Zhao Zi

Historical Record

Zhao Zi, styled Junchu, was a native of Nanyang, renowned for his broad learning and his quick, eloquent replies. At first he moved together with Bu Chan, and later rose to the office of Grand Master of Ceremonies ^c:6428. During the period when Sun Quan was King of Wu, Zhao Zi was promoted to Palace Counselor and several times went on missions to Cao Wei. On one such occasion, Emperor Wen of Wei, Cao Pi, asked him what sort of ruler Sun Quan was. Zhao Zi replied, "He is intelligent, benevolent, and wise — a ruler of heroic strategy." When Cao Pi pressed for specifics, Zhao Zi explained further: "That he took in Lu Su from among the common sort is his intelligence; that he raised up Lü Meng from the ranks is his perception; that he captured Yu Jin yet did him no harm is his benevolence; that he took Jing Province without bloodying his blades is his wisdom; that he holds three provinces and glares tiger-like upon the realm is his heroism; and that he bends his person before Your Majesty is his strategy." ^c:14737 These words fully displayed Sun Quan's resourcefulness and spirit, and also reflected Zhao Zi's outstanding eloquence.

Another account holds that Cao Pi once mocked Zhao Zi, asking whether Sun Quan was fond of learning. Zhao Zi replied that the King of Wu possessed ten thousand warships and a million armored troops, employed the worthy and able, and was bent on managing the realm; that though he had leisure, he read widely, taking the essential gist, and did not, like a mere scholar, pick over chapter and verse. Cao Pi then asked whether Wu could be subjugated, to which Zhao Zi answered, "A great state has troops for campaigning; a small state has the firmness of its defenses." When Cao Pi asked whether Wu feared Wei, Zhao Zi confidently declared, "With a million armored troops and the Yangtze and Han as its moat, what difficulty is there?" Finally, Cao Pi asked how many men like Zhao Zi there were in Wu, and Zhao Zi answered grandly, "Of the brilliantly outstanding there are eighty or ninety; of those like me, you could load them by the cartful and measure them by the bushel — beyond counting." ^c:14737 These responses won Zhao Zi great respect in Wei. On hearing of it, Sun Quan too greatly commended him and appointed him Commandant of Cavalry. Zhao Zi also advised Sun Quan that the north would never keep faith with an alliance, and suggested that Sun Quan change the reign title and rectify the colors of court dress to answer Heaven and follow the people, advice that Sun Quan adopted. Zhao Zi's son Zhao Feng, styled Zi, later rose under the Jin dynasty to the office of General of Agile Cavalry and was enfeoffed as Duke of Dongpingling ^c:6428.

In the Novel

In *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, Zhao Zi's image is further given literary treatment, especially against the background, after the Battle of Xiaoting, of Sun Quan seeking aid from Cao Wei to cope with Liu Bei's offensive, in which Zhao Zi plays a key diplomatic role. In the novel, Zhao Zi is portrayed as a Palace Counselor who, when Zhuge Jin's mission to Shu Han had failed and Sun Quan faced a crisis, stepped forward and offered the plan of going to Cao Wei to persuade Cao Pi to send troops to seize Hanzhong and thereby relieve Eastern Wu's plight ^c:6429.

Sun Quan adopted Zhao Zi's advice and enjoined him not to lose face for Eastern Wu on this errand. Zhao Zi declared with fervor that if he made the slightest blunder he would cast himself into the river to die, for he would have no face to face the men of Jiangnan again ^c:6429. This exchange is not clearly recorded in the histories; it is a detail added by the novel to shape the figure's loyal courage. After reaching Xu, Zhao Zi had audience with Cao Pi. Having read Sun Quan's memorial of submission, Cao Pi asked what sort of ruler Sun Quan was. Zhao Zi's reply largely accords with the historical record: he described Sun Quan as "an intelligent, benevolent, and wise ruler of heroic strategy," and explained it from six aspects — taking in Lu Su, raising up Lü Meng, capturing Yu Jin, taking Jing Province, holding the three rivers, and bending his person before the Emperor of Wei ^c:14731.

Cao Pi then went on to ask whether Sun Quan was fond of learning, whether Wei could attack Wu, whether Wu feared Wei, and how many men like Zhao Zi there were in Wu. Zhao Zi's answers — such as "The lord of Wu has ten thousand warships afloat, a million armored troops, employs the worthy and uses the able, and is bent on grand management; in his little leisure he reads widely through the records and surveys the histories, taking their essential gist, and does not, like a mere scholar, pick over chapter and verse" ^c:14731 — accord closely with the historical record, displaying his surpassing eloquence and his firm stance in upholding his state's dignity. On hearing them, Cao Pi could not help sighing, "Sent on a mission to the four quarters and not disgracing your lord's commission — you, sir, are the man for it." ^c:14731 Through these exchanges, the novel strengthens Zhao Zi's image as an outstanding diplomat, lending him greater luster in the literary work.

Key Relationships

* Sun Quan's Faction (serves): Zhao Zi was an important official under Sun Quan, rising to Grand Master of Ceremonies and Commandant of Cavalry, and several times representing Sun Quan on missions to Cao Wei, making important contributions to the diplomatic affairs of Sun Quan's faction. Sun Quan highly valued his talent and adopted his advice ^c:14737.
* Cao Wei (serves): As an Eastern Wu envoy, Zhao Zi went several times on missions to Cao Wei, conducting diplomatic negotiations with Cao Pi and other Wei rulers and ministers. The eloquence and wisdom he displayed in Wei won the praise and respect of Cao Pi ^c:14737.
* Zhuge Jin (novel-only): In *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, it was after Zhuge Jin's mission to Shu Han had failed that Zhao Zi stepped forward and proposed the plan of a mission to Cao Wei to relieve Eastern Wu's peril ^c:6429.

Signature Scenes

* Mission to Cao Wei, sparring with Cao Pi: Zhao Zi's most signature scene is his mission to Cao Wei as an Eastern Wu envoy and his brilliant exchange with Emperor Wen of Wei, Cao Pi. He appraised Sun Quan as "an intelligent, benevolent, and wise ruler of heroic strategy" and explained it in detail from six aspects, displaying his outstanding eloquence and his loyalty to Sun Quan. He then cleverly answered a series of pointed questions from Cao Pi — whether Sun Quan was fond of learning, whether Wu could be subjugated, whether it feared Wei, and how many talents Wu had — upholding the dignity and image of Eastern Wu and winning Cao Pi's admiration ^c:14737. This scene is recorded in detail in both the histories and the novel, a concentrated embodiment of Zhao Zi's personal ability and diplomatic wisdom.
* Offering the plan to go on a mission to Cao Wei after the Battle of Xiaoting (novel-only): In *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, after the Battle of Xiaoting, with Liu Bei's great army bearing down, Sun Quan faced enormous pressure. Zhao Zi stepped forward and offered Sun Quan the plan of submitting to Cao Pi and himself going on a mission to Cao Wei to persuade Cao Pi to seize the chance to attack Hanzhong, thereby forcing Liu Bei to withdraw. He even swore an oath that, should he blunder, he would cast himself into the river, displaying his loyal courage and sense of responsibility ^c:6429. Though this scene is novel-only, it greatly enriches Zhao Zi's image, lending him greater luster in the literary work.