cao Wei, he granted Pang De the posthumous title "Marquis Zhuang", which literally means "robust marquis". He ordered an emissary to read out the imperial edict at Pang De's tomb. According to the Shu Ji (蜀記; Records of Shu) by Wang Yin (王隱), when the state of Shu Han (founded by Liu Bei) was conquered by the state of Cao Wei in 263, the Wei general Zhong Hui had Pang De's body transported from Shu to Ye (鄴; in present-day Handan, Hebei) in Wei territory. Pang De seemed much alive inside the tomb. However, Pei Songzhi, who annotated Pang De's biography in the Sanguozhi, dismissed this account as nonsense. He wrote: "Pang De died in Fancheng. After Cao Pi ascended the throne, he sent an emissary to read out an imperial edict at Pang De's tomb, so Pang's body should not be in Shu. What Wang Yin wrote was nonsense."

Appraisal

Chen Shou, the author of Records of the Three Kingdoms, has likened Pang De defiance towards Guan Yu with Zhou Kao, a minister of Liu Bang, who stands and defying Xiang Yu even when he facing death.

According to Fu Xuan, Jin dynasty historian and politician, there is record that before the battle of Tong Pass, or more known as battle of Weinan, against Cao Cao, Ma Chao and Pang De broke into a stable which contained hundred horses. Pang De were said taking the low quality horse while Ma Chao taken the finest horse, which caused Pang De being laughed at. However, it is said that Pang De horse were the fastest running during the battle of Tong Pass.

According to Longxi County Chronicle and Shanxi tong zhi (chronicle of Shanxi), there are "White Horse General Temple" on the top of Chishan Mountain which commemorate the bravery of two chinese warrior, the first were Li Guang and the second are Pang De, whose bravery were praised well during the battle of Fancheng against Guan Yu.

Descendants

After Pang De's death, two of his sons were granted marquis titles in recognition of their father's contributions. When Cao Pi ascended the throne, he granted the title of a Secondary Marquis (關內侯) to each of Pang De's four sons and gave them each 100 taxable households as their marquisates. The names of Pang De's sons were not recorded in history, except for one – Pang Hui (龐會).

Pang Hui resembled his father in personality and served as a general in the Cao Wei state. The highest position he reached was Commandant-General of the Capital (中尉將軍). He was also enfeoffed as a marquis. The Shu Ji (蜀記) recorded that he participated in the conquest of Wei's rival state, Shu Han, in 263. After the fall of Shu, he exterminated Guan Yu's family and descendants to avenge his father.

In popular culture

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Pang De appears as a character in the 14th-century historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which romanticises the historical events before and during the Three Kingdoms period.

Serving under Ma Chao

Pang De made his first appearance in chapter 58 as a trusted general under Ma Teng. At that time, Ma Teng had left Liang Province and travelled to the imperial capital Xu (許; present-day Xuchang, Henan) while Ma Chao remained in the province. One night, Ma Chao had a dream about being attacked by a pack of tigers in a snowy land so he consulted his subordinates about it. Pang De told him that it was not a good omen. Later, Ma Chao received news that his father Ma Teng was lured into a trap in Xu and had been killed by Cao Cao's men. This led to the Battle of Tong Pass, but in the novel, the order of events related to the battle had been reversed and some fictional stories were included.

Later, According to Zhang Chaoju, Pang De participated in Cao Cao campaign against Shu, where faced against Shu general named Wei Yan. Pang De managed to overpower Wei Yan in this battle and forced the latter to retreat.

Battle of Fancheng

Pang De's role in the Battle of Fancheng (mentioned in chapter 70) was largely exaggerated for dramatic effect. Prior to the battle, Pang De volunteered to lead the vanguard of a reinforcement army to relieve Cao Ren's forces, who were besieged in Fan by Guan Yu's army. Cao Cao was delighted and he granted Pang De the post. However, when others advised Cao Cao against granting Pang De command of the vanguard due to Pang's past associations with Ma Chao (who had become one of the Five Tiger Generals under Liu Bei), Pang knelt down in front of Cao and kowtowed until his face was covered in blood. Cao Cao was moved by Pang De's sincerity and he no longer doubted Pang's allegiance towards him, so he appointed Pang as the vanguard. Pang De later ordered a wooden coffin to be built and he told his men to place Guan Yu's body inside if he succeeded in killing Guan, or place his body inside if he died in battle.

