Man Chong () (before 175According to the chronology of Man Chong's biography in Records of the Three Kingdoms, he was older than 17 when he was recruited by Cao Cao during Cao's tenure as Governor of Yan Province between 191 and 192. By calculation, his birth year must be before 175. – April or May 242), courtesy name Boning, was a Chinese military general and politician of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He previously served under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han dynasty. He is best known for defending the city of Hefei from a series of invasions by Wei's rival state, Eastern Wu, between 230 and 235.
Early life and career Man Chong was from Changyi County (), Shanyang Commandery (), which is located northwest of present-day Jinxiang County, Shandong. When he was 17, he served as an Investigator () in his home commandery. At the time, there was a group of armed thugs led by Li Shuo () who were causing harm to the locals. After the commandery administrator put Man Chong in charge of dealing with them, Li Shuo surrendered to the authorities and never caused trouble again.(滿寵字伯寧，山陽昌邑人也。年十八，為郡督郵。時郡內李朔等各擁部曲，害于平民，太守使寵糾焉。朔等請罪，不復鈔略。) Sanguozhi vol. 26.
As Man Chong grew older, he became the Prefect () of Gaoping County (高平縣; northwest of present-day Weishan County, Shandong). Around the time, an official Zhang Bao () was abusing his powers by soliciting bribes and causing trouble for the local administration. One day, Man Chong led his guards into the guesthouse where Zhang Bao stayed and arrested him on allegations of corruption. After interrogating Zhang Bao and publishing his crimes, Man Chong resigned and went home with his part in the process completed.(守高平令。縣人張苞為郡督郵，貪穢受取，干亂吏政。寵因其來在傳舍，率吏卒出收之，詰責所犯，即日考竟，遂棄官歸。) Sanguozhi vol. 26.
Service under Cao Cao As the Prefect of Xu County When the warlord Cao Cao held the position of Governor of Yan Province between 191 and 192, he recruited Man Chong to serve as an Assistant Officer () under him. Later, when Cao Cao had taken control of the Han court and was briefly General-in-Chief in 196, he appointed Man Chong as an Assistant in the West Bureau () of his administration. Man Chong was later appointed as the Prefect of Xu County (許縣; present-day Xuchang, Henan), the new imperial capital of the Eastern Han dynasty between 196 and 220.(太祖臨兖州，辟為從事。及為大將軍，辟署西曹屬，為許令。) Sanguozhi vol. 26. This was a politically sensitive appointment given Cao Cao's relatively new grip on the court and Man Chong, not yet thirty, was fairly young for such an important post. During his tenure, Man Chong got into two controversial incidents.
In the first incident, Cao Hong, one of Cao Cao's cousins and trusted generals, had some retainers under him who broke the law while they were in Xu County. After Man Chong arrested and imprisoned the retainers, Cao Hong wrote to him and asked him to release them. When Man Chong ignored his request, Cao Hong brought up the issue to Cao Cao, who summoned the official in charge to come and see him. Man Chong thought that Cao Cao wanted to pardon Cao Hong's retainers, so he immediately executed them. Cao Cao was pleased when he heard about it and he remarked, "Isn't this what an officeholder should do?"(時曹洪宗室親貴，有賔客在界，數犯法，寵收治之。洪書報寵，寵不聽。洪白太祖，太祖召許主者。寵知將欲原，乃速殺之。太祖喜曰：「當事不當耳邪？」) Sanguozhi vol. 26.
In the second incident, Yang Biao (), the Grand Commandant and long serving member of the Han court, was arrested and imprisoned for allegedly conspiring with Yuan Shu, a warlord who rebelled against the Eastern Han dynasty. Man Chong, who was in charge of interrogating Yang Biao, received requests from his colleagues Xun Yu and Kong Rong to refrain from flogging the well-regarded scholar Yang Biao during the interrogation. However, Man Chong ignored them and did everything by the book.(故太尉楊彪收付縣獄，尚書令荀彧、少府孔融等並屬寵：「但當受辭，勿加考掠。」寵一無所報，考訊如法。) Sanguozhi vol. 26. A few days later, Man Chong reported to Cao Cao: "Yang Biao had nothing to say when I interrogated him. Before executing a criminal, we must first produce evidence of his guilt and show it to the public. Yang Biao is a reputable man. If we execute him without sufficient evidence to show that he is guilty, the people will lose faith in us. I hope you will reconsider your decision carefully and not be too hasty in ordering Yang Biao's execution." Cao Cao then released Yang Biao. Xun Yu and Kong Rong were initially angry with Man Chong when they found out that he tortured Yang Biao during the interrogation. However, they became more amiable towards him after they heard what he told Cao Cao.(數日，求見太祖，言之曰：「楊彪考訊無他辭語。當殺者宜先彰其罪；此人有名海內，若罪不明，必大失民望，竊為明公惜之。」太祖即日赦出彪。初，彧、融聞考掠彪，皆怒，及因此得了，更善寵。) Sanguozhi vol. 26.
