Zhang Wen 張溫

Zhang Wen was a man of Wu County in Wu Commandery. His father Zhang Yun, who made light of wealth and valued men of learning, was renowned in the province and commandery, and died while serving as Sun Quan's Officer of the East Bureau. From youth Zhang Wen cultivated integrity and was of outstanding appearance. When Sun Quan asked whom he could be compared with, the Minister of Agriculture Liu Ji said he was of the same rank as Quan Cong, but the Minister of Ceremonies Gu Yong said that Liu Ji did not really know the man, and that at present Zhang Wen had no equal. Sun Quan said, 'In that case, Zhang Yun has not died.' Records, Wu 12 §24–25

When Sun Quan summoned and received him, his words and answers were so fine that all the onlookers were filled with admiration, and Sun Quan too changed his expression and showed him greater courtesy. When he withdrew, Zhang Zhao took his hand and said, 'This old man entrusts his hopes to you; you should understand this clearly.' Zhang Wen became Consultant and Master of Writing for Selection, then moved to Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince, and enjoyed great trust. As Grand Tutor, Zhang Wen told Sun Quan that the Palace Cadets held the post closest to the prince for questions and answers and should be men of outstanding virtue, and Chen Biao and others accordingly became Palace Cadets. Records, Wu 12 §25Records, Wu 14 §3

In the summer of the 3rd year of Huangwu (224), Zhang Wen, aged thirty-two, went to Shu as envoy with the rank of General of the Household Who Supports Righteousness. Sun Quan told him that he was not suited to travel far, but that he was sending him nonetheless out of concern that Zhuge Kongming might not understand why Sun Quan was in communication with the Cao; once the Shanyue were entirely eliminated he intended to join hands with Shu in earnest, and an envoy, he added, receives his orders but not his words. Zhang Wen answered that Zhuge Liang was a man of far-reaching vision and would surely understand the need to bend and stretch, and would harbor no suspicion. The biography of Deng Zhi records that Sun Quan broke with Wei, made peace with Shu, and sent Zhang Wen to return the courtesy. Records, Wu 2 §51Records, Wu 12 §26–27Records, Shu 15 §6

On arriving in Shu, Zhang Wen went to the palace and presented a memorial likening the Later Sovereign to Gaozong, who revived Yin while still in mourning, and to King Cheng, who brought peace to Zhou at a young age, and expressing Wu's wish to unify the realm together with a state that possessed the Way. Shu valued his talent very highly. Records, Wu 12 §27–29

When Qin Mi arrived late at the gathering where the officials of Shu saw Zhang Wen off, Zhang Wen asked who he was, and Zhuge Liang answered that he was a scholar of Yi Province. Zhang Wen asked Qin Mi whether he studied, and then asked whether Heaven had a head, ears and feet, what its surname was, and whether the sun rose in the east. Qin Mi answered like an echo, citing the Book of Songs, and said that Heaven's surname was Liu, the same as the Son of Heaven's, whereupon Zhang Wen was filled with respect and admiration. Records, Shu 8 §54–57

After his return Zhang Wen was sent into Yuzhang to organize troops and dispatch them, but did not complete the task. Sun Quan had privately resented Zhang Wen's praise of Shu's government, and fearing that his fame had grown so great that the multitude was dazzled and that he would never serve Sun Quan's purposes, he was thinking of a way to harm him. Just then Ji Yan, whom Zhang Wen had brought in and who had risen to Master of Writing, incurred resentment by impeaching the officials and sharply lowering officials' grades, and when it was said that he and Xu Biao had handled affairs out of private feeling, he was charged and killed himself. Records, Wu 12 §29–31

Because Zhang Wen had long shared the views of Ji Yan and Xu Biao and exchanged letters with them, he was charged. Sun Quan imprisoned him and issued an order saying that he had bound himself to Ji Yan in life and death and guided his appointments from behind. He also charged that when Zhang Wen was told to come out in an emergency on news that Cao Pi was advancing, he scattered his commanders in the deep mountains in Yuzhang and did not come; that he took Yin Li, who had been summoned for his skill in divination, to Shu and extolled him there; and that he promised posts to Jia Yuan and Jiang Kang, trading on the state's favor. Saying he could not bear to execute him in the marketplace or at court, Sun Quan banished him to his home commandery to serve as a menial clerk, telling him to 'count yourself lucky to escape punishment'. Records, Wu 12 §32–35

The general Luo Tong submitted a memorial in his defense, arguing that Zhang Wen was merely young and not yet steady, with no other intent, and that those jealous of him had slandered him cleverly. His friendship with Ji Yan was a casual one, the troops he sent from Yuzhang were no fewer than Xu Yan's, and praising Yin Li while on his embassy brought glory to the state. He added that since Zhang Wen had impeached Wang Jing without partiality and earned his bitter enmity, he could hardly have traded on favor to collude with Jia Yuan and Jiang Kang. Sun Quan would not accept it in the end. Records, Wu 12 §36–48

Six years later Zhang Wen died of illness. His two younger brothers, Zhang Zhi and Zhang Bai, who were also known for their talent, were dismissed along with him. Later, lamenting the lack of men fit to be generals, Sun Quan thought back on Lü Meng and Zhang Wen. The Records do not give the year of his dismissal or of his death. Records, Wu 12 §49 · 84

In his assessment, Chen Shou wrote that Zhang Wen's talent and literary grace were outstanding and abundant, but that he had not prepared the wisdom to guard himself, and so came to hardship and disaster. Records, Wu 12 §89