Zong Yu

Historical Record

Zong Yu, styled Deyan, was a man of Anzhong in Nanyang. During the Jian'an era he followed Zhang Fei into Shu^[1]. At the beginning of the Jianxing era, the Chancellor Zhuge Liang appointed him Registrar, and later promoted him to Army Adviser and General of the Right of the Household Gentlemen. After Zhuge Liang died, Eastern Wu, fearing that Cao Wei might take advantage of Shu Han's decline to seize Shu, added ten thousand troops to garrison Baqiu—on the one hand to come to the relief of Shu Han, and on the other to partition the situation. When Shu Han learned of this, it likewise increased the defenses of Yongan in case of trouble^[1]. Zong Yu was ordered to go as envoy to Eastern Wu, and Sun Quan asked him: "Eastern Wu and Shu Han are as close as feet and hands—why, then, do I hear that Shu Han has again increased the defenses of Baidicheng?" Zong Yu replied: "I consider that Eastern Wu's increasing the defenses of Baqiu, and Shu Han's increasing the defenses of Baidicheng, are both natural acts in keeping with the circumstances, and neither side need question the other." On hearing this, Sun Quan laughed aloud and admired his forthright candor, holding him in great affection and esteem, the degree of his regard second only to that for Deng Zhi and Fei Yi^[1]. Thereafter Zong Yu was promoted to Palace Attendant, and again transferred to Master of Writing.

In the tenth year of the Yanxi era, Zong Yu served as Commandant of Garrison Cavalry. At that time the General of Chariots and Cavalry Deng Zhi returned to court from Jiangzhou and said to Zong Yu: "By the rites, at sixty one no longer bears arms—yet you are only now first receiving military authority. Why is that?" Zong Yu replied: "You are seventy and still unwilling to lay down your arms; why then, at sixty, should I not receive military authority?"^[2] Deng Zhi was haughty by nature, and even the Grand General Fei Yi and others gave way to him, but Zong Yu alone would not yield. Zong Yu later again went as envoy to Eastern Wu, and Sun Quan grasped his hand and, weeping, took his leave of him, saying: "Each time you are sent on a mission, you forge a deep friendship between the two states. Now you are advanced in years, and I too am old; I fear we may never meet again!" Sun Quan presented Zong Yu with a peck of great pearls^[2]. After Zong Yu returned home, he was appointed General of the Rear and supervised Yongan, and was later given the office of General Who Conquers the West and the rank of Marquis Within the Passes. In the first year of the Jingyao era, he was recalled to Chengdu because of illness. Afterward he was appointed General Who Guards the Army, with the post of Inspector of Yanzhou. At that time the Protector-General Zhuge Zhan had just begun to take charge of the government, and Liao Hua, passing by Zong Yu's place, wished to go together with Zong Yu to call on Zhuge Zhan. Zong Yu said: "We are both over seventy; the fame and emolument we have wrongly enjoyed are already enough, and we lack only death—why should we, for the sake of the younger generation, trifle ourselves by calling at his door?" And so he did not go^[2].

In the Novel

In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zong Yu's image emphasizes his diplomatic talent and loyalty. After Zhuge Liang died, when the Latter Sovereign Liu Shan had returned to Chengdu, a close attendant reported that Eastern Wu's Quan Cong was garrisoning the border of Baqiu with tens of thousands of troops, and Liu Shan was thrown into alarm by this^[3]. Jiang Wan suggested sending someone to Eastern Wu to announce the mourning and observe its movements, whereupon Zong Yu stepped forward and volunteered to go^[3].

Zong Yu, having received his orders, arrived at Jinling and had an audience with the lord of Wu, Sun Quan. Sun Quan, putting on airs, questioned why Shu Han had increased the defenses of Baidicheng. Zong Yu met this with the reply found in the historical record—"that Eastern Wu increases the garrison of Baqiu and Shu Han increases the defenses of Baidi are both proper to the circumstances, and neither need question the other"—so that Sun Quan turned from anger to laughter and praised him, saying, "You are not inferior to Deng Zhi"^[4]. Sun Quan then explained that the increase of troops at Baqiu was to come to the relief of Shu Han, and broke an arrow as a vow, declaring that he would not forsake the alliance, and sent an envoy to accompany Zong Yu into Shu to offer sacrifice^[4]. After Zong Yu returned to Chengdu, he reported Sun Quan's sincerity to the Latter Sovereign, so that Liu Shan was greatly pleased and richly rewarded Zong Yu^[5]. The Zong Yu of the novel not only displays the forthright candor recorded in the histories but further highlights his diplomatic ability to step forward at the crucial moment and dissolve a crisis, so that Shu Han, in the turbulent period right after the death of the Chancellor, was able to stabilize its relations with Eastern Wu.

