Bu Zhi 步騭

Bu Zhi, courtesy name Zishan, was a man of Huaiyin County in Linhuai Commandery. When the world fell into disorder he fled to Jiangdong, alone and impoverished. He was on good terms with Wei Jing of Guangling, who was the same age, and together they supported themselves by growing melons, working hard with their bodies by day and reciting the classics and their commentaries by night. Records, Wu 7 §68

Jiao Zhengqiang, a powerful clan head of Kuaiji, had retainers who behaved without restraint, so the two, fearing that they would be preyed upon, prepared name cards and went to present him with melons. When Jiao Zhengqiang kept them waiting a long time, Wei Jing wanted to give up and leave, but Bu Zhi stopped him, saying that they had come in the first place because they feared his power, and that leaving now would only make an enemy of him. Jiao Zhengqiang sat leaning on an armrest inside his curtains and seated the two on mats spread on the ground outside the window, and while he himself was served at a great table, he gave the two only rice and vegetables on small plates. Wei Jing could not eat, but Bu Zhi ate his fill before leaving, and he said to the angry Wei Jing that they were poor and lowly, so it was only proper that their host treated them that way; what was there to be ashamed of? Records, Wu 7 §69–70

When Sun Quan became General Who Smites Barbarians, he summoned Bu Zhi and made him Chief Recorder. After serving as Chief of Haiyan he became Officer of the East Bureau under the General of Chariots and Cavalry, and in the 15th year of Jian'an (210) he concurrently held the post of Administrator of Poyang; that same year he was transferred to Inspector of Jiao Province and General of the Household Who Establishes Martial Might and went south leading a thousand armed officers, and the following year he became General of the Household Who Conquers the South, bearing the Credentials. When Wu Ju, the Administrator of Cangwu appointed by Liu Biao, outwardly complied but secretly harbored other intentions, Bu Zhi humbled himself to coax him, asked to meet him, and on that occasion beheaded him and displayed his head. His authority and fame resounded, and Shi Xie and his brothers led one another in obeying his orders; it was from this time that the southern lands submitted. Records, Wu 7 §71–72Records, Wu 4 §43

When Yong Kai and others of the great clans of Yi Province killed Zheng Ang, the Administrator appointed by Shu, and asked through Shi Xie to submit, Bu Zhi, exercising the emperor's authority, sent envoys to receive them. For this he was additionally made General Who Pacifies the Rong and enfeoffed as Marquis of Guangxin. In the 1st year of Yankang (220), when Sun Quan sent Lü Dai to replace him, Bu Zhi led ten thousand volunteers of Jiao Province out to Changsha. Just then Liu Bei came down to the east and the Man barbarians of Wuling rose up, so Sun Quan sent him up to Yiyang. Even after Liu Bei was defeated, several commanderies such as Lingling and Guiyang still resisted in arms here and there, and Bu Zhi went around campaigning against them and pacified them all. Records, Wu 7 §72–73Records, Wu 15 §35

In the 2nd year of Huangwu (223) he was moved to General of the Right and Protector of the Army of the Left and his fief was changed to Marquis of Linxiang, and in the 5th year of Huangwu (226) he was granted the Tally and moved his garrison to Oukou. In the 1st year of Huanglong (229), when Sun Quan took the imperial title, Bu Zhi became General of Agile Cavalry and concurrently Governor of Ji Province, and that year he took command at Xiling and watched over the two borders in place of Lu Xun. Soon afterwards Ji Province fell within Shu's share, and he was relieved of the governorship. Records, Wu 7 §73–74Records, Wu 2 §61

When the Crown Prince Sun Deng, who was at Wuchang, wrote to ask in what order he should treat the gentlemen near and far, Bu Zhi listed point by point the conduct of eleven men who held posts within the borders of Jing Province, including Zhuge Jin, Lu Xun and Zhu Ran, and in a memorial urged that a ruler does not attend to small matters in person but each of the officials takes charge of his own duties, and that now was precisely the time to entrust affairs to worthy men. Records, Wu 7 §74–77

Later, when the Palace Secretary Lü Yi took charge of examining documents and denounced many people, Bu Zhi memorialized that the examiners blew aside hairs to find blemishes and pressed charges heavily, so that the innocent suffered severe punishments, and asked that in judging cases Gu Yong be consulted in the capital, and Lu Xun and Pan Jun at Wuchang. He also cited the earthquakes of the 6th year of Jiahe (237) and the 2nd year of Chiwu (239) as signs that ministers were monopolizing the government, and said that the Chancellor Gu Yong, the Senior General-in-Chief Lu Xun and the Minister of Ceremonies Pan Jun were ministers of the altars of the state and that other officials should not be made to watch over the matters in their charge. Sun Quan too came to realize this and in the end executed Lü Yi. Records, Wu 7 §78–82 · 85

Over the years Bu Zhi submitted dozens of documents recommending men of talent who had been held down and blocked and rescuing those in trouble. Although Sun Quan could not accept them all, he adopted his words from time to time, and many people benefited. Zhang Zhao's nephew Zhang Fen was also recommended by Bu Zhi after building a great siege cart at the age of twenty. When Liu Fang of Wei altered one of Sun Quan's letters and showed it to Zhuge Liang, Zhuge Liang passed it on to Bu Zhi and other great generals of Wu, and Bu Zhi and the others showed it to Sun Quan. In the 7th year of Chiwu (244) he joined Zhu Ran and others in memorializing that Shu was about to break the alliance and communicate with Wei, but Sun Quan thought that this would not be so. Records, Wu 7 §85 · 18Records, Wei 14 §149–150Records, Wu 2 §100–101

In the 9th month of the 9th year of Chiwu (246) he went from General of Agile Cavalry to Chancellor in place of Lu Xun, but he still taught his disciples and never let a book out of his hand, and his clothing and dwelling were like those of a Confucian scholar. However, the dress of the wives and concubines in his household was extravagant and showy, and for this he was rather criticized. During his 20 years at Xiling even the neighboring enemy respected his authority and good faith. He was generous and broad-minded by nature and won people's hearts, and though he did not show joy or anger in his voice or face, all within and without were solemn. Records, Wu 7 §86Records, Wu 2 §104

He died in the 5th month of the 10th year of Chiwu (247). His son Bu Xie succeeded him and commanded his troops, and Bu Xie's younger brother Bu Chan carried on the family's work as Commander of Xiling. In the 1st year of Fenghuang (272), when Bu Chan was summoned, he feared that he would lose his post and suffer the calamity of slander, so he held the city and surrendered to Jin. Lu Kang took the city and beheaded Bu Chan and others, and the Bu clan was wiped out, with only Bu Xuan continuing the sacrifices. Records, Wu 7 §87–88Records, Wu 2 §105

In his assessment Chen Shou wrote that Zhuge Jin and Bu Zhi were both valued in their time for their virtue and magnanimity, their adherence to rules and their restraint. The same volume also includes a passage in which Zhou Zhao of Yingchuan praised Bu Zhi, together with Yan Jun and others, in a work he wrote. Records, Wu 7 §100 · 90–91