Before Pang De left to fight at the Battle of Fancheng, he told his wife to take care of their son, Pang Hui, and said that if he died, his son would avenge him in the future.

Pang De later engaged Guan Ping in a duel and neither of them managed to defeat his opponent after fighting for 30 rounds. The following day, he fought with Guan Yu but neither of them won after duelling for more than 100 rounds. Pang De later duelled with Guan Yu again and he feigned defeat and retreated after about 50 rounds. When Guan Yu pursued him, he suddenly turned around and fired an arrow, which hit Guan in the left arm. Pang De wanted to use the opportunity to attack but Yu Jin (who was his superior) stopped him.

The descriptions of Pang De's final moments at the Battle of Fancheng were generally similar to those mentioned in his historical biography. He attempted to flee towards Cao Ren's main camp on a small boat, but his boat was knocked over by a large raft steered by Guan Yu's subordinate Zhou Cang. Pang De's boat capsized and he fell into the water and was captured by Zhou Cang, who was a good swimmer. Before his death, Pang De refused to kneel before Guan Yu and he firmly rejected surrender, and was thus executed on Guan's order. Guan Yu later pitied Pang De and had the latter properly buried.

Modern era depiction

Pang De is featured as a playable character in Koei's Dynasty Warriors and Warriors Orochi video game series.

生平

早年

龐德生年不詳。當時涼州刺史耿鄙委任治中程球，程球為貪官，士人怨之。

漢靈帝中平元年（184年）十一月，胡人北宮伯玉與先零羌人聯合起兵反叛漢，朝廷欲討伐叛亂。耿鄙徵馬騰為軍從事，統領部隊，龐德為郡吏州從事。初平年間，追隨軍司馬馬騰，攻擊反叛羌氐，征戰有功，升遷至校尉。

果敢善戰

獻帝建安七年（202年），曹操討伐袁譚於黎陽，其弟袁尚求救，袁譚遣河東太守郭援、并州刺史高幹及南匈奴單于呼廚泉等略取河東，曹操使鍾繇率關中諸將征討之。龐德隨馬騰之子馬超拒郭援、高幹於平陽，龐德為先鋒，進攻郭援、高幹，大破其軍，親自斬下郭援首級。呼廚泉、高幹投降。龐德因功官拜中郎將、封都亭侯。

建安十年（205年），張白騎作叛于弘農，龐德復隨馬騰往征，破叛軍於東西肴山之間。每次交戰，龐德常陷陣卻敵，勇冠馬騰軍隊。後馬騰被徵為衛尉，龐德便留屬馬超。

跟隨多主

建安十八年（213年），龐德跟隨馬超起兵反曹操，被打敗後，隨馬超奔漢中依附張魯。馬超因受張魯部將排擠而轉投劉備，龐德仍追隨張魯。後曹操攻漢中，張魯投降，龐德也跟著歸順曹操。曹操久聞龐德勇猛善戰，於是任命他為立義將軍，封關門亭侯，邑三百戶。

授命叱敵

建安二十三年（218年）十月，侯音、衛開等人據宛城造反，龐德跟隨曹仁攻陷宛城，次年（219年）正月，斬侯、衛二人，後遂屯駐樊城，討伐關羽。因龐德堂兄龐柔時在漢中，樊城眾將懷疑龐德的忠誠。龐德為表清白，常說：「我受國恩，義在效死。我欲身自擊羽。今年我不殺羽，羽當殺我。」後龐德親自和關羽交戰，射中關羽額頭。龐德時常騎白馬，關羽軍便稱龐德「白馬將軍」，甚為忌憚。

