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Biography & Historical Record
Pang Lin (Bàng Lâm) was a native of Xiangyang and the younger brother of the famous ‘Fledgling Phoenix,’ Pang Tong. Initially serving the state of Shu Han, Pang Lin held the position of an official in Jing Province. During the Battle of Yiling (222 AD), he was assigned to the command of Huang Quan, who led a naval force on the northern bank of the Yangtze River to guard against potential incursions from the state of Wei.
After Liu Bei’s disastrous defeat at the hands of Lu Xun, the retreat path for Huang Quan’s army was cut off by Eastern Wu forces. Refusing to surrender to Wu, Huang Quan and Pang Lin led their troops to surrender to the state of Cao Wei. Upon his arrival in Wei, Pang Lin was treated with great respect. He was eventually appointed as the Governor of Julu (巨鹿太守) and was enfeoffed as a Marquis (列侯).
A notable historical anecdote involves Pang Lin’s wife, the daughter of Xi Zhou. When Jing Province was lost to Sun Quan in 219 AD, Pang Lin and his wife were separated for over a decade. Despite the separation and the uncertainty of her husband’s fate, Lady Xi remained loyal and raised their daughter alone. When Pang Lin eventually surrendered to Wei and was reunited with her, the Wei Emperor Cao Pi praised her virtue and devotion, awarding her gifts of silk and jewelry.
Role in Romance of the Three Kingdoms
In the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Pang Lin appears as a minor historical figure following the events of the Battle of Yiling. His role mirrors the historical record, appearing alongside Huang Quan during the surrender to the state of Wei. While he lacks the strategic brilliance of his elder brother Pang Tong, his presence serves to illustrate the fragmentation of families and the shift of loyalties following Shu Han’s major defeat at Xiaoting.
Pang Lin — Historical & Literary Timeline
Participation in the Wu Campaign
Pang Lin joins the expedition against Sun Quan under the command of Huang Quan, serving as a civil officer within the northern wing of the Shu army.
Defection to Cao Wei
Following Liu Bei’s defeat at Yiling, Pang Lin follows Huang Quan in surrendering to Wei after their retreat route is blocked by Wu forces.
Service in Wei and Family Reunion
Pang Lin is appointed Governor of Julu. He is eventually reunited with his wife and daughter, who had been separated from him since the fall of Jing Province.
Key Relationships
Family
- Pang Tong (庞统, Bàng Thống): Elder brother. Legendary “Fledgling Phoenix” (Fengchu) and Chief Strategist of Liu Bei who spearheaded the conquest of Yi Province.
- Pang Degong (庞德公, Bàng Đức Công): Paternal uncle. Revered hermit sage and intellectual patriarch of Jingzhou.
- Lady Xi (习氏, Tập Thị): Wife. Daughter of Xi Zhou; when separated from Pang Lin for over ten years following Guan Yu’s defeat in 219 AD, she raised their daughter alone in complete fidelity; upon reuniting in Wei, Cao Pi praised her virtue and awarded her silks.
Friends
- Huang Quan (黄权, Hoàng Quyền): Senior Grand General of Shu Han. Supreme commander under whom Pang Lin served on the northern bank of the Yangtze River during the Battle of Yiling (222 AD); when their retreat was cut off, Huang Quan and Pang Lin surrendered together to Cao Wei.
- Cao Pi (曹丕, Tào Phi): Founding Emperor of Cao Wei (Emperor Wen). Welcomed Pang Lin with immense honor, appointing him Grand Administrator of Julu (Julu Taishou) and ennobling him as a Marquis.
- Liu Bei (刘备, Lưu Bị): First Sovereign of Shu Han whom Pang Lin served in Jingzhou prior to the disaster at Yiling.
Enemies
- Lu Xun (陆逊, Lục Tốn): Grand Commander of Eastern Wu. Shattered Liu Bei’s main army at Yiling in 222 AD and severed the Yangtze river passes, cutting off Pang Lin and Huang Quan’s northern army from returning to Shu.
- Sun Quan (孙权, Tôn Quyền): Sovereign of Eastern Wu. Captured Jingzhou in 219 AD, separating Pang Lin from his wife and family for over a decade.
Others
- No information
In Novel
Chapter 63
- Pang Lin (庞林, Bàng Lâm): Pang Lin is Pang Tong’s younger brother and serves in Jingzhou. After Pang Tong’s death, Pang Lin remains connected with the Shu administration and later receives an official appointment under Liu Bei’s government.
In History
Family
- Pang Lin (庞林, Bàng Lâm) was a member of the prominent Pang family and the younger brother of Pang Tong (庞统, Bàng Thống), one of Liu Bei’s most important advisers.
Service to Shu
- Pang Lin served Shu Han as a military and administrative official. After the death of Pang Tong, his family’s connection with Liu Bei remained important.
Later Career
- During the later period of the Three Kingdoms, Pang Lin continued to hold office under Shu. His career demonstrates how the Pang family remained connected to Shu’s ruling establishment after Pang Tong’s death.