Zhu Ju

Historical Record

Zhu Ju, styled Zifan, was a man of Wu County in Wu Commandery. He was imposing in appearance, of surpassing physical strength, and skilled in debate. In the early Huangwu era, Zhu Ju was recruited as a Gentleman of the Five Offices, and was later appointed Attendant Censor^[1]. At that time, the Master of Writing of the Selection Bureau, Ji Yan, devoted himself to rectifying the bureaucracy and weeding out corrupt officials. Zhu Ju held a different view: he believed that since the realm was not yet pacified, one should cover faults with merits and make use of what was usable, rather than dismissing men wholesale and thereby provoking later troubles. Ji Yan, however, did not adopt Zhu Ju's advice, and in the end this led to failure^[1].

In the ninth year of the Chiwu era, Zhu Ju was promoted to General of Agile Cavalry^[2]. During this period, the affair of "the strife of the two palaces" broke out among Sun Quan's sons — that is, the contest for the position of heir between the crown prince Sun He and the Prince of Lu, Sun Ba. Zhu Ju firmly upheld the crown prince Sun He, his words earnest and his sense of righteousness showing in his countenance, vowing to defend the crown prince's position to the death. He once remonstrated with Sun Quan, pointing out that the crown prince was the foundation of the state, and that his benevolent, filial, and refined nature had deeply won the hearts of the people, so that if he were rashly blamed it might breed later troubles. Citing the historical lessons of Duke Xian of Jin employing Li Ji and so causing the unjust death of Shensheng, and Emperor Wu of Han trusting Jiang Chong and so causing the unjust death of the Wronged Crown Prince, he feared that the crown prince could not bear such distress, and that even later regret would come too late^[2].

Because of the estrangement between Princess Quan and Lady Wang, and Princess Quan's slander, Sun Quan grew displeased with Lady Wang, the mother of the crown prince Sun He, which led to Lady Wang dying of grief; the crown prince Sun He's favor was thereby damaged, and he faced the crisis of being deposed^[3]. The covetous designs of the Prince of Lu, Sun Ba, grew by the day, while ministers such as Lu Xun, Wu Can, and Gu Tan firmly upheld the principle of the distinction between legitimate and secondary heirs, strenuously arguing that the crown prince's position must not be shaken. In contrast, men such as Quan Ji and Yang Zhu attached themselves to the Prince of Lu, Sun Ba, and continually slandered. Because of this Wu Can was imprisoned and executed, and Gu Tan was banished to Jiaozhou^[3].

Faced with Sun Quan's intention to depose Sun He and install Sun Liang, Zhu Ju, together with the Vice Director of the Masters of Writing Qu Huang, led a host of generals and officers, smeared their heads with mud and bound themselves, and went day after day to the palace gates to petition, imploring Sun Quan to rescind his order. From the Baijue Tower Sun Quan saw this and was greatly displeased, ordering that Zhu Ju, Qu Huang, and the rest need not do so. Yet Zhu Ju and Qu Huang did not cease their resolute remonstrance. Sun Quan, enraged, had the resolute remonstrants — the Commandant Without Difficulty, Chen Zheng, and the Commandant of the Five Camps, Chen Xiang — and their clans executed, and dragged Zhu Ju and Qu Huang into the hall, where each was given a hundred strokes of the cane^[3]. In the end, Sun He was moved to Guzhang, and those officials executed or banished for remonstrating numbered several dozen^[3].

In his later years Sun Quan came to a realization and wished to recall Sun He and reinstate him, but desisted because of the strenuous opposition of Princess Quan, Sun Jun, Sun Hong, and others^[3]. Zhu Ju was ultimately demoted to Assistant of Xindu Commandery. However, before he reached Xindu Commandery, the Director of the Secretariat Sun Hong, taking advantage of Sun Quan's grave illness, slandered Zhu Ju, forged an edict, and granted Zhu Ju death by his own hand, at the age of fifty-seven^[2]. In the time of Sun Liang, Zhu Ju's two sons Zhu Xiong and Zhu Sun were both killed because of Princess Quan's slander. It was not until the Yongan era that, in order to recall and record Zhu Ju's former merits, his grandson Zhu Xuan was at last allowed to inherit the title of Marquis of Yunyang and to marry a princess. In the reign of Sun Hao, Zhu Xuan rose to the office of General of Agile Cavalry^[2].

In his early years, Zhu Ju had once garrisoned Wuchang together with Lu Xun, jointly managing the affairs of the rear guard^[4]. The Inspector Lü Yi held arbitrary and tyrannical power and once impeached the Chancellor Gu Yong, the General of the Left Zhu Ju, and others, causing them to be placed under restraint^[4].

