Zhang Zhao

Historical Record

Zhang Zhao, courtesy name Zibu, was a man of Pengcheng. In his youth he loved learning and excelled at clerical script; he studied the Zuo Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals under Baihou Zi'an and read widely. He was on good terms with Zhao Yu of Langya and Wang Lang of Donghai, and thereby became renowned ^c:1664. At the age of capping he was recommended as a man of filial piety and integrity, but he did not take up the post. In the great upheaval at the end of the Han, many of the gentry and people of Xu Province took refuge in Yangzhou, and Zhang Zhao too crossed south of the Yangtze ^c:1664.

When Sun Ce was founding his enterprise, he appointed Zhang Zhao as Chief Clerk and General of the Gentlemen of the Household Who Soothes the Army, holding him in the highest regard—he even "ascended the hall to pay respects to his mother, as with an old friend of equal standing, and entrusted all civil and military affairs to Zhang Zhao alone" ^c:1664. On his deathbed Sun Ce entrusted his younger brother Sun Quan to Zhang Zhao, who led the assembled officials in assisting Sun Quan ^c:1667. At that time Sun Quan was so overcome with grief that he could not attend to affairs, and Zhang Zhao consoled him: "He who succeeds another prizes the ability to bear the legacy of his predecessor and to make the family's enterprise flourish, thereby completing the work of merit. Now all under Heaven is in upheaval and the mountains are full of bandits—how can a man of filial integrity lie prostrate in mourning and indulge the feelings of a common fellow?" ^c:1667 Thereupon Zhang Zhao personally helped Sun Quan onto his horse, drew up the troops, and went forth, so that the hearts of the multitude had something to rally to. After this, Zhang Zhao continued to serve as Sun Quan's Chief Clerk and was given great responsibility. Whenever Sun Quan went on campaign, he left Zhang Zhao to guard the rear and handle the affairs of the headquarters ^c:1667.

After Sun Quan was memorialized by Liu Bei as Acting Chariots-and-Cavalry General, Zhang Zhao was appointed Army Strategist ^c:1667. Sun Quan once, while drinking at the Fishing Terrace at Wuchang, grew very drunk and had water sprinkled on his ministers, saying, "Today we drink to the full; only when one falls drunk into the terrace shall we stop." Zhang Zhao, with a stern face, said nothing, went out, and sat in his carriage. Sun Quan summoned him back and asked why he was angry. Zhang Zhao replied, "Of old, Zhou made a hill of dregs and a pool of wine and drank through the night; at the time he too thought it pleasure and did not consider it evil." Hearing this, Sun Quan fell silent, deeply ashamed, and broke off the drinking ^c:1667.

In the second year of the Huangchu era of Wei (221 CE), Emperor Wen of Wei, Cao Pi, sent the envoy Xing Zhen to invest Sun Quan as King of Wu. When Xing Zhen entered the gate without alighting from his carriage, Zhang Zhao confronted him: "Where there are rites, there is nothing unrespected; thus where there are laws, there is nothing not carried out. Yet you dare to exalt yourself—is it because the south of the river is weak and small, with not so much as an inch of blade?" Xing Zhen thereupon alighted from his carriage ^c:1667. After Sun Quan proclaimed himself emperor, Zhang Zhao, being old and often ill, submitted a memorial requesting to return his office and the affairs under his charge ^c:5296. Sun Quan reappointed him as General Who Supports Wu, ranking below the Three Excellencies, and reenfeoffed him as Marquis of Lou, with a fief of ten thousand households. Living in retirement at home, he composed the Explanation of the Zuo Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals and the Annotations on the Analects ^c:5296.

Zhang Zhao's younger brother Zhang Cheng, courtesy name Zhongsi, was also known for his talent and learning and was on good terms with Zhuge Jin, Bu Zhi, and Yan Jun ^c:1668. Zhang Zhao's son Zhang Xiu, courtesy name Shusi, was, together with Zhuge Ke, Gu Tan, and others, among the companions of the heir apparent Sun Deng ^c:1669.

Zhang Zhao died in the spring of the first year of the Huanglong era (229 CE) ^c:5292.

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhang Zhao is further fashioned as a brain trust and senior minister of the Southland, though at times he also appears overly cautious. He first appears in the early days of Sun Ce's enterprise, when Zhou Yu recommended the "two Zhangs"—Zhang Zhao and Zhang Hong—to Sun Ce ^c:1671. Sun Ce went in person to engage them, and only then did the two agree to serve; Zhang Zhao was appointed Chief Clerk and concurrently General of the Gentlemen of the Household Who Soothes the Army ^c:1671.

In the novel, Zhang Zhao repeatedly devised stratagems for Sun Ce or Sun Quan at crucial moments. For example, when Sun Ce was attacking Liu Yao, Zhang Zhao advised a night raid on Liu Yao's camp, which succeeded ^c:10428. After Sun Ce was wounded, Zhang Zhao once urged him not to act rashly out of a moment's anger ^c:1672. On Sun Ce's deathbed, Zhang Zhao also played the role of stabilizing the situation, consoling Sun Quan: "This is not the time for the general to weep; you should on the one hand see to the funeral rites, and on the other hand manage the military and state affairs" ^c:10432.

On the eve of the Battle of Red Cliffs, Zhang Zhao strongly advocated surrendering to Cao Cao, holding that Cao Cao "commands a host of a million and, borrowing the name of the Son of Heaven, campaigns in all four quarters; to resist him is to defy righteousness" ^c:10436. He even, in his debate with Zhuge Liang, questioned why, after Zhuge Liang began assisting Liu Bei, Liu Bei instead suffered defeat after defeat ^c:10440. When Sun Quan decided to resist Cao Cao, Zhang Zhao still held that this was falling for Zhuge Liang's scheme, and urged Sun Quan not to "carry firewood to put out a fire" ^c:1674. These episodes all highlight Zhang Zhao's cautious, conservative side in the novel, contrasting with the pro-war faction such as Zhou Yu and Lu Su.

