Zhu Zhi 朱治

Zhu Zhi, courtesy name Junli, was a man of Guzhang County in Danyang Commandery. He first served as a county clerk, was later recommended as Filial and Incorrupt (xiaolian), and was summoned by the province as an Attendant Officer, in which post he followed Sun Jian on his campaigns. In the 5th year of Zhongping (188) he was appointed Major (sima) and campaigned against the bandits Zhou Chao, Su Ma and others of the three commanderies of Changsha, Lingling and Guiyang; for this merit Sun Jian memorialized that he be made acting Commandant (duwei). After defeating Dong Zhuo at Yangren and entering Luoyang, he was made acting Colonel Supervising the Army on Sun Jian's memorial, and leading a separate force of infantry and cavalry he went east to help Tao Qian, Governor of Xu Province, suppress the Yellow Turbans. Records, Wu 11 §2

When Sun Jian died, Zhu Zhi assisted Sun Ce and went with him to rely on Yuan Shu. Later, realizing that Yuan Shu's government and virtue did not stand firm, he urged Sun Ce to return and pacify Jiangdong. At that time the Grand Tutor Ma Midi, who was at Shouchun, summoned him as a clerk (yuan), and he was then transferred to Commandant of Wu Commandery. While Sun Ce was attacking Lujiang on Yuan Shu's behalf, Liu Yao, fearing that he would be swallowed up by the Yuan and Sun families, finally fell out with them. Since Sun Ce's family were all at the provincial seat, Zhu Zhi sent men to escort the Dowager Consort and Sun Quan and his brothers from Qu'e, and he served, aided and protected them with very deep kindness and devotion. Records, Wu 11 §3–4

When Zhu Zhi sought to advance from Qiantang to Wu, Xu Gong, Administrator of Wu Commandery, blocked him at Youquan, and Zhu Zhi fought him and inflicted a heavy defeat. Xu Gong went south to rely on the mountain bandit Yan Baihu, and Zhu Zhi entered the commandery and took charge of the affairs of its Administrator. After seizing Kuaiji and defeating Yan Baihu and others, Sun Ce replaced all the senior officials and made Zhu Zhi of Danyang Administrator of Wu Commandery. When Sun Quan was fifteen, Zhu Zhi recommended him as Filial and Incorrupt, and when Sun Ce died he joined Zhang Zhao and others in honoring and upholding Sun Quan. Records, Wu 11 §4Records, Wu 1 §31

While Zhu Zhi still had no son, when Zhu Ran, the son of his elder sister and originally surnamed Shi, turned thirteen, Zhu Zhi petitioned Sun Ce asking to make him his heir. Sun Ce ordered Danyang Commandery to summon Zhu Ran with sheep and wine. Zhu Ran later, after completing the mourning for Zhu Zhi, asked to return to his original surname, but Sun Quan did not permit it. Records, Wu 11 §12 · 30

In the 7th year of Jian'an (202) Sun Quan memorialized that Zhu Zhi be made Administrator of Wu Commandery and acting General Who Upholds Righteousness (Fuyi jiangjun), and he set aside Lou, Youquan, Wuxi and Piling as his fief, with senior officials appointed there. Zhu Zhi campaigned against the Yi and Yue, helping to pacify the southeast, and captured or beheaded the Yellow Turban remnants Chen Bai, Wan Bing and others. In the 1st year of Huangwu (222) he was enfeoffed as Marquis of Piling and continued to govern the commandery as before; the following year he was appointed General Who Pacifies the State (Anguo jiangjun), received a gold seal and purple ribbon, and his fief was moved to Guzhang. Records, Wu 11 §5–6

From the time Sun Quan rose through the rank of senior general until he became King of Wu, whenever Zhu Zhi came to an audience Sun Quan always went out to greet him in person. They bowed to each other holding their tablets, and in the banquets and gifts bestowed his kindness and respect were especially generous; even the officials who accompanied Zhu Zhi were all able to present gifts and have private audiences. Sun Quan favored him exceptionally, personally ordering an Army-Supervising Censor to handle the documents of the subordinate cities, so that Zhu Zhi only oversaw the taxes of four counties. Records, Wu 11 §6 · 8

Sun Quan's younger brother Sun Yi was sharp and hot-tempered and gave free rein to his joy and anger; Zhu Zhi repeatedly rebuked and instructed him and admonished him with moral principles. It was also the Administrator Zhu Zhi who recommended Sun Yi as Filial and Incorrupt. Sun Ben, Administrator of Yuzhang and Sun Quan's elder cousin, had a daughter who was the wife of a son of Cao Cao; when Cao Cao broke Jing Province and his might shook the southern lands, Sun Ben grew afraid and wished to send his son as a hostage. Hearing of this, Zhu Zhi went to see Sun Ben and explained to him what made for safety and danger, and Sun Ben therefore gave up the idea. Sun Quan often praised Zhu Zhi for his anxious diligence in the royal affairs. Records, Wu 11 §7Records, Wu 6 §34

Zhu Zhi was frugal by nature, and though he held a rich and honored position, he kept carriages and clothing only to what his duties required. Many sons of the ruling clan and of the four great families of Wu went out to serve in the commandery, so that its officials always numbered in the thousands; every few years Zhu Zhi sent several hundred of them to the royal court, and each year and season he presented tribute, and Sun Quan's return gifts were excessively generous. Records, Wu 11 §7–8

Zhu Zhi, Administrator of Wu Commandery, was the man who had recommended Sun Quan. Sun Quan had once held a grievance against him, but because he had always shown him respect he found it hard to reproach him himself, and his resentment did not subside. Zhuge Jin divined the reason, and in Sun Quan's presence he wrote a letter discussing the principles of things at large and gauging Zhu Zhi's feelings; reading it, Sun Quan laughed with pleasure and said, 'My mind is at ease.' Records, Wu 7 §52–53

At this time there were a good many treacherous rebels in the remote interior of Danyang, and Zhu Zhi, growing old, longed for the ways of his native land, so he memorialized on his own initiative asking to be stationed at Guzhang to pacify the Shanyue. When the elders and old friends came to his gate, Zhu Zhi received them all and drank and feasted with them, and the people of his home district regarded this as an honor. After more than a year at Guzhang he returned to Wu, and he died in the 3rd year of Huangwu (224). He had been in the commandery for thirty-one years and was sixty-nine years old. His son Zhu Cai inherited his title. Records, Wu 11 §8–10

In his assessment, Chen Shou said that Zhu Zhi and Lü Fan were employed as old retainers, while Zhu Ran and Zhu Huan became known for their courage and vigor. Records, Wu 11 §67