The historian Pei Songzhi criticised Man Chong for his cruelty and said that he should not have tortured Yang Biao, who had a reputation for being virtuous. From his viewpoint, even though Man Chong deserved praise for doing things by the book, it was not enough to make up for his cruelty.(臣松之以為楊公積德之門，身為名臣，縱有愆負，猶宜保祐，況淫刑所濫，而可加其楚掠乎？若理應考訊，荀、孔二賢豈其妄有相請屬哉？寵以此為能，酷吏之用心耳。雖有後善，何解前虐？) Pei Songzhi's annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 26.
As the Administrator of Runan Commandery In 200 CE, the Battle of Guandu broke out between Cao Cao and his rival, Yuan Shao, whose family homeome during the Later Han was in Runan Commandery (汝南郡; covering parts of present-day southeastern Henan and northwestern Anhui). Although Yuan Shao had no control in Runan Commandery, he maintained some influence there through his retainers, who led small groups of armed men and had strongholds scattered throughout the commandery. Cao Cao was worried that they would pose a threat to his base in Xu County while he was away at the frontline at Guandu, so he appointed Man Chong as the Administrator () of Runan Commandery to deal with Yuan Shao's retainers.(時袁紹盛於河朔，而汝南紹之本郡，門生賔客布在諸縣，擁兵拒守。太祖憂之，以寵為汝南太守。) Sanguozhi vol. 26.
Upon assuming office, Man Chong gathered five hundred followers to attack and destroy over 20 strongholds, then invited the retainer leaders to a diplomatic meeting and there killed over 10 of them. Runan Commandery was no longer a major threat but the harsh treatment did lead to repeated revolts in the area. During his tenure, Man Chong gained control over 20,000 households, drafted about 2,000 men into military service, and implemented the tuntian policy in the commandery.(寵募其服從者五百人，率攻下二十餘壁，誘其未降渠帥，於坐上殺十餘人，一時皆平。得戶二萬，兵二千人，令就田業。) Sanguozhi vol. 26.
In 208, Man Chong led his troops from Runan Commandery to join Cao Cao on a military campaign to conquer Jing Province and attack the rival warlords Sun Quan and Liu Bei. After Cao Cao retreated back to the north following his defeat at the Battle of Red Cliffs in the winter of 208–209, he appointed Man Chong as acting General of Vehement Might () and ordered him to remain behind in Jing Province to defend Dangyang. However, after Cao Cao's forces lost the Battle of Jiangling against Sun Quan's forces, Cao Cao ordered Man Chong to abandon Dangyang and return to his previous post in Runan Commandery. The Han imperial court awarded Man Chong the title of a Secondary Marquis ().(建安十三年，從太祖征荊州。大軍還，留寵行奮威將軍，屯當陽。孫權數擾東陲，復召寵還為汝南太守，賜爵關內侯。) Sanguozhi vol. 26.
Battle of Fancheng
In 219, Liu Bei's general Guan Yu led his forces to attack Fancheng (樊城, present-day Fancheng District, Xiangyang, Hubei), which was guarded by Cao Ren, one of Cao Cao's cousins and trusted generals. Man Chong brought troops to Fancheng to assist Cao Ren in resisting Guan Yu's attack. They were thrown into a dangerous situation when heavy rains caused flooding in the region and parts of Fancheng's walls began to crumble. To make matters worse, the flood destroyed the reinforcements led by Cao Cao's general Yu Jin, who surrendered to the enemy. Guan Yu kept pressing the attack on Fancheng all this while.(關羽圍襄陽，寵助征南將軍曹仁屯樊城拒之，而左將軍于禁等軍以霖雨水長為羽所沒。羽急攻樊城，樊城得水，往往崩壞，衆皆失色。) Sanguozhi vol. 26.
