Zhu Zhi 朱治 Junli 君理

Contents

Introduction

Zhu Zhi (朱治), courtesy name Junli (君理), was an Eastern Wu general and Administrator of Wu Commandery from Danyang. He served Sun Jian (campaigns in the south and against Dong Zhuo), then Sun Ce under Yuan Shu. He urged Sun Ce to return to Jiangdong; when Ma Midi in Shouchun made him Chief of Wu Commandery, he sent for Sun Ce’s mother Lady Wu and Sun Quan and his brothers from Qu’a and cared for them. He defeated the Administrator of Wu Xu Gong at Youquan, entered Wu, and acted as Administrator. He recommended Sun Quan as Filial and Incorrupt (196). After Sun Ce’s death (200) he helped Zhang Zhao and Zhou Yu support Sun Quan. In 202 Sun Quan formally made him Administrator of Wu and General Who Supports Righteousness, with four counties as fief. He campaigned against the Yi and Yue and captured Yellow Turban remnants. When Sun Ben wanted to send a son as hostage to Cao Cao (208), Zhu Zhi persuaded him not to. Sun Quan treated him as a senior general; when Sun Quan became King of Wu he received Zhu Zhi with great ceremony. Zhu Zhi was enfeoffed Marquis of Piling (222), then General Who Pacifies the State and Marquis of Guzhang (223). In old age he asked to garrison Guzhang to pacify the Shanyue; he returned to Wu and died there in 224, aged sixty-nine. He had been Administrator of Wu for thirty-one years. Chen Shou wrote that he was “employed as an old minister” and that “Sun Quan often sighed that Zhu Zhi worried and laboured for the king’s affairs” and was frugal.

Biography

Under Sun Jian

Zhu Zhi was from Guzhang (故鄣), Danyang Commandery (丹楊郡). He was a county clerk, then recommended Filial and Incorrupt and employed as an Officer in the province. He followed Sun Jian on campaign. In 188 he was made Marshal (司馬) and took part in the attack on the three commanderies (Changsha, Lingling, Guiyang) against Zhou Chao and Su Ma; Sun Jian had him made Acting Chief Commandant (行都尉). When the eastern coalition moved against Dong Zhuo, Zhu Zhi followed Sun Jian, defeated Dong Zhuo at Yangren, and entered Luoyang; Sun Jian had him made Acting Colonel of the Army (行督軍校尉), and he led infantry and cavalry to Xu Province to help Tao Qian against the Yellow Turbans.

Under Sun Ce: protecting the Sun family

When Sun Jian died (191), Zhu Zhi assisted Sun Ce, who was under Yuan Shu. He saw that Yuan Shu did not establish good government or conduct and urged Sun Ce to return to Jiangdong and set up on his own. The Grand Tutor Ma Midi was in Shouchun and recruited Zhu Zhi; Zhu Zhi was made Chief of Wu Commandery (吳郡都尉). At the time Wu Jing was in Danyang and Sun Ce had been sent by Yuan Shu to attack Lujiang; Liu Yao was afraid of being absorbed by Yuan Shu and Sun Ce and was suspicious. Sun Ce’s family were in the province, so Zhu Zhi sent people to Qu’a (曲阿) to fetch Sun Ce’s mother Lady Wu and Sun Quan and the other young brothers and provided for them—showing great kindness to the Sun house.

Zhu Zhi then advanced from Qiantang toward Wu. The Administrator of Wu Xu Gong (许贡) resisted him at Youquan (由拳); they fought and Zhu Zhi defeated Xu Gong. Xu Gong fled south and joined the bandit Yan Baihu. Zhu Zhi entered Wu and took charge of the commandery. When Sun Ce had pacified Jiangdong (197), Zhu Zhi recommended Sun Quan as Filial and Incorrupt (196 in some accounts).

Under Sun Quan: Administrator of Wu

When Sun Ce died (200), Zhu Zhi and Zhang Zhao, Zhou Yu, and others continued to assist Sun Quan. In 202 Sun Quan formally had Zhu Zhi appointed Administrator of Wu Commandery (吳郡太守) and General Who Supports Righteousness (扶義將軍), with Lou, Youquan, Wuxi, and Piling as his fief and permission to set up long-term officials. He took part in campaigns against the Yi and Yue and in pacifying the southeast, and captured the Yellow Turban remnants Chen Bai (陈败) and Wan Bing (万秉).

In 208, when Cao Cao had taken Jing Province and dominated the south, Sun Quan’s cousin Sun Ben (孙贲)—whose daughter was married to Cao Cao’s son Cao Zhang—was afraid and wanted to send a son as hostage to Cao Cao. Zhu Zhi heard of it, went to Sun Ben, and explained the dangers; Sun Ben did not send the hostage.

Sun Quan treated Zhu Zhi as a senior general. When Sun Quan became King of Wu, Zhu Zhi’s every audience was met with a personal welcome; Sun Quan gave him banquets and gifts, and the favour and respect were especially great—even Zhu Zhi’s attendants received presents. Sun Quan often sighed that Zhu Zhi worried and laboured for the king’s affairs. He sent officials to help with administration so that Zhu Zhi only had to oversee the revenue of four counties. Many local youths and men from the four great surnames of Wu went to the commandery to serve; the clerks often numbered in the thousands. Zhu Zhi governed for several years and sent them all to the royal residence in batches of hundreds. Every year when he presented tribute, Sun Quan’s reply was more than generous.

Late years and death

When Danyang’s interior was repeatedly troubled by rebellion and Zhu Zhi felt old and missed his homeland, he asked to garrison Guzhang (故鄣) to pacify the Shanyue. The elders and friends of the commandery all came to his house; Zhu Zhi received them and feasted with them, and the local people took it as an honour. He stayed in Guzhang for several years and then returned to Wu to live out his days. From the time he became Administrator of Wu he had been in the commandery for thirty-one years in total. He died in 224 at sixty-nine.

