Early Life and Career
Pan Zhang was a native of Fagan (發干), Dong commandery (東郡), which is located east of present-day Guan County, Liaocheng, Shandong. In 196, he became a follower of a 14-year-old Sun Quan, who was then serving as the Chief (長) of Yangxian (陽羨) under his elder brother Sun Ce, who controlled many territories in the Jiangdong region. Pan Zhang was known to be a heavy drinker and compulsive gambler, and he had to frequently borrow money to support these habits because his family was poor. When his creditors came to pursue debts, he always claimed he would pay them back when he became endowed with wealth. Sun Quan felt that Pan Zhang was extraordinary and favoured him, so he sent the latter on a recruitment drive. Pan Zhang returned with more than 100 men and Sun Quan appointed him as a military officer. He became a "Major of Separate Command" (別部司馬) after defeating some bandits. Later, he was appointed as a da shi cijian (大巿刺姧; similar to a police chief) in Wu commandery (吳郡; capital in present-day Suzhou, Jiangsu) and became famous after achieving success in maintaining high standards of security in the area. He was reassigned as the Chief (長) of Xi'an (西安) county in Yuzhang (豫章) commandery later.
Around that time, bandits were rampant in Jing Province (covering present-day Hubei and Hunan), and its governor Liu Biao was unable to stop the criminals. However, the bandits did not dare to cross the border into Yuzhang commandery in Yang Province (covering most of southeastern China) to pillage the area when they heard that Pan Zhang was stationed there. When an uprising broke out in Jianchang (建昌) county, Pan Zhang was reassigned to be the Chief of the county, appointed as "Colonel of Martial Vehemence" (武猛校尉), and sent to suppress the revolt. He succeeded in doing so within a month and managed to gather back 800 soldiers who were scattered during the rebellion. He was then summoned to Jianye (建業; in present-day Nanjing, Jiangsu), the capital of Sun Quan's territories.
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