Someone suggested to Cao Ren to abandon Fancheng and escape while there was still time, since Guan Yu's forces had not completely surrounded Fancheng yet. Man Chong disagreed and said, "The floodwaters may be flowing very fast, but the flood might not last long. Guan Yu had already sent a detachment of troops from his army to station at Jia County (郟縣). There is already much panic and fear among the people living in the lands south of Xu County (許縣). Guan Yu doesn't dare to advance further because he's worried that his base (in southern Jing Province) will come under attack. If we abandon Fancheng and leave, we'll end up losing all the territories south of the river. Sir, you should continue to hold up here." Cao Ren agreed with him. Man Chong drowned his horse and pledged to stay with the soldiers in Fancheng to the end.(或謂仁曰：「今日之危，非力所支。可及羽圍未合，乘輕船夜走，雖失城，尚可全身。」寵曰：「山水速疾，兾其不久。聞羽遣別將已在郟下，自許以南，百姓擾擾，羽所以不敢遂進者，恐吾軍掎其後耳。今若遁去，洪河以南，非復國家有也；君宜待之。」仁曰：「善。」寵乃沈白馬，與軍人盟誓。) Sanguozhi vol. 26.
When Xu Huang, another of Cao Cao's generals, showed up at Fancheng with reinforcements, Man Chong joined him in attacking Guan Yu and succeeded in breaking the siege on Fancheng. As a reward for his efforts, the Han imperial court promoted Man Chong from a secondary marquis to a village marquis under the title "Marquis of Anchang Village" ().(會徐晃等救至，寵力戰有功，羽遂退。進封安昌亭侯。) Sanguozhi vol. 26.
Service under Cao Pi Following Cao Cao's death in 220, Man Chong continued serving under his son and successor, Cao Pi, who usurped the throne from Emperor Xian later that year, ended the Eastern Han dynasty, and established the state of Cao Wei with himself as the emperor.Zizhi Tongjian vol. 69. After his coronation, Cao Pi promoted Man Chong to General Who Spreads Martial Might ().(文帝即王位，遷揚武將軍。) Sanguozhi vol. 26.
Sometime between 220 and 222, Man Chong participated in two battles against Wei's rival state, Eastern Wu, founded by Cao Cao's old rival Sun Quan. In the first battle, he defeated Wu forces at Jiangling (江陵; around present-day Jingzhou, Hubei). After the battle, Cao Pi promoted him to General Who Calms the Waves () and ordered him to station at Xinye (新野; present-day Xinye County, Henan).(破吳於江陵有功，更拜伏波將軍，屯新野。) Sanguozhi vol. 26. In the second battle, Man Chong led the Wei army's vanguard force during a Wei campaign against Wu. The vanguard force, under his command, reached the Jing Lake () and established their position on the side of the lake directly across the enemy's side. Man Chong foresaw that the enemy would attempt to set fire to his camp at night as the winds were strong, so he warned his subordinates and put his troops on high alert. His prediction came true that night. Since they were prepared, Man Chong and his troops successfully repelled the attack and defended their position. As a reward for his contributions, Man Chong was promoted from a village marquis to a district marquis under the title "Marquis of Nan District" ().(大軍南征，到精湖，寵帥諸軍在前，與賊隔水相對。寵勑諸將曰：「今夕風甚猛，賊必來燒軍，宜為其備。」諸軍皆警。夜半，賊果遣十部伏夜來燒，寵掩擊破之，進封南鄉侯。) Sanguozhi vol. 26.
In 222, Cao Pi granted Man Chong imperial authority and awarded him a ceremonial axe. Two years later, he promoted Man Chong to General of the Vanguard ().(黃初三年，假寵節鉞。五年，拜前將軍。) Sanguozhi vol. 26.
Service under Cao Rui Following Cao Pi's death in 226, his son Cao Rui succeeded him as the emperor of Wei. After his coronation, Cao Rui elevated Man Chong from the status of a district marquis to a county marquis under the title "Marquis of Changyi" (). In 228, he appointed Man Chong as the Inspector () of Yu Province.(明帝即位，進封昌邑侯。太和二年，領豫州刺史。) Sanguozhi vol. 26.