Zhu Zhi
Encyclopedia
Zhu Zhi style name
Junli (君理), was a military general of Eastern Wu
during the Three Kingdoms
era of Chinese history
. He was from present-day Anji County
, Zhejiang
.
Zhu served Sun Jian
early on and participated in the campaign
against Dong Zhuo
. After the death of Sun Jian, his son Sun Ce
became a warlord under Yuan Shu
. After Sun Quan
became the ruler of Yang Province, Zhu was made Minister of War and Deputy Commander of Army Inspection as well as the general and Grand Administrator of Wu commandry, a position he would retain for his entire life. He adopted Zhu Ran
as his son, as he had no heirs. In 222, he was made Marquis of Pilang, and, in 223, was made "General Who Guards the Kingdom" and "Lord of Guzhang". Zhu died in 224.
on his rise to power. In 188 he was promoted to the rank of Major (司马) and led an army to attack rival armies in Changsha, Lingling
, Guiyang (all in present-day Hunan
). Zhu was a skilled and successful tactician, and was promoted to the rank of Commandant (都尉) by Sun Jian because of his victories. Zhu assisted in Sun Jian's defeat of Dong Zhuo
in the Battle of Yangren, and upon the army's entrance into Luoyang
was promoted to the rank of Colonel (校尉), with special command to lead a regiment of cavalry to Xu Province and reinforce its governor, Tao Qian, in the fight against the Yellow Turban Rebellion
.
Following Sun Jian's death in 191, Zhu continued to serve under Jian's successor Sun Ce
, who at the time was loyal to the northern warlord Yuan Shu. Upon learning that Shu was not a man of integrity
or administrative ability, Zhu advised Sun Ce to return to their territory in Wu and operate independently. Around this time Grand Tutor Ma Midi
gave Zhu bureaucrat status and promoted him to Commandant of Wu Commandery. Zhu displayed ability and talent in all his missions, including an instance of protecting Sun Ce's family members, and was widely lauded as Sun Ce conquered the entire lower Yangtze region.
Sun Ce was assassinated by a servant of Xu Gong
in 200 for reasons that have long been debated. Zhu stayed in Wu and, along with the renowned tactician Zhou Yu
, served Ce's successor Sun Quan
. In 202, Sun appointed Zhu as Governor of Wu Commandery and promoted him to the rank of "Righteousness-Supporting" General (扶義將軍). Sun gave Zhu feudal land holdings in Gelou, Youzhang, Wuyi, and Piling, allowed Zhu to enter semi-retirement.
Zhu continued to serve the Wu government: He participated in attacks against the Baiyue south and east of the Han Chinese
-controlled territory of Wu, and 208 talked Sun Quan's younger brother Sun Ben (whose daughter was a wife of Cao Cao
) out of sending his son as a hostage to Cao Cao in an attempt to improve diplomatic relations. Zhu was loved and respected by Sun Quan, who after declaring himself King of Wu would always greet Zhu in person when he visited the capital, bestowing gifts upon him and holding banquets in his honor.
In 222 Zhu was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Piling (毗陵侯). Sun Quan bestowed kingly gifts on Zhu (such as a golden seal) and extended Zhu's domain to encompass four counties, but Zhu was unwilling to assume greater holdings or positions. He retired to his home village of Guzhang for several years, and later died in 224 at the age of 69.
Zhu Zhi had five sons: Zhu Ran
(adopted), Zhu Cai, Zhu Ji, Zhu Wei, and Zhu Wan.
Chinese style name
A Chinese style name, sometimes also known as a courtesy name , is a given name to be used later in life. After 20 years of age, the zì is assigned in place of one's given name as a symbol of adulthood and respect...
Junli (君理), was a military general of Eastern Wu
Eastern Wu
Eastern Wu, also known as Sun Wu, was one the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period after the fall of the Han Dynasty. It was based in the Jiangnan region of China...
during the Three Kingdoms
Three Kingdoms
The Three Kingdoms period was a period in Chinese history, part of an era of disunity called the "Six Dynasties" following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty rulers. In a strict academic sense it refers to the period between the foundation of the state of Wei in 220 and the...
era of Chinese history
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
. He was from present-day Anji County
Anji County
Anji County is a county in the prefecture-level city of Huzhou in Zhejiang, People's Republic of China, with a population of 450,000. Anji county is well known for its bamboo, containing as it does 60,000 hectares of bamboo groves. It has been designated a pilot county for ecological...
, Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
.
Zhu served Sun Jian
Sun Jian
Sun Jian was a military general and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He allied himself with Yuan Shu in 190 when warlords from eastern China formed a coalition to oust Dong Zhuo, a tyrannical warlord who held the puppet Emperor Xian in his power...
early on and participated in the campaign
Campaign against Dong Zhuo
The Campaign against Dong Zhuo was a punitive expedition initiated by a coalition of regional officials and warlords against Dong Zhuo, Chancellor of State, in 190 during the late Han Dynasty of Chinese history...
against Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo was a politician and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He seized control of the capital city Luoyang in 189 when it was in a state of turmoil following the death of Emperor Ling and a clash between the eunuch faction and some court officials led by...
. After the death of Sun Jian, his son Sun Ce
Sun Ce
Sun Ce was a military general and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was the oldest of the children of Sun Jian who was killed during the Battle of Xiangyang when Sun Ce was only 16. Sun Ce then broke away from his father's overlord, Yuan Shu, and headed to...
became a warlord under Yuan Shu
Yuan Shu
Yuan Shu was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He rose to prominence following the collapse of the imperial court in 189. He was said to be a younger cousin of the warlord Yuan Shao, but was actually Yuan Shao's younger half-brother...