In the Novel

Romance of the Three Kingdoms does not give Zhu Ju an independent and detailed literary treatment. Zhu Ju appears in the novel only very briefly, and his deeds mostly accord with historical fact, with no obvious deviation or fabricated plot. Therefore, there is no depiction in the novel of character traits or iconic events unique to Zhu Ju. The Romance focuses mainly on the major military and political conflicts of the Three Kingdoms period, and devotes relatively little ink to civil officials like Zhu Ju, who are noted in the histories for loyal remonstrance and virtue, failing to display, as the histories do, his character of being "humble in receiving men of station, light in wealth and fond of giving; upholding rectitude and dying for righteousness." Therefore, the image of Zhu Ju in the novel is basically a plain narration of historical fact, lacking literary embellishment and dramatization, and there is no unique plot "without clear historical record."

Key Relationships

* Eastern Wu: Zhu Ju was an important official of Eastern Wu, long serving the Sun Quan regime and rising to the office of General of Agile Cavalry^[2].
* Sun Quan's Faction: As a minister under Sun Quan, Zhu Ju played an important role in the Eastern Wu regime, especially in the "strife of the two palaces," where his stance and actions had a profound impact within Sun Quan's faction^[3].
* Ji Yan: Zhu Ju once had a difference of opinion with Ji Yan over the matter of selecting officials; he advocated "covering faults with merits, casting aside flaws and making use of men," while Ji Yan insisted on "weeding out the corrupt"^[1].
* Sun Quan: Zhu Ju was a loyal minister of Sun Quan and remonstrated with him many times, especially on the matter of deposing or installing the crown prince Sun He, where he held to principle and even gave his life for it^[2].
* Sun He: Zhu Ju was a firm supporter of the crown prince Sun He; in the "strife of the two palaces" he "upheld the crown prince, his words earnest, his righteousness showing in his countenance, defending him to the death"^[2].
* Qu Huang: Zhu Ju and Qu Huang took the same stance in the affair of deposing or installing the crown prince, together leading generals and officers to smear their heads with mud, bind themselves, and petition Sun Quan^[3].
* Sun Hong: Sun Hong was the chief culprit who framed Zhu Ju, taking advantage of Sun Quan's grave illness to slander him and forge an edict granting him death^[2].
* Princess Quan: Princess Quan was one of the important instigators who brought about the deposing of the crown prince Sun He, the death of Lady Wang from grief, and Zhu Ju's ultimate forced death; she conspired with Sun Hong and others to frame Zhu Ju^[3].

Iconic Scenes

* Remonstrating against Ji Yan's weeding out of officials: In the early Huangwu era, the Master of Writing of the Selection Bureau, Ji Yan, wished to weed out corrupt officials on a large scale; Zhu Ju, holding that the realm was not yet pacified, advocated "covering faults with merits, casting aside flaws and making use of men," and opposed Ji Yan's radical approach, displaying his generous and pragmatic political outlook^[1].
* Strenuously protecting the crown prince Sun He: In the "strife of the two palaces," Zhu Ju firmly upheld the crown prince Sun He, his words earnest and his righteousness showing in his countenance, even citing the allusions to Duke Xian of Jin and Emperor Wu of Han to remonstrate with Sun Quan, emphasizing that the crown prince was the foundation of the state and must not be lightly shaken^[2].
* Smearing his head with mud, binding himself to remonstrate: When Sun Quan intended to depose the crown prince Sun He, Zhu Ju, together with Qu Huang, led the generals and officers in smearing their heads with mud, binding themselves, and petitioning at the palace gates day after day, displaying his loyal devotion to the state and his steadfast integrity in not fearing those in power^[3].
* Granted death on the road of demotion: Because of his resolute remonstrance Zhu Ju was demoted to Assistant of Xindu Commandery, but before he reached his post he was framed by the Director of the Secretariat Sun Hong, who, when Sun Quan was gravely ill, forged an edict granting Zhu Ju death by his own hand, at the age of fifty-seven. This became the tragic and heroic end of his loyal and righteous life^[2].
* His descendants implicated and later vindicated: After Zhu Ju's death, his two sons Zhu Xiong and Zhu Sun were killed because of Princess Quan's slander. It was not until the Yongan era that Sun Xiu recalled and recorded his former merits, and Zhu Ju's grandson Zhu Xuan was allowed to inherit the title of Marquis of Yunyang and to marry a princess, ultimately rising to the office of General of Agile Cavalry, so that the Zhu clan was at last vindicated^[2].