曹仁使龐德屯駐樊北十里。後因戰況不利，曹操派于禁率領七軍援救樊城，適逢接連十餘日大雨，漢水暴漲，水高五至六丈，龐德、于禁與諸將避水上堤。關羽乘機領水軍攻之，以大船包圍四面射向堤上。龐德被甲持弓，向關羽軍射箭，箭無虛發。將軍董衡、部曲將董超等欲投降，皆被龐德處斬。自早晨力戰至中午，關羽愈攻愈急，箭矢耗盡，以短兵接戰。龐德對督將成何說：「吾聞良將不怯死以苟免，烈士不毀節以求生，今日，我死日也。」龐德愈戰愈勇，然而水浸愈盛，當場的約三萬兵馬皆被迫投降。龐德與麾下將領一人，五伯二人，遂乘小船欲逃往曹營。但小船翻覆，弓矢皆失，龐德抱船落入水中，為關羽所生擒。

以死示忠

其後于禁投降，龐德卻直立而不跪，關羽向龐德勸降，說：「卿兄在漢中，我欲以卿為將，不早降何為？」龐德罵關羽說：「豎子，何謂降也！魏王帶甲百萬，威振天下。汝劉備庸才耳，豈能敵邪！我寧為國家鬼，不為賊將也。」遂為關羽所殺。曹操得悉後為之流涕，嘆息說：「吾知（于）禁三十年，何意臨危處難，反不如龐德邪！」封其二子為列侯。曹丕即位，遣使往龐德墓，賜諡壯侯。

家庭

堂兄弟

• 龐柔

子

• 龐會等兩人在龐德死後被魏文帝曹丕封為關內侯，邑各百戶。數十年後，龐會跟隨鍾會、鄧艾出征蜀漢，破成都，為其父報仇而屠滅關家後裔。（此說真實性有待商榷。王隱所著《蜀記》錯謬之處、所在多有，裴松之謂其不然：此事有傷陰德，亦錯失為將之道。彼時各為其主，羽不得以而殺德，何其會能因而滅盡關氏？大節虧失，徒汙其父義名耳。)。

評價

• 曹操：「吾知禁三十年，何意臨危處難，反不如龐德邪！」

• 陳壽：「龐德授命叱敵，有周苛之節。」

• 曹丕：「昔先軫喪元，王蠋絕脰，隕身徇節，前代美之。惟侯式昭果毅，蹈難成名，聲溢當時，義高在昔，寡人湣焉，諡曰壯侯。（魏文帝：曹丕即魏王位後，就派使者到龐惪的墳墓前賜他諡號，策書說「從前先軫喪命，王蠋自縊，為保全自己的節操而獻出生命，古人讚美他們。只有您顯示出果敢剛毅，赴難成名，名揚當世，節義高過往昔，我非常的哀憐啊，賜諡號為「壯侯」。）」

• 傅玄《乘輿馬賦》：「馬超破蘇氏塢，塢中有駿馬百餘匹，自超以下懼爭取肥好者。將軍龐德獨取一騧馬，形陋既醜，眾笑之。其後馬超戰于渭南，逸足電發，追不可遞，眾乃服。」

• 王應麟：「寧為國家鬼，不為賊將」，則有魏樊城之龐德。「寧為國家鬼，不為羌賊臣」，則有晉河南之辛恭靖。之人也，英風勁氣，如嚴霜烈日，千載如生。其視叛臣要利者，猶犬彘也。

• 羅貫中：威武不能屈，節操不能改。生當立金鑾，死尚披鐵鎧。烈烈大丈夫，垂名昭千載。南安龐令明，日月競光彩。

• 毛宗崗：關公初欲與馬超比試，而今與馬超之部將爭鋒，是與戰馬超無異也。馬超既與關公為一家，而龐德乃與關公死戰，是亦與戰馬超無異也。以關公敵馬超，猶未為損重；而以龐德斗馬超，毋乃為背主乎？其後既不肯背曹操而降關公，其初何以背馬騰而降曹操？故龐德之死，君子無取焉。

• 李贄：龐德舁櫬而行，志已必不兩立，非彼即此，定當一傷．此亦丈夫圖事之法也。天下事只有成敗兩途；成則為王，敗則為寇，此定理也，何必畏首畏尾以取笑天下乎？如龐德者，真丈夫圖事之樣子也，可取可取。雲長欲降龐德，龐德不降。兩兩丈夫，俱堪敬服。

