Zhu En

Historical Record

Zhu En, a figure of Eastern Wu in the Three Kingdoms period, has few recorded deeds in the official histories; he appears mainly in the affair of Zhuge Ke's execution by Sun Jun. According to the Records of the Three Kingdoms, scroll 64, when Zhuge Ke was preparing to set out to campaign in Huainan, a series of ominous portents appeared — a filial son entering the chamber, the ridge-beam of the house snapping, a white rainbow encircling his boat — foretelling an inauspicious sign. Just as Zhuge Ke was about to have audience with Sun Jun, Sun Jun had already set an ambush behind a curtain. Fearing that Zhuge Ke might not enter in time and the plot be exposed, Sun Jun came out in person to sound out Zhuge Ke, asking whether he was unwell and might withdraw and have audience later. Zhuge Ke answered, "I shall force myself to go in." At this moment the Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary Zhang Yue and Zhu En and others secretly wrote to Zhuge Ke, warning him: "Today's arrangements are out of the ordinary; we suspect there is some other cause." ^c:2371 This secret letter clearly indicates the role Zhu En played in the final stage of Zhuge Ke's life: he, together with Zhang Yue, perceived the abnormality and tried to warn Zhuge Ke. Zhuge Ke, however, did not heed the advice, and was finally killed by Sun Jun inside the palace gate. This act of Zhu En's shows his loyalty to Zhuge Ke and his keen insight into the situation; though it could not change the ultimate tragic outcome, his act of warning is still recorded in the histories.

In the Novel

In chapter 108 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhu En's image differs somewhat from the historical record, but his relationship with Zhuge Ke remains close. In the novel, after Zhuge Ke was defeated at the battle of Hefei Xincheng because of Zhang Te's ruse, his great army collapsed and morale sank. After returning to Wu, Zhuge Ke, ashamed, pleaded illness and did not attend court, yet inwardly he grew suspicious and fearful, worried that others would speak ill of him. To consolidate his own power, he began to hunt out the faults of officials, in lesser cases banishing them to the frontier and in graver cases beheading them as a public warning, so that the whole court was filled with dread. Against this background, the novel specifically notes that Zhuge Ke "further ordered his trusted generals Zhang Yue and Zhu En to take charge of the imperial guards, to serve as his fangs and claws." ^c:2372 This episode has no clear historical record; it casts Zhu En as a confidant of Zhuge Ke, placed in charge of the imperial guards and becoming an important helper in Zhuge Ke's elimination of dissent and consolidation of power. This deviates from the historical image of Zhu En as merely a warner; the novel grants Zhu En a more active and more powerful function, giving him a more direct role in Zhuge Ke's political struggle. However, whether in history or in the novel, Zhu En was ultimately unable to save Zhuge Ke's fate.

Key Relationships

Between Zhu En and Zhuge Ke there exists an important relationship of friendship and subordination. In history, Zhu En was a colleague of Zhuge Ke; when Zhuge Ke faced mortal danger, he, together with Zhang Yue, sent a secret letter in an attempt to remind Zhuge Ke to beware of Sun Jun's scheme ^c:2371. This shows that Zhu En was deeply concerned for Zhuge Ke's safety and possessed a certain political sensitivity. Although the histories do not describe their everyday dealings in detail, this warning at the critical moment is enough to show that the two had an extraordinary relationship.

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the relationship between Zhu En and Zhuge Ke is further strengthened: he is depicted as Zhuge Ke's "trusted general," even entrusted with the heavy responsibility of commanding the imperial guards, becoming the "fangs and claws" by which Zhuge Ke consolidated his power ^c:2372 (unique to the novel). This literary shaping gives Zhu En a more important place in Zhuge Ke's power structure and also suggests a deep mutual trust and reliance between the two. Whether in history or in the novel, Zhu En was bound closely to Zhuge Ke's fate and was an indispensable member of his political career.

Iconic Scenes

Zhu En's iconic scenes revolve mainly around the affair of Zhuge Ke's execution by Sun Jun. In history, the scene that best embodies Zhu En's role is his and Zhang Yue's "secret letter to Zhuge Ke: 'Today's arrangements are out of the ordinary; we suspect there is some other cause.'" ^c:2371 This secret letter is the clearest mark Zhu En left on the historical stage. It occurred at the critical moment when Zhuge Ke was about to step into the trap of death; though Zhu En's warning could not change Zhuge Ke's end, it displays his responsibility as a loyal friend or colleague. This scene not only highlights Zhu En's keen insight but also adds a layer of regret to Zhuge Ke's tragic fate.

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhu En's iconic scene is his being entrusted by Zhuge Ke with heavy responsibility, together with Zhang Yue "taking charge of the imperial guards, to serve as fangs and claws" ^c:2372 (unique to the novel). Although this scene is the novel's literary creation, it shapes Zhu En as a confidant of Zhuge Ke and gives him a more active role in Zhuge Ke's process of eliminating dissent and controlling the court. Although this scene differs from Zhu En's act of warning in history, both place Zhu En at a critical juncture of Zhuge Ke's political career, making him a witness and participant in Zhuge Ke's rise and fall. These two scenes together constitute Zhu En's iconic presence in history and in literature, displaying the complex and profound connection between him and Zhuge Ke.