Cen Hun (died 280) was an official of the state of
Eastern Wu
Wu (Chinese language, Chinese: 吳; pinyin: ''Wú''; Middle Chinese *''ŋuo'' < Eastern Han Chinese: ''*ŋuɑ''), known in historiography as Eastern Wu or Sun Wu, was a Dynasties of China, dynastic state of China and one of the three major sta ...
during the late
Three Kingdoms
The Three Kingdoms of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu dominated China from AD 220 to 280 following the end of the Han dynasty. This period was preceded by the Eastern Han dynasty and followed by the Jin dynasty (266–420), Western Jin dyna ...
period (220–280) of China.
Life
Cen Hun held positions among the
Nine Ministers during the reign of
Sun Hao, the fourth and last emperor of Wu. Historians described him as a corrupt official who oppressed the people. However, on one occasion, he led other officials to beg Sun Hao to spare the life of Zhang Shang (張尚), an official holding the position of Prefect of the Palace Writers (中書令), after Zhang Shang offended the emperor.
In 280, the
Jin dynasty conquered Wu. After Sun Hao surrendered to the Jin dynasty, several former Wu officials blamed Cen Hun for causing the downfall of Wu and urged Sun Hao to execute him. Sun Hao reluctantly agreed, and even though he regretted his decision later and tried to rescind his order, it was too late as Cen Hun had already been executed.
In ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms''
In the 14th-century historical novel ''
Romance of the Three Kingdoms'', which romanticises the events before and during the Three Kingdoms period, Cen Hun is portrayed as a palace
eunuch
A eunuch ( , ) is a male who has been castration, castrated. Throughout history, castration often served a specific social function. The earliest records for intentional castration to produce eunuchs are from the Sumerian city of Lagash in the 2 ...
and close aide of Sun Hao. He instigates the emperor's tyranny and plays a significant role in bringing about the corruption and decadence that led to the downfall of Wu in 280. After Sun Hao surrenders to the Jin dynasty, many former Wu officials blame him for causing Wu's downfall and had him executed by
slow slicing.
See also
*
Lists of people of the Three Kingdoms
Notes
References
*
Chen, Shou (3rd century). ''
Records of the Three Kingdoms
The ''Records of the Three Kingdoms'' is a Chinese official history written by Chen Shou in the late 3rd century CE, covering the end of the Han dynasty (220 CE) and the subsequent Three Kingdoms period (220–280 CE). It is regard ...
'' (''Sanguozhi'').
*
Luo, Guanzhong (14th century). ''
Romance of the Three Kingdoms'' (''Sanguo Yanyi'').
*
Pei, Songzhi (5th century). ''
Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms'' (''Sanguozhi zhu'').
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cen, Hun
Year of birth unknown
280 deaths
Eastern Wu government officials
People executed by Eastern Wu
3rd-century executions