Zhu Zhi

Historical Record

Zhu Zhi, styled Junli, was a native of Guzhang in Danyang. In his early years he served as a county clerk, was later recommended as a Filial and Incorrupt candidate, and was summoned by the provincial office as a Department Head, following Sun Jian on campaigns in all directions. In the fifth year of Zhongping (188 CE), Zhu Zhi was appointed Major and followed Sun Jian in subduing the bandits Zhou Chao, Su Ma, and others in the three commanderies of Changsha, Lingling, and Guiyang. For his outstanding battle merits, Sun Jian memorialized the court and had Zhu Zhi appointed Acting Commandant. Thereafter Zhu Zhi followed Sun Jian in defeating Dong Zhuo at Yangren and entered Luoyang. Sun Jian again memorialized, appointing Zhu Zhi Acting Army-Supervising Colonel, to lead infantry and cavalry east to aid the Governor of Xu Province, Tao Qian, in suppressing the Yellow Turban Army.^[1]

After Sun Jian unfortunately died, Zhu Zhi supported Sun Ce and attached himself to Yuan Shu. However, when Zhu Zhi perceived that Yuan Shu's governance and virtue were not established, he persuaded Sun Ce to return to Jiangdong to build his power. At that time the Grand Tutor Ma Midi was at Shouchun and summoned Zhu Zhi as a subordinate, later transferring him to be Commandant of Wu Commandery. Just then Wu Jing was already in Danyang, while Sun Ce was attacking Lujiang for Yuan Shu; Liu Yao, fearing annexation by Yuan Shu and Sun Ce, fell into estrangement with Sun Ce. At this time Sun Ce's family were all within the province, so Zhu Zhi sent men to Qu'e to welcome the Lady Sun and the Sun Quan brothers, serving and assisting them with all his heart, his kindness profound. When Zhu Zhi wished to advance from Qiantang upon Wu Commandery, the Grand Administrator of Wu Commandery, Xu Gong, blocked him at Youquan. Zhu Zhi fought Xu Gong and greatly defeated him. Xu Gong fled south to attach himself to the mountain bandit Yan Baihu, and Zhu Zhi thereby entered Wu Commandery and acted as Grand Administrator. After Sun Ce defeated Liu Yao, he pacified Kuaiji. When Sun Quan was fifteen, Zhu Zhi recommended him as a Filial and Incorrupt candidate. After Sun Ce died, Zhu Zhi together with Zhang Zhao and others jointly enthroned Sun Quan.^[1]

In the seventh year of Jian'an (202 CE), Sun Quan memorialized to appoint Zhu Zhi Grand Administrator of Wu Commandery and Acting General Who Upholds Righteousness, carving off the four counties of Lou, Youquan, Wuxi, and Piling as his fief and establishing chief officials there. During his tenure Zhu Zhi campaigned against the Yi and Yue, helped Sun Quan pacify the southeast, and captured the Yellow Turban remnants Chen Bai, Wan Bing, and others. In the first year of Huangwu (222 CE), Zhu Zhi was enfeoffed as Marquis of Piling, still holding the post of Grand Administrator of Wu Commandery.^[2]

Zhu Zhi was frugal by nature; even though he held high office, his carriages, horses, and attire were only enough for daily use. Sun Quan treated him with great favor, specially permitting him to oversee the documents of the army-supervising censor and the subordinate towns, while Zhu Zhi himself drew the tax revenues of only four counties. However, the sons of the noble clans and the four great families of Wu Commandery mostly held office in the commandery, and the commandery clerks often numbered several thousand. Every few years Zhu Zhi would select and send several hundred to serve at the royal residence, and each year he presented tribute at the seasons, for which Sun Quan would give generous returns. At that time the deep mountain regions of Danyang had many treacherous rebels, and Zhu Zhi, being advanced in years and longing for the customs of his native land, memorialized requesting to garrison troops at Guzhang to pacify the Shanyue. The local elders all came to call on him, and Zhu Zhi received them all, hosting feasts; the whole district took it as an honor. After more than a year at Guzhang, Zhu Zhi returned to Wu Commandery. In the third year of Huangwu (224 CE), Zhu Zhi died at the age of sixty-nine, having held office in Wu Commandery for thirty-one years.^[3]

In the Novel

In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhu Zhi's image revolves mainly around his loyalty and assistance to the Sun father and son. He first appears in Chapter 15, when Sun Ce, depressed by Yuan Shu's arrogant and discourteous treatment of him, walked alone in the courtyard at night and wept aloud. At this Zhu Zhi appeared and, laughing heartily, said to Sun Ce: "Bofu, why are you like this? When your honored father was alive, he often employed me. If you have matters you cannot resolve, why not ask me, instead of weeping by yourself?"^[4] Zhu Zhi then persuaded Sun Ce to borrow troops from Yuan Shu, under the pretext of rescuing Wu Jing but in truth plotting the great enterprise of Jiangdong—which echoes the historical record of Zhu Zhi persuading Sun Ce to return and pacify Jiangdong, though the specific setting and dialogue are the novel's creation.

