Gu Yong 顧雍

Gu Yong, courtesy name Yuantan, was a man of Wu County in Wu Commandery. When Cai Yong returned from Shuofang, he once stayed in Wu to escape his enemies, and Gu Yong studied the zither and letters under him. The province and commandery recommended him in memorials, and at about twenty he became Chief of Hefei; he was later transferred to Lou, Qu'e and Shangyu, and governed each with distinction. Records, Wu 7 §27

Sun Quan held the post of Administrator of Kuaiji concurrently but did not go to the commandery, and made Gu Yong his Assistant to carry out the duties of Administrator. Gu Yong suppressed the bandits, the commandery became peaceful, and officials and people submitted to him; after several years he was brought in as Major of the Left. When Sun Quan became King of Wu, Gu Yong was promoted repeatedly to Grand Judge and Minister of Rites (fengchang), concurrently held the post of Prefect of the Masters of Writing, and was enfeoffed as Marquis of Yangsui Village. Even when he returned to his office after receiving the marquisate, his household did not know of it, and they were astonished only when they heard of it later. Records, Wu 7 §27–28

In the 4th year of Huangwu (225), when Gu Yong brought his mother from Wu, Sun Quan went to congratulate him and personally bowed to his mother in the courtyard; the ministers and high officials all gathered, and later the Crown Prince also went to offer congratulations. Gu Yong did not drink wine, spoke little, and acted as the occasion required. Sun Quan once sighed, 'Lord Gu does not speak, but when he speaks he is always on the mark.' When banquets grew merry, those around him feared that Gu Yong would see them err in drink and dared not indulge themselves, and Sun Quan too said, 'When Lord Gu is present, he keeps people from enjoying themselves.' Records, Wu 7 §29–30

That year he was moved to Minister of Ceremonies, promoted to Marquis of Liling, and succeeded Sun Shao as Chancellor, concurrently overseeing the affairs of the Masters of Writing. The Biography of the Lord of Wu records that in the 5th month of the 4th year of Huangwu the Chancellor Sun Shao died, and in the 6th month the Minister of Ceremonies Gu Yong was made Chancellor. The Biography of Zhang Zhao records that after Sun Shao died the officials again recommended Zhang Zhao, but Sun Quan appointed Gu Yong, saying that Zhang Zhao was unbending by nature and that if what he said were not adopted, resentment and blame would arise. Records, Wu 7 §30 · 9Records, Wu 2 §52

Gu Yong assigned the civil and military commanders and officials he selected each according to their abilities, and was impartial at heart. From time to time he made inquiries among the people, and whenever he found something fitting for the government he reported it in secret; if it was adopted he gave the credit to the sovereign, and if it was not used he never let it leak out. When he spoke at court his words and expression were gentle, but what he held to was upright. When Sun Quan asked about the successes and failures of his government, Zhang Zhao said that the laws were too dense and the punishments somewhat heavy; when Sun Quan turned to Gu Yong and asked him, Gu Yong answered that what he had heard was the same as Zhang Zhao's words. Sun Quan thereupon reviewed criminal cases and lightened punishments. Records, Wu 7 §30–31

In the 2nd year of Jiahe (233), when Sun Quan intended to send the Minister of Ceremonies Zhang Mi and others across the sea to Gongsun Yuan with 10,000 soldiers, gold, silver and treasures, and the gifts of the Nine Bestowments, the high ministers of the whole court, from the Chancellor Gu Yong down, remonstrated that Gongsun Yuan could not yet be trusted and that the favor shown him was too generous, but Sun Quan would not listen in the end. In the 6th year of Jiahe (237), when Hu Zong proposed the death penalty for local officials who broke the prohibition and rushed home on a death in the family, the Chancellor Gu Yong memorialized that his proposal be adopted. Records, Wu 2 §73 · 75 · 81 · 84–85

Later the Palace Secretaries Lü Yi and Qin Bo took charge of examining the documents of the various government offices, provinces and commanderies, gradually wielded power, slandered high ministers and framed the innocent, and Gu Yong and others were also denounced and reprimanded. When Lü Yi memorialized that the Chancellor Gu Yong, the General of the Left Zhu Ju and others be investigated and had them all detained, the Gentleman-in-Attendance of the Yellow Gate Xie Gong said that if Gu Yong were dismissed Pan Jun would get his post, and that Pan Jun, who always ground his teeth at Lü Yi, would soon strike at him. Lü Yi was greatly afraid and dropped the case against Gu Yong. This is recorded in the Biography of Pan Jun. Records, Wu 7 §32Records, Wu 16 §4–5

When Lü Yi's wicked crimes came to light and he was handed over to the Commandant of Justice, Gu Yong went to judge the case. Gu Yong kept a mild expression as he questioned him on his statement, and as he was leaving asked Lü Yi whether there was anything he wished to say. When the Gentleman of the Masters of Writing Huai Xu openly reviled and insulted Lü Yi, Gu Yong rebuked Huai Xu, saying, 'The government has proper laws; why go this far?' The Biography of the Lord of Wu records Lü Yi's execution under the 1st year of Chiwu (238). Records, Wu 7 §32–33Records, Wu 2 §87–88

Gu Yong served as Chancellor for 19 years and died in the 6th year of Chiwu (243) at the age of seventy-six. When his illness was still slight, Sun Quan sent the physician Zhao Quan to examine him and appointed his youngest son Gu Ji as Cavalry Commandant; Gu Yong grieved, saying that Zhao Quan was good at telling life from death, so he himself would not recover, and that the sovereign wished to let him see Gu Ji's appointment while he was still alive. Sun Quan attended the mourning in white clothes and gave him the posthumous name Marquis Su. The Biography of the Lord of Wu records that he died in the 11th month, in winter, and in the following year, the 7th year of Chiwu, Lu Xun succeeded him as Chancellor. Records, Wu 7 §34Records, Wu 2 §99Records, Wu 13 §52

His eldest son Gu Shao died young and his second son had a grave illness, so his youngest son Gu Ji succeeded him, but Gu Ji had no heir and the line was cut off. In the 1st year of Yong'an (258) an edict praised Gu Yong for having assisted the state with propriety through supreme virtue, loyalty and worth, and had his second son inherit the title of Marquis of Liling. Records, Wu 7 §34–35

In his assessment Chen Shou wrote that because Gu Yong relied on his family's long-standing calling and added wisdom and capacity to it, he was able to enjoy his honored position to the end. Records, Wu 7 §100