Personality and traits

Frugality and loyalty

Chen Shou says Zhu Zhi was “frugal; though in wealth and honour, his carriages and dress were only for his duties.” Sun Quan often praised his devotion to the king’s affairs. He had recommended Sun Quan as Filial and Incorrupt; Sun Quan once had a grievance against him but found it hard to rebuke him and relied on Zhuge Jin to smooth things over (Zhuge Jin wrote an indirect letter that allowed Sun Quan to vent and reconcile).

Admonishing Sun Yi

Sun Quan’s brother Sun Yi (孙翊) was stubborn and quick to anger. Zhu Zhi repeatedly admonished him and explained right conduct.

Political achievements

Military and civil service

Under Sun Jian: Marshal, Acting Chief Commandant (three commanderies), Acting Colonel of the Army (Dong Zhuo, Xu Province). Under Sun Ce: Chief of Wu Commandery; fetched Lady Wu and Sun Quan; defeated Xu Gong; acted as Administrator of Wu; recommended Sun Quan Filial and Incorrupt. Under Sun Quan: Administrator of Wu and General Who Supports Righteousness (202); campaigns against Yi and Yue and Yellow Turban remnants; persuaded Sun Ben not to send a hostage (208); Marquis of Piling (222), General Who Pacifies the State and Marquis of Guzhang (223); garrison at Guzhang to pacify Shanyue. Thirty-one years in Wu Commandery.

Relationships

Sun Jian, Sun Ce, Sun Quan

Zhu Zhi served three generations of the Sun family. He brought Lady Wu and Sun Quan from Qu’a and recommended Sun Quan as Filial and Incorrupt. Sun Quan honoured him with personal welcomes and rich gifts; when Sun Quan had a grievance, Zhuge Jin helped reconcile them.

Zhang Zhao and Zhou Yu

After Sun Ce’s death, Zhu Zhi joined Zhang Zhao and Zhou Yu in supporting Sun Quan.

Zhu Ran

Zhu Ran was Zhu Zhi’s sister’s son; Zhu Zhi adopted him as his eldest son. Zhu Ran became a major Eastern Wu general and succeeded Lü Meng.

Anecdotes and allusions

Fetching Lady Wu and Sun Quan

When Sun Ce was under Yuan Shu and Liu Yao was suspicious, Zhu Zhi sent for Lady Wu and Sun Quan and his brothers from Qu’a and provided for them—“showing great kindness to the Sun house.”

Source: Records of the Three Kingdoms
Type: Historical

Persuading Sun Ben not to send a hostage

When Sun Ben wanted to send a son to Cao Cao as hostage after Jing fell, Zhu Zhi went to him, explained the dangers, and Sun Ben did not send the hostage.

Source: Records of the Three Kingdoms
Type: Historical

Romance of the Three Kingdoms

In the novel (ch. 15) Zhu Zhi appears with Lü Fan when Sun Ce plans to leave Yuan Shu; they discuss using the jade seal to borrow troops. At Chibi (ch. 44) Zhu Zhi and Lü Fan are made “inspectors of the four directions” to urge the six-commandery troops.

Achievements

Zhu Zhi’s documented achievements include:

Under Sun Jian: campaigns in the three commanderies and against Dong Zhuo; Acting Colonel of the Army
Under Sun Ce: urging him to return to Jiangdong; as Chief of Wu fetching Lady Wu and Sun Quan; defeating Xu Gong; acting as Administrator of Wu; recommending Sun Quan Filial and Incorrupt
Under Sun Quan: Administrator of Wu and General Who Supports Righteousness for thirty-one years; campaigns against Yi, Yue, and Yellow Turban remnants; persuading Sun Ben not to send a hostage; Marquis of Piling and Guzhang, General Who Pacifies the State; late garrison at Guzhang to pacify Shanyue

Behind the scenes

Historical sources

Zhu Zhi is recorded in the Records of the Three Kingdoms (三国志) in the “Biographies of Zhu Zhi, Zhu Ran, Lü Fan, and Zhu Huan” (吳書·朱治朱然呂範朱桓傳). The biography of Zhuge Jin notes that Sun Quan had a grievance against Zhu Zhi and that Zhuge Jin used an indirect letter to help resolve it.

Chen Shou’s evaluation

“Zhu Zhi and Lü Fan were employed as old ministers.” “Sun Quan often sighed that Zhu Zhi worried and laboured for the king’s affairs. His nature was frugal; though in wealth and honour, his carriages and dress were only for his duties.” (权常叹治忧勤王事。性俭约，虽在富贵，车服惟供事。)

Historical evaluations

Chen Shou

“Zhu Zhi and Lü Fan were employed as old ministers … Zhu Ran and Zhu Huan were known for courage and fervour.” “Sun Quan often sighed that Zhu Zhi worried and laboured for the king’s affairs. His nature was frugal; though in wealth and honour, his carriages and dress were only for his duties.”

Hao Jing

“Zhu Zhi and Lü Fan were honoured for merit and long service … all had the bearing of generals of a state.”

Legacy

Zhu Zhi is remembered as one of the Sun family’s “three-generation” old retainers (with Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, Han Dang) who brought Lady Wu and Sun Quan to safety, recommended Sun Quan as Filial and Incorrupt, and served as Administrator of Wu for over thirty years with frugality and devotion.

References

Chen Shou. Records of the Three Kingdoms (三国志), “Biographies of Zhu Zhi, Zhu Ran, Lü Fan, and Zhu Huan” (吳書·朱治朱然呂範朱桓傳).
Luo Guanzhong. Romance of the Three Kingdoms (三國演義), chapters 15, 44.