After the Sun-Liu alliance broke down, Zhang Zhao repeatedly offered schemes in an attempt to recover Jing Province from Liu Bei. For example, he advised Sun Quan to use Lady Sun to lure Liu Bei back to Eastern Wu, holding A-dou as a hostage to exchange for Jing Province ^c:1680. Later he advised detaining the family of Zhuge Jin to force Zhuge Jin to go to Shu and persuade Zhuge Liang to return Jing Province ^c:1682. Though these schemes did not wholly succeed, they also display the novel's image of Zhang Zhao sparing no effort in the interests of Eastern Wu.

Key Relationships

* Sun Quan's Faction (serves): Zhang Zhao was a senior minister of two generations of lords, Sun Ce and Sun Quan, deeply trusted and relied upon. On his deathbed Sun Ce entrusted Sun Quan to Zhang Zhao, and Sun Quan treated Zhang Zhao with the courtesy due a teacher ^c:5291.
* Eastern Wu (serves): Zhang Zhao served the Eastern Wu regime all his life, making great contributions to its founding and stability. He assisted Sun Quan, guarded the rear, and took part in many important decisions ^c:1667.
* Zhao Yu (friend_of): Zhang Zhao and Zhao Yu of Langya were friends from their youth and rose to fame together ^c:1664.
* Wang Lang (friend_of): Zhang Zhao and Wang Lang of Donghai were also friends from their youth and rose to fame together ^c:1664.
* Zhou Yu (colleague): In the novel, Zhou Yu and Zhang Zhao held differing views on how to deal with Cao Cao—Zhou Yu advocated war, Zhang Zhao surrender ^c:10445.
* Zhuge Liang (opponent): In the novel, Zhang Zhao had a famous debate with Zhuge Liang before the Battle of Red Cliffs; representing the assembled scholars of the Southland, Zhang Zhao questioned Zhuge Liang but was refuted by him ^c:1673.
* Lu Su (colleague): In the novel, Lu Su and Zhang Zhao also differed on how to deal with Liu Bei and Cao Cao—Lu Su inclined toward allying with Liu to resist Cao, while Zhang Zhao inclined more toward surrendering to Cao or making use of Liu Bei ^c:10436.
* Sun Ce (lord): Sun Ce trusted and esteemed Zhang Zhao greatly, entrusting all civil and military affairs to him ^c:1664.
* Lady Sun (related_to): In the novel, Zhang Zhao once devised a scheme to use Lady Sun to lure Liu Bei back to Eastern Wu, holding A-dou as a hostage to exchange for Jing Province ^c:1680 (novel only).
* Zhuge Jin (colleague): In the novel, Zhang Zhao once devised a scheme to detain Zhuge Jin's family to force Zhuge Jin to go to Shu and persuade Zhuge Liang to return Jing Province ^c:1682 (novel only).

Iconic Scenes

* Sun Ce's deathbed entrustment: On his deathbed, Sun Ce entrusted the young Sun Quan to Zhang Zhao, saying to him, "If Zhongmou is unequal to the task, you may take it for yourself. And should you not prevail, return westward at a leisurely pace—there is nothing to fear" ^c:1667. This embodies Sun Ce's immense trust in Zhang Zhao.
* Consoling Sun Quan: After Sun Ce's death, Sun Quan was overcome with grief, and Zhang Zhao consoled him with "This is not the time for the general to weep," then helped him onto his horse to inspect the camp, steadying the troops' morale ^c:1667.
* Rebuking Xing Zhen: When the Wei envoy Xing Zhen came to invest Sun Quan as King of Wu and entered the gate without alighting from his carriage, Zhang Zhao sternly rebuked his disrespect and forced Xing Zhen to alight ^c:1667. This scene displays Zhang Zhao's upright and unbending character.
* Remonstrating against Sun Quan's tiger-hunting: Sun Quan loved to hunt tigers on horseback, and Zhang Zhao once remonstrated that as a ruler he should not take such risks, lest he be mocked by all under Heaven. Though Sun Quan agreed in words, he did not give up the pleasure ^c:1667. This reflects Zhang Zhao's loyalty to Sun Quan and his frank outspokenness.
* Advocating surrender before the Battle of Red Cliffs: Before the Battle of Red Cliffs, Zhang Zhao strongly advocated surrendering to Cao Cao, holding that the Southland could not withstand Cao Cao's great army, and engaged in a fierce debate with Zhuge Liang ^c:10436. This is one of Zhang Zhao's most representative scenes in the novel, highlighting his cautious and pragmatic side.
* Devising schemes to seize Jing Province: In the novel, Zhang Zhao repeatedly devised schemes, including making use of Lady Sun and Zhuge Jin to seize Jing Province; though they did not succeed, they display his cunning in scheming for the interests of Eastern Wu ^c:1680, ^c:1682 (novel only).
* Advising Sun Quan to withdraw his troops: After Taishi Ci was wounded, Zhang Zhao advised Sun Quan to withdraw his troops; Sun Quan followed him and pulled back to the Southland ^c:1676 (novel only).
* Advising Sun Quan to ally with Wei against Shu: After Guan Yu was killed, Zhang Zhao advised Sun Quan to send Guan Yu's head to Cao Cao, shifting the blame onto Wei to avoid Liu Bei's vengeance, and to sit back and watch Wei and Shu contend ^c:1684 (novel only).