[ Scholar under Liu Biao with Qimu Kai. Sent by Liu Cong to surrender to Cao Cao.
Officer Details
Wade-Giles: Sung Chung [Tsung]
Simplified Chinese: 宋忠
Birthplace: Nanyang
Name Notes: Song Zhong’s name may have been written Song Zong 宋宗.
Family and Relationships
Qimu Kai (Colleague); Wang Su, Yin Mo, Li Ren (Disciples)
Literary Appearances
Romance of the Three Kingdoms: 40
Sanguozhi: Wei 6, Shu 2
Hou Han shu: 74
Biography
Song Zhong, perhaps Song Zong, taught the Taixuan jing (Classics of the Great Mystery), a development of the Yang Xiong’s Book of Changes. He also compiled a treatise on government titled Shi ben. His many students included Wang Su, Yin Mo, and Li Ren. None of his writings survived.
In about AD 200 Song Zhong and his colleague Qimu Kai were among the scholars of the court of Liu Bieo. Under his sponsorship they prepared a series of detailed commentaries to the five classics, Changes, History, Poetry, Ritual and Chunqiu. This work was known as the “Later Edition”.
In AD 208 while Liu Cong prepared to surrender to Cao Cao, he sent Song Zhong at the last minute to inform Liu Bei, who was predictably quite upset.