Another important appearance of Zhu Zhi in the novel comes after Sun Ce's pacification of Jiangdong. After Sun Ce defeated Wang Lang, recovered the cities, and settled the people, Zhu Zhi was appointed Grand Administrator of Wu Commandery.^[5] This largely matches the historical record of Zhu Zhi acting as Grand Administrator of Wu Commandery after Sun Ce defeated Xu Gong, and being formally appointed Grand Administrator of Wu Commandery by Sun Quan, but the novel omits the details of Zhu Zhi's fight with Xu Gong and directly describes his taking office.

On the eve of the Battle of Red Cliffs, in Chapter 44, Zhu Zhi was appointed by Zhou Yu as one of the "Patrol Commissioners of the Four Directions," tasked with urging on six divisions of the official army to advance by land and water and to assemble by an appointed time.^[6] This appointment has no clear record in the histories and is a literary creation by the novel to enrich the character and plot, highlighting Zhu Zhi's standing and role within Sun Quan's group, although his actual military duties in the historical record may have been reflected more in administration and logistics.

Key Relationships

* Sun Jian (serves): Zhu Zhi followed Sun Jian on campaigns from early on, holding posts such as Major, Acting Commandant, and Acting Army-Supervising Colonel; he was an old subordinate and confidant of Sun Jian.^[1]
* Sun Ce (advises_in): After Sun Jian died, Zhu Zhi supported Sun Ce and persuaded him to break with Yuan Shu and return to Jiangdong to develop his enterprise.^[1] In the novel, Zhu Zhi directly awakens Sun Ce, prompting him to borrow troops to plot for Jiangdong.^[4]
* Sun Quan (serves): After Sun Ce died, Zhu Zhi together with Zhang Zhao and others jointly enthroned Sun Quan. When Sun Quan was fifteen, Zhu Zhi recommended him as a Filial and Incorrupt candidate. Sun Quan trusted and favored Zhu Zhi greatly, appointing him Grand Administrator of Wu Commandery and General Who Upholds Righteousness, and granting him a fief.^[2]
* Yuan Shu (serves): After Sun Jian died, Zhu Zhi briefly attached himself to Yuan Shu, but soon perceived that his governance and virtue were not established, and turned to persuade Sun Ce to break away.^[1]
* Tao Qian (fights_in): Zhu Zhi once, by Sun Jian's order, led troops east to aid the Governor of Xu Province, Tao Qian, in suppressing the Yellow Turban Army.^[1]
* Sun Yi (advises_in): Zhu Zhi repeatedly reproached Sun Quan's younger brother Sun Yi for his impetuous temperament and admonished him with principles of righteousness.^[3]
* Sun Ben (advises_in): Sun Quan's elder cousin Sun Ben, awed by Cao Cao's might shaking the southern lands, wished to send his son as a hostage; Zhu Zhi went to persuade him, laying out the advantages and disadvantages, and finally made Sun Ben drop the idea.^[3]
* Zhou Yu (colleague): In the novel, Zhu Zhi was appointed by Zhou Yu as one of the "Patrol Commissioners of the Four Directions" at the Battle of Red Cliffs (unique to the novel).^[6]

Signature Scenes

* Supporting Sun Ce and persuading him to return and pacify Jiangdong: After Sun Jian died, Zhu Zhi assisted Sun Ce with all his heart, keenly perceived Yuan Shu's unreliability, and promptly persuaded Sun Ce to break with Yuan Shu and return to Jiangdong to found his enterprise. This act was crucial to the establishment of the Sun-Wu regime.^[1] In the novel, this scene is made concrete as Zhu Zhi appearing while Sun Ce wept, directly enlightening Sun Ce to borrow troops to plot for Jiangdong.^[4]
* Welcoming the Lady Sun and the Sun Quan brothers: In the critical moment when Sun Ce was attacking Lujiang and Liu Yao had created estrangement, Zhu Zhi sent men to Qu'e to bring Sun Ce's family—including the Lady Sun and the young Sun Quan brothers—safely to his side, serving and assisting them attentively, displaying his loyalty and deep affection for the Sun family.^[1]
* Defeating Xu Gong and taking over Wu Commandery: When Zhu Zhi advanced on Wu Commandery, he met the resistance of the Grand Administrator Xu Gong; he led his troops to greatly defeat Xu Gong, successfully entered Wu Commandery, and acted as Grand Administrator, laying the foundation for Sun Ce's pacification of Jiangdong.^[1]
* Persuading Sun Ben not to send his son as a hostage: When Sun Quan's elder cousin Sun Ben, fearing Cao Cao, wished to send his son as a hostage, Zhu Zhi went on his own initiative to persuade him, laying out the great righteousness and the advantages and disadvantages, successfully stopping Sun Ben's action and maintaining the stability of the Sun-Wu clan.^[3]
* Guarding Guzhang and pacifying the Shanyue: In his later years, longing for his native land, Zhu Zhi memorialized requesting to garrison troops at Guzhang to pacify the Shanyue. During his time at Guzhang, he feasted with the local elders, and the village folk took it as an honor, reflecting his love of the people and his influence in the locality.^[3]
* Serving as Patrol Commissioner at the Battle of Red Cliffs: In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, on the eve of the Battle of Red Cliffs, Zhu Zhi was appointed by Zhou Yu as a "Patrol Commissioner of the Four Directions," tasked with urging on the various units, reflecting his supporting role in the military operation (unique to the novel).^[6]