Kan Ze 闞澤

Kan Ze, courtesy name Derun, was a man of Shanyin County in Kuaiji Commandery. His family had been farmers for generations, but Kan Ze loved learning. Being poor and without means, he constantly copied books for hire to pay for paper and brushes, and by the time he finished copying a book he had read it through and could recite it. He followed teachers to hear their lectures, read widely in many works, and also mastered calendrical science and mathematics, and so became known. Records, Wu 8 §23

Recommended as Filial and Incorrupt, he became Chief of Qiantang and was transferred to be Prefect of Chen. When Sun Quan became General of Agile Cavalry he summoned Kan Ze as Clerk of the Western Bureau, and when Sun Quan took the imperial title he made Kan Ze Master of Writing. Records, Wu 8 §23

While he was Master of Writing, Zhang Feng, an envoy from the west, mocked Kan Ze in front of Sun Quan by breaking down the characters of his name, and Kan Ze could not answer. Xue Zong stepped down to serve the wine and paid Zhang Feng back by breaking down the character Shu; the whole company laughed, and Zhang Feng had no reply. Records, Wu 8 §31–32

In the Jiahe era he became Prefect of the Palace Secretariat with the additional title of Palace Attendant. When Sun Quan's son Sun He turned fourteen, a palace guard was set up for him, and Prefect of the Palace Secretariat Kan Ze was made to teach him letters and arts. In the memorial he submitted on his deathbed, Crown Prince Sun Deng named Kan Ze, together with Zhuge Jin, Bu Zhi and others, among the ministers loyal to the state and versed in the essentials of government. Records, Wu 8 §24Records, Wu 14 §22 · 8 · 12

In the 5th year of Chiwu (242), when Sun He was made Crown Prince, Kan Ze became Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince while continuing as Prefect of the Palace Secretariat, and Xue Zong became Junior Tutor. Holding that the texts of the classics and their commentaries were too many to be used in full, Kan Ze weighed the views of various scholars and condensed the text of the Rites and its commentaries to teach the two palaces, and he devised the etiquette for conduct, for going out and coming in, and for receiving guests. He also wrote the Commentary on the Qianxiang Calendar to set the seasons and days right. Whenever there was a major debate at court and doubts arose about the classics, he was always consulted, and for his diligent labors in Confucian learning he was enfeoffed as Marquis of a Chief District. Records, Wu 8 §24–25Records, Wu 14 §22

By nature humble, respectful, earnest and careful, he treated even minor clerks of the palace and the offices as equals when they questioned or answered him, and he never spoke of others' faults. Though he looked as if he were lacking, he had heard and learned so much that he was rarely at a loss. When Sun Quan asked which of the books, commentaries, essays and rhapsodies was finest, Kan Ze, wishing to make clear the causes of order and disorder by indirect admonition, replied that Jia Yi's 'Disquisition on the Faults of Qin' was the best, and Sun Quan read it. Records, Wu 8 §25

When Lü Yi's wicked crimes came to light, the officials in charge proposed the death penalty, and some suggested adding burning and dismemberment to make plain that he was the chief villain. When Sun Quan asked Kan Ze, he said that in an age of sagely enlightenment such punishments should not be seen again, and Sun Quan followed his advice. Whenever the various offices wished to make the regulations and prohibitions harsher to control the officials, Kan Ze would say that they should follow the rites and the statutes. Chen Shou wrote that his gentleness combined with uprightness was all of this kind. Records, Wu 8 §25–26

Zhao Da, who treasured his arts, kept them secret and would not teach them even when renowned Confucian scholars such as Kan Ze and Yin Li humbled themselves to come and learn. Records, Wu 18 §22

When Kan Ze died in the winter of the 6th year of Chiwu (243), Sun Quan grieved so deeply that he could not eat for several days. In his assessment, Chen Shou called Yan Jun, Cheng Bing and Master Kan the Confucian scholars of their age. Records, Wu 8 §26 · 63