. After Sun Quan
Sun Quan
Sun Quan , son of Sun Jian, formally Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He ruled from 222 to 229 as King of Wu and from 229 to 252 as Emperor of Wu....
became the ruler of Yang Province, Zhu was made Minister of War and Deputy Commander of Army Inspection as well as the general and Grand Administrator of Wu commandry, a position he would retain for his entire life. He adopted Zhu Ran
Zhu Ran
Zhu Ran was a military general of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. Despite being a childhood friend of the first emperor of Eastern Wu, Sun Quan, he was never tasked with important position nor assignment before Lü Meng's invasion of southern Jing Province in 219,...
as his son, as he had no heirs. In 222, he was made Marquis of Pilang, and, in 223, was made "General Who Guards the Kingdom" and "Lord of Guzhang". Zhu died in 224.
Biography
Zhu served as a county clerk in his early career and was noted for his filial piety and modesty. He was soon made a prefecture official and followed Sun JianSun Jian
Sun Jian was a military general and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He allied himself with Yuan Shu in 190 when warlords from eastern China formed a coalition to oust Dong Zhuo, a tyrannical warlord who held the puppet Emperor Xian in his power...
on his rise to power. In 188 he was promoted to the rank of Major (司马) and led an army to attack rival armies in Changsha, Lingling
Lingling District
Lingling Districtis a district that constitutes the southern half of Yongzhou county in the north of Yongzhou prefecture in Hunan, China. It is under the administration of Yongzhou city.-References:*...
, Guiyang (all in present-day Hunan
Hunan
' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
). Zhu was a skilled and successful tactician, and was promoted to the rank of Commandant (都尉) by Sun Jian because of his victories. Zhu assisted in Sun Jian's defeat of Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo was a politician and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He seized control of the capital city Luoyang in 189 when it was in a state of turmoil following the death of Emperor Ling and a clash between the eunuch faction and some court officials led by...
in the Battle of Yangren, and upon the army's entrance into Luoyang
Luoyang
Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...
was promoted to the rank of Colonel (校尉), with special command to lead a regiment of cavalry to Xu Province and reinforce its governor, Tao Qian, in the fight against the Yellow Turban Rebellion
Yellow Turban Rebellion
The Yellow Turban Rebellion, also translated as Yellow Scarves Rebellion, was a peasant revolt that broke out in 184 AD in China during the reign of Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty...
.
Following Sun Jian's death in 191, Zhu continued to serve under Jian's successor Sun Ce
Sun Ce
Sun Ce was a military general and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was the oldest of the children of Sun Jian who was killed during the Battle of Xiangyang when Sun Ce was only 16. Sun Ce then broke away from his father's overlord, Yuan Shu, and headed to...
, who at the time was loyal to the northern warlord Yuan Shu. Upon learning that Shu was not a man of integrity
Integrity
Integrity is a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one's actions...
or administrative ability, Zhu advised Sun Ce to return to their territory in Wu and operate independently. Around this time Grand Tutor Ma Midi
Ma Midi
Ma Midi was an official who lived during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He is also featured as a character in Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. When Wang Yun decided to execute Cai Yong for showing sympathy with respect to Dong Zhuo's death, it was Ma...
gave Zhu bureaucrat status and promoted him to Commandant of Wu Commandery. Zhu displayed ability and talent in all his missions, including an instance of protecting Sun Ce's family members, and was widely lauded as Sun Ce conquered the entire lower Yangtze region.
Sun Ce was assassinated by a servant of Xu Gong
Xu Gong
Xu Gong was the governor of Wu Commandery during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history.Xu Gong had opposed Sun Ce as an ally of Wang Lang, Yan Baihu, and Liu Yao. He eventually was forced to surrender to Sun's forces, but he was a disloyal officer, even attempting to write a secret memo...
in 200 for reasons that have long been debated. Zhu stayed in Wu and, along with the renowned tactician Zhou Yu
Zhou Yu
Zhou Yu was a military general and strategist who served his close friend, the warlord Sun Ce, during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history...
, served Ce's successor Sun Quan
Sun Quan
Sun Quan , son of Sun Jian, formally Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He ruled from 222 to 229 as King of Wu and from 229 to 252 as Emperor of Wu....
. In 202, Sun appointed Zhu as Governor of Wu Commandery and promoted him to the rank of "Righteousness-Supporting" General (扶義將軍). Sun gave Zhu feudal land holdings in Gelou, Youzhang, Wuyi, and Piling, allowed Zhu to enter semi-retirement.
Zhu continued to serve the Wu government: He participated in attacks against the Baiyue south and east of the Han Chinese
Han Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
-controlled territory of Wu, and 208 talked Sun Quan's younger brother Sun Ben (whose daughter was a wife of Cao Cao
Cao Cao
Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
) out of sending his son as a hostage to Cao Cao in an attempt to improve diplomatic relations. Zhu was loved and respected by Sun Quan, who after declaring himself King of Wu would always greet Zhu in person when he visited the capital, bestowing gifts upon him and holding banquets in his honor.
In 222 Zhu was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Piling (毗陵侯). Sun Quan bestowed kingly gifts on Zhu (such as a golden seal) and extended Zhu's domain to encompass four counties, but Zhu was unwilling to assume greater holdings or positions. He retired to his home village of Guzhang for several years, and later died in 224 at the age of 69.
Zhu Zhi had five sons: Zhu Ran
Zhu Ran
Zhu Ran was a military general of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. Despite being a childhood friend of the first emperor of Eastern Wu, Sun Quan, he was never tasked with important position nor assignment before Lü Meng's invasion of southern Jing Province in 219,...
(adopted), Zhu Cai, Zhu Ji, Zhu Wei, and Zhu Wan.