Zhou Qun

Historical Record

Zhou Qun, courtesy name Zhongzhi, was a native of Langzhong in Baxi. His father Zhou Shu, courtesy name Shubu, studied in his youth under Yang Hou of Guanghan, ranking with Dong Fu and Ren An in scholarly attainment. Zhou Shu was repeatedly summoned to office but never answered the call to serve. At the time, someone asked him the meaning of the prophecy in the Chunqiu apocrypha that "the one who shall replace Han is high on the way," and Zhou Shu explained: "The one high on the way is Wei." Scholars of the locality privately passed on his words. From childhood Zhou Qun followed his father Zhou Shu in learning, concentrating on the art of astrological divination^[1].

Zhou Qun built a small tower in his family's courtyard; as his household was wealthy with many servants, he had the servants take turns observing the heavens from the tower. Whenever a servant noticed the slightest change of vapor in the sky, they immediately reported it to Zhou Qun, who then personally climbed the tower to observe, day and night alike. Thus whenever there was any anomaly of the heavenly vapors, he was able to detect it in time, and the predictions he made mostly came true. Liu Zhang, Governor of Yi Province, once recruited Zhou Qun as an Attendant Officer for Companionship^[1].

According to the Xu Hanshu, in the seventh year of Jian'an (202), in the Yuexi region a man transformed into a woman; Zhou Qun held that this resembled a similar event in the time of Emperor Ai of Han and portended a change of dynasty. By the twenty-fifth year of Jian'an (220), Emperor Xian of Han was indeed enfeoffed at Shanyang. In the tenth month of the twelfth year of Jian'an (207), a comet appeared in the Chunwei lodge, which lies in the field-allotment of Jing Province. On this basis Zhou Qun predicted that the Governor of Jing Province would die and lose his territory. The following autumn, Liu Biao died, and Cao Cao thereupon pacified Jing Province. In the twelfth month of the seventeenth year of Jian'an (212), a comet appeared in the Wuzhuhou lodge; Zhou Qun predicted that the lords holding territory in the west would all lose their lands. At that time, Liu Zhang held Yi Province, Zhang Lu held Hanzhong, Han Sui held Liang Province, and Song Jian held Fuhan. The following winter, Cao Cao sent lieutenant generals to attack Liang Province. In the nineteenth year of Jian'an (214), Song Jian was captured, and Han Sui fled into the Qiang lands and was killed. That same autumn, Liu Zhang lost Yi Province. In the autumn of the twentieth year of Jian'an (215), Cao Cao attacked Hanzhong, and Zhang Lu surrendered^[1].

After the Former Lord Liu Bei pacified Yi Province, he appointed Zhou Qun as Colonel of the Confucian Forest^[1]. Later, when the Former Lord Liu Bei wished to contend with Cao Cao for Hanzhong, he consulted Zhou Qun. Zhou Qun replied: "You can win its land, but not its people. If you send out a detachment, it will surely be unfavorable—you must be cautious!" At that time, Zhang Yu, a Rear Division Major of the province and a native of Shu Commandery, was also skilled in astrological divination and exceptionally gifted; he too remonstrated with the Former Lord Liu Bei: "Hanzhong must not be contested; the army will surely meet with misfortune." However, the Former Lord Liu Bei in the end did not adopt the advice of Zhou Qun and Zhang Yu, and the result was just as they had said—though he won the land of Hanzhong, he failed to win the support of its people. Liu Bei sent the generals Wu Lan, Lei Tong, and others into Wudu, but they all fell in battle and did not return, completely confirming Zhou Qun's prediction. In view of Zhou Qun's accurate predictions, Liu Bei recommended him as a Cultivated Talent^[2].

In the Novel

The Romance of the Three Kingdoms does not give Zhou Qun an independent characterization; he does not appear in the novel, and there is no dialogue or specific plot involving him. Thus the novel records nothing of Zhou Qun's image, character, or deeds, which differs markedly from the biographical materials; the novel entirely overlooks this wise man, famed in history for his mastery of astrological divination. His absence from the Romance leaves the novel's readers unable to appreciate his distinctive style of "diligently pursuing the work of observation, avoiding neither dawn nor night"^[1].

Key Relationships

* Zhou Shu (parent_of): Zhou Qun's father, a man of broad learning who was the enlightening teacher and transmitter of Zhou Qun's art of astrological divination^[1].
* Liu Zhang's faction (serves): Zhou Qun was once recruited by Liu Zhang, Governor of Yi Province, as an Attendant Officer for Companionship, serving him^[1].
* Shu Han (serves): After the Former Lord Liu Bei settled Shu, he appointed Zhou Qun as Colonel of the Confucian Forest, and Zhou Qun became a member of the Shu Han regime^[1].
* Liu Bei (advises_in): Zhou Qun once advised Liu Bei on the contest for Hanzhong, predicting "you will win its land but not its people," and warning that "if you send out a detachment, it will surely be unfavorable." Although Liu Bei in the end did not adopt his advice, his prediction ultimately came true^[2].

Signature Scenes

* Observing the stars in the courtyard: Zhou Qun built a small tower in his family's courtyard, having servants take turns observing the heavens while he himself climbed the tower day and night, diligently pursuing the work of observation, so that his words mostly came true. This is a vivid portrait of his mastery of astrological divination and his tireless effort^[1].
* Predicting the change of master in Jing Province: In the tenth month of the twelfth year of Jian'an (207), a comet appeared in the Chunwei lodge, and Zhou Qun predicted that the Governor of Jing Province would die and lose his territory; the following year Liu Biao died and Cao Cao pacified Jing Province, accurately confirming his prediction^[1].
* Predicting the western lords' loss of territory: In the twelfth month of the seventeenth year of Jian'an (212), a comet appeared in the Wuzhuhou lodge, and Zhou Qun predicted that the western holders of territory would lose their lands; subsequently the fates of Liu Zhang, Zhang Lu, Han Sui, Song Jian, and others all bore out his words^[1].
* Remonstrating against the contest for Hanzhong: When the Former Lord Liu Bei wished to contend for Hanzhong, Zhou Qun clearly stated that "you will win its land but not its people; if you send out a detachment, it will surely be unfavorable," and urged him to "be cautious." Although Liu Bei did not heed him, the outcome of the campaign fully matched Zhou Qun's prediction, and the dispatched generals Wu Lan, Lei Tong, and others all fell in battle^[2].