• 鐘敬伯：將軍戰死沙場，幸也。龐德舁櫬而行，何哉！天下成敗兩途，原不並立，其有死無二，百折不回，鬚眉丈夫，決不可無此壯志。

藝術形象

三國演義

在小說中，龐德與馬岱是馬超的左右手兼智囊。

• 在西涼聯合進攻的時候，與馬岱作為馬超手下參戰而登場。西涼軍合共二十萬兵馬，進軍長安。鍾繇不敵馬岱而進長安城堅守，當時城固而不能攻下，龐德向馬超獻策：「長安城堅固難以攻下，但是城裡的水質和土壤不適合耕種和使用所以一般物資都是從城外運輸。城中也沒有柴。現在圍城十天，士卒和平民都沒有物資支援。只要我們收兵，城內一定會有人出來運糧。再派人混在運糧兵中，可以裡應外合。」馬超用其計而退兵，果然鍾繇派人出城砍柴打水，五天後馬超軍又來犯，鍾繇收人歸城又閉城不出。三更時分城門被混入城中的龐德軍放火，鍾繇弟鍾進趕至救援，措手不及而被龐德斬于馬下。龐德斬下城門鎖和軍校，放大軍進城，鍾繇退守潼關。

• 在〈第五十八回〉和〈第五十九回〉的潼關之戰中，與馬岱連戰曹軍，最終失敗並隨馬超投奔張魯，但馬超請命前往葭萌關大戰到投向劉備的期間，龐德卻臥病不能隨行而留在漢中。

• 在〈第六十七回〉中，張魯受到曹操進攻漢中，眾將不能敵而驚慌。張魯部屬閻圃提議讓龐德出戰，張魯大喜，龐德被命後參戰。曹操聽聞龐德之勇，想得到龐德，派出張郃、夏侯淵、徐晃、許褚四將；欲以車輪戰之法耗其體力。龐德無懼，逐一與之單挑，四將略戰而退並稱讚其武藝。一戰之後，曹操更想得到龐德，商議怎樣令他投降，賈詡建議賄賂貪得無厭的楊松，並以詐敗計引龐德入曹軍營寨，在夜更時分突襲營寨。事情和賈詡部署一樣，張魯看了楊松的書簡，說龐德被曹操賄賂，張魯憤怒誓要斬龐德。閻圃勸諫，張魯責令龐德：「你明日不勝，處斬。」龐德抱著悲痛退下。第二天，許褚詐逃，龐德追至，但中了陷阱掉進坑裡被活捉。曹操親自鬆綁招降，龐德回想張魯的不仁而投降。

• 歸曹後的期間，曾參與逍遙津之戰和漢中之戰，但陳壽的《三國志》僅有龐德歸順後被任命為立義將軍，封關門亭侯，並無後續。

• 到〈第七十四回〉的樊城之戰前，曹操提及故主馬超和其從兄龐柔，龐德親口說明其殺嫂一事來交代和龐柔恩已斷，與馬超各事其主，舊義已絕，並且帶著一口棺材去和關羽戰鬥。拯救在樊城的曹仁時，命為于禁的副將，在救援中途被小說人物周倉在水中擒獲，最後與史實無差。

影視

• 1994年電視劇《三國演義》：張元鵬

• 2004年電視劇《武聖關公》：嘎子

• 2010年電視劇《三國》：田翔

動漫遊戲

• 真三國無雙系列 / 無雙OROCHI系列（光榮公司開發，森田成一配音）

• 三國志

• 三國演義

• 《蒼天航路》（王欣太）

• 《火鳳燎原》（陳某）:於長安風雲篇中登場，在馬騰攻打長安時，同時由龐德攻打西涼，遇上由西涼敗退的張遼，在官渡之戰後殺死蔣奇並和張飛交手，張飛評價龐德之武藝可比關羽，同時評價張飛之武藝可比馬超，在壺關中救走被郭援俘虜的賈逵，後殺害郭援。

注釋