Hu Zhao 胡昭
| Occupation | RScholar | Faction | Wei Disputed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | R | Biography in | Book of Wei |
| Born | R162 Unverified | Native place | Yingchuan Commandery |
| Died | R250 Unverified | Place of death | |
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R8 |
Profile
Hu Zhao, courtesy name Kongming, was a man of Yingchuan. He declined Yuan Shao's summons, and although he answered Cao Cao's summons and went to him, he asked leave to depart, saying he was a man of the wilds of no use in military or state affairs, and was allowed to go. Thereafter he farmed with his own hands in the Luhun Mountains, took his pleasure in the classics, and did not take office. Records, Wei 11 §100 · 105
In the 23rd year of Jian'an (218), even Sun Lang and the others, who rose in revolt in Luhun County and went over to Guan Yu, swore not to violate his village, saying, 'Hu the recluse is a worthy man.' In the Zhengshi era several high ministers recommended him, and in the 2nd year of Jiaping (250) he was specially summoned by official carriage, but he died just then at the age of eighty-nine. Records, Wei 11 §106–108
He has a biography together with Zhang Jian in the Biographies of Yuan, Zhang, Liang, Guo, Tian, Wang, Bing and Guan, Records of Wei 11. He wrote a fine hand and was famous together with Zhong Yao, Handan Chun and others. In his assessment Chen Shou said that Zhang Jian and Hu Zhao closed their gates, kept to quietude and did not seek the affairs of their age, and so he recorded them together. He does not appear in the Romance. Records, Wei 11 §99 · 109 · 111
In the Records
Hu Zhao, courtesy name Kongming, was a man of Yingchuan. Chen Shou recorded him, together with Zhang Jian of Julu, as a man who cultivated his aspirations and did not take office. Records, Wei 11 §100
Hu Zhao first took refuge in Ji Province, then declined Yuan Shao's summons and withdrew in secret to his home district. When Cao Cao became Minister of Works and then Chancellor and repeatedly summoned him with due courtesy, Hu Zhao answered the call and went, but on arriving he declared that he was merely a man of the wilds of no use in military or state affairs, and sincerely asked leave to depart. Cao Cao said that each man has his own aspirations and their ways of serving or withdrawing differ, told him to hold to his lofty ideals to the end, and said that he would not, in righteousness, force him to bend. Hu Zhao then moved to live in the Luhun Mountains, where he farmed with his own hands, delighted in the Way, and took his pleasure in the classics. Records, Wei 11 §105
The people of his village respected and loved him. In the 23rd year of Jian'an (218), when Zhang Gu, Chief of Luhun, received orders to conscript able-bodied men and send them to Hanzhong, Sun Lang and other commoners who dreaded the distant service raised troops, killed the county Registrar and rebelled. With the county town in ruins, Zhang Gu led more than ten officials and soldiers to rely on Hu Zhao and stay with him, gathered the remaining people, and restored the altars of soil and grain in peace. Records, Wei 11 §106
Sun Lang and the others went south and went over to Guan Yu, and when Guan Yu gave them seals and ribbons and supplied them with troops, they came back to raid. But on reaching Changle Pavilion south of Luhun they swore to one another, 'Hu the recluse is a worthy man; we must never violate his village', and the whole valley relied on Hu Zhao and was free from fear. When the realm was settled, Hu Zhao moved his home to Yiyang. Records, Wei 11 §106–107
In the Zhengshi era, the General of Agile Cavalry Zhao Yan, the Masters of Writing Huang Xiu and Guo Yi, the Cavalier Regular Attendants Xun Yi and Zhong Yu, the Minister Coachman Yu Yi (庾嶷) and the Administrator of Hongnong He Zhen, among others, recommended Hu Zhao one after another. They said that he was lofty and pure by nature, grew ever more steadfast with age and had the integrity of Bo Yi and the Four Greybeards, so that a summons should be issued to encourage public morals. In the 2nd year of Jiaping (250) he was specially summoned by official carriage, but he died just then at the age of eighty-nine. His son Hu Zuan was appointed Gentleman of the Palace. Records, Wei 11 §107–108
From early on Hu Zhao wrote a fine hand and was famous together with Zhong Yao, Handan Chun, Wei Ji and Wei Dan, and the handwriting of the letters he wrote was often taken as a model. Records, Wei 11 §109
In the assessment at the end of the fascicle, after evaluating Yuan Huan, Bing Yuan, Zhang Fan and the others in turn, Chen Shou said that Guan Ning was profound, refined and lofty and stood firm and unshakable, and that Zhang Jian and Hu Zhao closed their gates, kept to quietude and did not seek the affairs of their age, and so he recorded them together. Records, Wei 11 §111
Written by 3KDEX (not yet reviewed) — The tags at the end of each paragraph link to the exact passage in the Records volume or Romance chapter it is based on.
Abilities
This person does not appear in the Romance, so only the Records score (Chen Shou’s main text) is given.
- LEA31
- STR31
- INT45
- POL38
- CHA74
- VIR86
- ADP64
- SCH72
- DIP45
- DIS38
Evidence by ability
RNo direct record — estimated as a recluse scholarWei 11 §105
RNo direct record — estimated as a recluse scholarWei 11 §105
RNo direct record — estimated as a recluseWei 11 §105
RDeclared himself of no use in military or state affairs and withdrewWei 11 §105
RRespected by his villagers; the whole valley relied on him and rebels did not violate his villageWei 11 §106Wei 11 §107
REven rebels swore he was a worthy man; the assessment: kept to quietude and did not seek the affairs of his ageWei 11 §107Wei 11 §111
RDeclined Yuan Shao's summons and asked Cao Cao for leave to withdraw, which was grantedWei 11 §105
RFamed for calligraphy alongside Zhong Yao and others, his hand was taken as a model, and he delighted in the classicsWei 11 §109Wei 11 §105
RNo direct record — estimated from his stating his wishes before Cao Cao and withdrawingWei 11 §105
RNo direct record — estimated as a recluseWei 11 §105
Special — talents Records +25
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Calligraphy
RMaster +25 Wrote a fine hand, was famous alongside Zhong Yao, Wei Ji and others, and his handwriting was taken as a modelWei 11 §109
Records Unverified No direct record; scored from their actions (evidence grade C)
3KDEX scoring — the Records use the main text of Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms; the Romance uses the 120-chapter Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Click a source tag to open that passage in the reader.
Allegiance history
- Wei Disputed · Records · 「亦養志不仕」