Zhuge Jun

Historical Record

Zhuge Jun, whose style is unrecorded, was the younger brother of the Shu Han Chancellor Zhuge Liang. Concerning his life, the orthodox histories record very little, mainly a few brief lines in the Records of the Three Kingdoms. According to the Biography of Zhuge Liang in the Records of the Three Kingdoms, Zhuge Jun rose to the office of Colonel of the Changshui Regiment in Shu Han^[1]. The Colonel of the Changshui Regiment was a military office in the Han and Three Kingdoms periods, chiefly responsible for managing the cavalry of the Changshui camp; though not a high or eminent position, it shows that Zhuge Jun held a certain office in the Shu Han regime. However, the histories do not record in detail when he entered office, his specific duties, or his contributions to the Shu Han regime. Compared with the pivotal importance of his elder brother Zhuge Liang in Shu Han, Zhuge Jun's image in the historical record appears quite indistinct. He exists more as a member of Zhuge Liang's family, his chief value lying in completing the picture of the Zhuge family's makeup in Shu Han. After Zhuge Liang died, in the spring of the sixth year of Jingyao (263 CE), the Later Lord Liu Shan decreed that a temple be erected to Zhuge Liang at Mianyang to honor his merit. In the autumn of that same year, the Wei General Who Guards the West, Zhong Hui, campaigning against Shu, passed through Hanchuan and made a point of going to pay homage at Zhuge Liang's temple, sternly forbidding his soldiers to graze or gather firewood near Zhuge Liang's tomb; this indirectly reflects Zhuge Liang's influence in the society of the time, and Zhuge Jun, as his kinsman, is thereby mentioned in the histories^[1].

In the Novel

In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhuge Jun's image is fuller than in historical fact, appearing chiefly in the episode of Liu Bei's "Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage," where he plays the important role of introducing Zhuge Liang. He first appears when Liu Bei visited Longzhong a second time. At that time Liu Bei came braving the wind and snow but failed to meet Zhuge Liang, encountering only Zhuge Jun. Zhuge Jun introduced his family circumstances to Liu Bei, mentioning that his eldest brother Zhuge Jin was a guest-adviser to Sun Quan in Jiangdong, that Zhuge Liang was his second brother, and informing Liu Bei that Zhuge Liang had gone out wandering at leisure with no fixed destination^[2]. This gave Liu Bei an initial impression of Zhuge Liang's mystery and lofty seclusion and laid the groundwork for the subsequent "Three Visits." After Liu Bei's second visit came to nothing, on the way back he encountered Huang Chengyan, who mistook Liu Bei for someone coming to visit Zhuge Liang and recited the "Liangfu Song," further setting off Zhuge Liang's reputation for worthiness^[3].

On the third visit, Liu Bei finally met Zhuge Jun at Longzhong. Zhuge Jun told Liu Bei that Zhuge Liang had returned home the previous night and that Liu Bei could meet him today^[4]. This episode not only advanced the story but also made Zhuge Jun an important link between Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang. After Zhuge Liang left his retreat to assist Liu Bei, Zhuge Jun appeared again. Before setting out, Zhuge Liang enjoined Zhuge Jun to continue farming at home and not let the fields go to waste, promising that on the day his task was accomplished he would return to seclusion^[5]. This detail not only shows Zhuge Liang's care for his family but also, through Zhuge Jun's image, further highlights Zhuge Liang's noble character of indifference to fame and gain and his ambition for the realm. In the novel, although Zhuge Jun has few lines of dialogue, each one plays a key role in linking what comes before and after, making the episode of the "Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage" more vivid and dramatic.

Key Relationships

* Shu Han (serves): In historical fact, Zhuge Jun rose to the office of Colonel of the Changshui Regiment, showing that he once held office in the Shu Han regime^[1]. In the novel, although his office in Shu Han is not explicitly mentioned, as Zhuge Liang's younger brother his family had close ties to the Shu Han regime.
* Zhuge Liang (kin_of): Zhuge Jun was Zhuge Liang's own younger brother, and this blood tie is the chief reason he is mentioned in both the histories and the novel. In the novel, he appears several times as Zhuge Liang's spokesman or introducer, presenting Zhuge Liang's circumstances to Liu Bei and conveying Zhuge Liang's wishes^[2].
* Zhuge Jin (kin_of, novel-only): In the novel, Zhuge Jun mentions that he also had an eldest brother, Zhuge Jin, who was a guest-adviser to Sun Quan in Jiangdong^[2]. This not only accounts for the broad connections of the Zhuge family but also hints at the situation of the Zhuge brothers each serving a different lord, adding a coloring of family background to the subsequent tripartite division of the Three Kingdoms.
* Liu Bei (interacts_with, novel-only): In the episode of the "Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage," Liu Bei twice spoke directly with Zhuge Jun, asking him about Zhuge Liang's whereabouts and circumstances^[2]. Zhuge Jun's answers directly influenced Liu Bei's understanding of Zhuge Liang and his subsequent actions.

Iconic Scenes

* Introducing his brother before the Longzhong Plan: In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhuge Jun's most iconic scenes are his receiving Liu Bei twice during the "Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage" and introducing his brother Zhuge Liang. The first time, he gave Liu Bei a detailed account of Zhuge Liang's wandering whereabouts and lofty character, deepening Liu Bei's appreciation of Zhuge Liang's reputation for worthiness^[2]. The second time, he directly informed Liu Bei that Zhuge Liang had returned home, bringing about the first meeting between Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang^[4]. These scenes not only display Zhuge Jun's courtesy and wisdom but also lay the foundation for the subsequent "Longzhong Plan," serving as a key link driving the plot forward.
* Zhuge Liang's charge before leaving his retreat: When Zhuge Liang decided to leave his retreat to assist Liu Bei, he specially enjoined Zhuge Jun to continue farming at home and not let the fields go to waste, expressing his aspiration to withdraw once his task was accomplished^[5]. Though brief, this scene profoundly depicts Zhuge Liang's image of indifference to fame and gain and concern for the realm, and also reflects the deep affection between the brothers. As the recipient of this charge, Zhuge Jun thereby becomes a witness to Zhuge Liang's noble character.
* Rising to Colonel of the Changshui Regiment: In historical fact, Zhuge Jun rose to the office of Colonel of the Changshui Regiment^[1]. Although his specific deeds are unknown, this office shows that he held a certain standing in the Shu Han regime and was not merely Zhuge Liang's kinsman. This is the only identity clearly recorded for him in the orthodox histories and an important marker of his life's trajectory.
* Mentioned at Zhong Hui's homage to Zhuge Liang's temple: After Zhuge Liang died, when the Wei general Zhong Hui paid homage at Zhuge Liang's temple, the histories mention Zhuge Jun as Zhuge Liang's younger brother^[1]. Although this was not an action of Zhuge Jun's own, as a member of Zhuge Liang's family he is recorded in this historical event, indirectly reflecting his family's influence in the society of the time.