Zhou Fang

Historical Record

Zhou Fang, courtesy name Ziyu, was a native of Yangxian in Wu Commandery. In his youth he was fond of learning and was once recommended as a Filial and Incorrupt candidate, serving as Chief of Ningguo and later transferring to Huai'an. During his tenure, the great chieftain Peng Shi and others in the Qiantang region gathered followers and turned to banditry, and Zhou Fang was appointed Chancellor of the Marquisate of Qiantang. Within a single month, he had slain Peng Shi and his confederates, and was therefore promoted to Commandant of the Western Division of Danyang. During the Huangwu era, the great chieftain Peng Qi of Poyang rose in revolt and overran the subordinate towns. Sun Quan thereupon appointed Zhou Fang as Grand Administrator of Poyang; he and Hu Zong worked together to attack the rebels, finally capturing Peng Qi alive and sending him to Wuchang, for which Zhou Fang was promoted to Colonel Who Manifests Righteousness^[1].

Thereafter, Zhou Fang was charged with secretly seeking out, among the old clans and notable chieftains of the mountains, those known to the northern enemy, so as to carry out a scheme to lure the Wei Grand Marshal and Governor of Yangzhou, Cao Xiu. Zhou Fang replied that he feared these petty chieftains of the common people were not to be relied upon, and that once the matter leaked out, it would be impossible to draw Cao Xiu in. He requested that a trusted man be sent carrying seven letters to deceive Cao Xiu. These seven letters set out in detail his reasons and plans for "betraying" Eastern Wu, including expressing dissatisfaction with Eastern Wu, longing for Cao Wei, and anxiety over his own situation^[2]. He even cut his hair to show his resolve (the histories do not explicitly mention the cutting of hair, but his ruse to lure the enemy included acts of going to great lengths to win the other's trust), and laid out in detail the route of the Wei army's advance and the disposition of Eastern Wu's forces, intending to make Cao Xiu wholly believe him^[3]. In the end, Cao Xiu indeed believed Zhou Fang and led a hundred thousand foot and horse, baggage trains filling the roads, straight into the Wan region. Zhou Fang too gathered his forces and, together with Lu Xun, intercepted Cao Xiu, routing Cao Xiu's great army and inflicting tens of thousands of casualties^[4].

In the Novel

In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhou Fang's appearance is closely tied to his feigned-surrender scheme. In the novel, the Yangzhou Major and Grand Commander Cao Xiu submitted a memorial to Emperor Ming of Wei, Cao Rui, stating that the Eastern Wu Grand Administrator of Poyang, Zhou Fang, wished to surrender his commandery, and secretly presented seven matters, declaring that Eastern Wu could be broken and requesting that troops be dispatched^[5]. After Emperor Ming consulted with Sima Yi, Sima Yi judged the plan workable, but the General Who Establishes Might, Jia Kui, raised an objection, holding that Zhou Fang was a man of stratagem and that this was a ruse to lure the enemy. Nonetheless, Emperor Ming still sent Sima Yi together with Jia Kui to assist Cao Xiu, and dispatched three armies to advance.

When Cao Xiu's troops arrived before Wan, Zhou Fang came forth to welcome him. Cao Xiu still harbored doubts about his feigned surrender, and to win Cao Xiu's trust Zhou Fang actually wept aloud and drew his sword to cut his own throat, declaring that his loyalty was as clear as the sun and moon. Cao Xiu hastily stopped him, whereupon Zhou Fang cut his hair with the sword and threw it to the ground to show his heart^[6]. Cao Xiu was thereby wholly convinced and held a banquet to entertain him. Jia Kui again advised, pointing out that an oath sworn by cutting one's hair could not be lightly trusted, and warning Cao Xiu not to advance rashly. However, Cao Xiu flew into a rage, believing Jia Kui was obstructing his achievement, and wished to behead him; only after the generals pleaded was he spared death, but Jia Kui's military authority was stripped^[7]. When Zhou Fang learned that Jia Kui's command had been stripped, he secretly rejoiced, believing Heaven was aiding his success, and immediately sent a secret report to Lu Xun. Lu Xun thereupon set an ambush at Shiting to await the Wei army. Under Zhou Fang's guidance, Cao Xiu marched his entire army and baggage train to Shiting. The next day, when Cao Xiu discovered that the Wu army was prepared, he realized in alarm that he had fallen for the scheme, and Zhou Fang had already vanished^[8]. In the end, Cao Xiu was crushingly defeated by the Wu army at Shiting, suffering heavy losses. The novel's portrayal of Zhou Fang emphasizes his stratagem and daring, using dramatic episodes such as cutting his hair and feigning suicide to strengthen the realism of his feigned surrender and the cleverness of his scheme.

Key Relationships

* Eastern Wu (serves): Zhou Fang was an important general of Eastern Wu, devotedly loyal and of illustrious battle merit. He pacified the rebellions at Qiantang and Poyang, and with his outstanding stratagem successfully lured Cao Xiu, winning Eastern Wu the victory at the Battle of Shiting^[1].
* Cao Xiu (enemy_of): Cao Xiu was the chief target of Zhou Fang's feigned-surrender scheme. Through carefully crafted seven letters and a series of deceptions, Zhou Fang successfully deluded Cao Xiu into wholehearted belief, ultimately leading to Cao Xiu's crushing defeat at Shiting^[4].
* Lu Xun (fights_in): Lu Xun was the collaborator and final executor of Zhou Fang's feigned-surrender scheme. After successfully luring Cao Xiu, Zhou Fang relayed the intelligence to Lu Xun in time, enabling Lu Xun to set an ambush at Shiting and, striking from within and without with Zhou Fang, to rout Cao Xiu^[4].
* Jia Kui (doubter; novel only): In the novel, Jia Kui was the only Wei general to see through Zhou Fang's feigned-surrender scheme. He repeatedly advised Cao Xiu, pointing out the falseness of the hair-cutting oath, but was not heeded and instead had his military authority stripped by Cao Xiu for it^[7].

Signature Scenes

* Pacifying the Poyang rebellion: After being appointed Grand Administrator of Poyang, Zhou Fang worked in concert with Hu Zong to successfully capture the rebel chieftain Peng Qi alive and pacify the rebellion in the Poyang region, displaying his outstanding military talent and administrative ability^[1].
* Luring Cao Xiu with seven letters: To lure in Cao Xiu, Zhou Fang carefully composed seven letters, setting out in detail his reasons and plans for "betraying" Eastern Wu, and sent a trusted man to deliver them to Cao Xiu. These detailed and seemingly heartfelt letters finally dispelled Cao Xiu's doubts and won his wholehearted belief, laying the foundation for the victory at the Battle of Shiting^[2].
* Cutting his hair to win trust (novel only): In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, to further win Cao Xiu's trust, Zhou Fang went so far as to draw his sword to cut his own throat and to cut off his hair to show his loyalty. This dramatic act completely dispelled Cao Xiu's doubts and made him wholly believe in Zhou Fang's feigned surrender, becoming a signature scene of Zhou Fang's extraordinary stratagem^[6].
* Crushing Cao Xiu at Shiting: After successfully luring in Cao Xiu, Zhou Fang, in coordination with Lu Xun within and without, set an ambush at Shiting and crushed Cao Xiu's hundred-thousand-strong army, inflicting tens of thousands of casualties. This was the most brilliant military achievement of Zhou Fang's life and the finest embodiment of his "richly cunning and full of surprising stratagems" character^[4].