Key Relationships

* Zhang Fei: Zong Yu followed Zhang Fei into Shu during the Jian'an era^[1], an important experience of his early career.
* Shu Han: Zong Yu served Shu Han all his life, holding in turn the offices of Registrar, Army Adviser and General of the Right of the Household Gentlemen, Palace Attendant, Master of Writing, Commandant of Garrison Cavalry, General of the Rear, General Who Conquers the West, and General Who Guards the Army, and was an important civil and military official of the later Shu Han^[1],^[2].
* Sun Quan: Zong Yu went as envoy to Eastern Wu many times and had direct interaction with Sun Quan. Sun Quan admired his forthrightness and held him in great esteem, even weeping at parting and presenting him with great pearls, embodying a personal friendship between the two that went beyond ordinary diplomatic relations^[1],^[2].
* Deng Zhi: Zong Yu and Deng Zhi were colleagues; Deng Zhi once teased Zong Yu about his age, and Zong Yu retorted, "You at seventy do not lay down your arms; why then at sixty should I not receive them?", showing Zong Yu's character of not fearing the powerful. The histories record that Deng Zhi was haughty, but Zong Yu alone would not yield to him^[2]. In the novel, Sun Quan's praise of Zong Yu as "not inferior to Deng Zhi" also indirectly shows that the two were equals in diplomatic talent (novel only).
* Zhuge Liang: Zhuge Liang once appointed Zong Yu Registrar and later promoted him to Army Adviser and General of the Right of the Household Gentlemen, and was the guide of Zong Yu's official career^[1].
* Zhuge Zhan: In his later years Zong Yu declined to call, together with Liao Hua, on the newly empowered Zhuge Zhan, embodying his attitude of not currying favor with the powerful and of being indifferent to fame and gain^[2].

Signature Scenes

* Wit-dueling Sun Quan and dissolving his doubts: After Zhuge Liang's death, Eastern Wu increased its troops at Baqiu, and Shu Han likewise increased its troops at Baidi. Zong Yu went as envoy to Eastern Wu, and faced with Sun Quan's questioning about Shu Han's troop increase, he dissolved Sun Quan's doubts with the reply, "Eastern Wu increasing the garrison of Baqiu and Shu Han increasing the defenses of Baidi are both proper to the circumstances, and neither need question the other," displaying his outstanding diplomatic wisdom and his character of forthright candor. Sun Quan therefore laughed aloud and greatly praised him^[1]. In the novel, this scene is further embellished, with Sun Quan even breaking an arrow as a vow that he would not betray the alliance^[4].
* The debate over age with Deng Zhi: When the General of Chariots and Cavalry Deng Zhi teased Zong Yu with "at sixty one does not bear arms," Zong Yu struck back with the witty reply, "You at seventy do not lay down your arms; why then at sixty should I not receive them?" This exchange not only displays Zong Yu's eloquence but further highlights his character of not fearing the powerful and holding to himself^[2].
* Sun Quan weeping at parting: When Zong Yu again went as envoy to Eastern Wu, Sun Quan grasped his hand and, weeping, took his leave, presenting him with a peck of great pearls. Sun Quan lamented that both were advanced in years and feared they might never meet again. This scene profoundly depicts Zong Yu's important place in the relations between the two states and the deep personal friendship between him and Sun Quan, embodying his great success in diplomacy and his personal charisma^[2].
* Declining to call on Zhuge Zhan: In his later years, Zong Yu declined Liao Hua's proposal to call together on the newly empowered Zhuge Zhan, saying, "We are both over seventy; what we have wrongly enjoyed is already past measure, and we lack only death—why should we, for the sake of the younger generation, trifle ourselves by going to his door?" This remark fully displays Zong Yu's indifference to fame and gain and his refusal to fawn upon the powerful in his late integrity^[2].