Zhong Yao 鍾繇

Zhong Yao, courtesy name Yuanchang, was a man of Changshe County in Yingchuan Commandery. Once, going to Luoyang with his clansman uncle Zhong Yu, he met a physiognomist on the road who said he had the look of one who would become noble but would meet misfortune in water; before they had gone ten li, his horse took fright as they crossed a bridge and he fell into the water and nearly died. When the physiognomist's words came true, Zhong Yu valued Zhong Yao all the more, paid for his studies and let him devote himself to learning. Recommended as Filial and Incorrupt (xiaolian), he became Gentleman of the Masters of Writing and Prefect of Yangling but left because of illness, and on being summoned by the Three Excellencies he became Supervisor of the Commandant of Justice (tingwei zheng) and Gentleman of the Yellow Gate. Records, Wei 13 §2–3

At this time Emperor Xian, Liu Xie, was in Chang'an, where Li Jue, Guo Si and others had caused disorder, and contact with the east of the passes had been cut off. When Cao Cao, holding the post of Governor of Yan Province, first sent an envoy with a letter to the throne, Li Jue and Guo Si wished to detain the envoy, claiming that the east of the passes meant to set up its own emperor. Zhong Yao persuaded them that among all the heroes who falsely claimed the emperor's commands, only Cao of Yan Province had his heart set on the royal house, and that they should not rebuff his loyalty; thanks to this, Cao Cao's mission got through. Cao Cao, who had often heard Xun Yu's praise of Zhong Yao, esteemed him all the more for this. Later, when Li Jue held the emperor under duress, Zhong Yao made plans together with the Gentleman of the Masters of Writing Han Bin, and his efforts helped the emperor escape from Chang'an. He became Palace Assistant Imperial Clerk and then Palace Attendant and Deputy Director of the Imperial Secretariat, and, his earlier merit also being recorded, was enfeoffed as Marquis of Dongwu Village. Records, Wei 13 §3–4

Within the passes, Ma Teng, Han Sui and others commanded strong forces and fought among themselves. Cao Cao, worried about the west because of his affairs east of the mountains, memorialized that Zhong Yao should, as Palace Attendant, act as Colonel-Director of Retainers, gave him the Credential to supervise the armies within the passes, and freed him from the usual regulations. From Chang'an Zhong Yao sent letters to Ma Teng and Han Sui explaining the consequences of disaster and good fortune, and the two each sent a son to serve at court. When Cao Cao was facing Yuan Shao at Guandu, Zhong Yao sent him more than two thousand horses, and Cao Cao wrote to him that it was his achievement that the west had been pacified and there was no need to look back westward, comparing him to Xiao He, who had held the land within the passes. Records, Wei 13 §5–6

Later, when the Xiongnu chanyu rebelled at Pingyang, Zhong Yao led the various armies to besiege him but could not take the city, and Guo Yuan, the Administrator of Hedong appointed by Yuan Shang, arrived with a large host. When the generals proposed lifting the siege, Zhong Yao said that if they showed weakness the people would all become their enemies, and that Guo Yuan, stubborn and eager to win, could be heavily defeated if they struck as he crossed the Fen River. Zhang Ji persuaded Ma Teng, and Ma Teng sent his son Ma Chao with elite troops. Guo Yuan did indeed try to cross the Fen carelessly, and was attacked before half his men were across, heavily defeated and beheaded, and the chanyu surrendered. Records, Wei 13 §6–8Records, Wei 15 §39–40

Later, when Wei Gu of Hedong plundered together with Zhang Sheng, Zhang Yan, Gao Gan and others, Zhong Yao again led the generals and crushed them. After the emperor had moved west, Luoyang was left without people; Zhong Yao brought in people from within the passes and called in fugitives and rebels to fill it, and within a few years the households gradually increased. Cao Cao drew on these resources when he campaigned within the passes, and memorialized to make Zhong Yao Military Adviser of the Front. Records, Wei 13 §8

In the 3rd month of the 16th year of Jian'an (211), Cao Cao sent Zhong Yao to attack Zhang Lu in Hanzhong and had Xiahou Yuan and others meet him in Hedong. Gao Rou remonstrated that Han Sui and Ma Chao would think the move was aimed at them and would rebel, and that they should first call together the Three Adjuncts (sanfu). When Zhong Yao entered the land within the passes, the generals there suspected he meant to attack them, and Ma Chao rebelled together with Han Sui and others. Records, Wei 1 §109–110Records, Wei 24 §27

When the state of Wei was first established, he became Grand Judge, and in the 8th month of the 21st year of Jian'an (216) he became Chancellor of State. Cao Pi, then in the Eastern Palace, gave Zhong Yao a five-flavor cauldron and composed an inscription for it saying, "Its chancellor is Lord Zhong, truly a pillar of heart and backbone." In the 9th month of the 24th year of Jian'an (219), implicated in the plot of Wei Feng, Official of the Western Bureau, he was dismissed and withdrew to his home. Records, Wei 13 §9Records, Wei 1 §154 · 169

When Cao Pi ascended the throne as king, Zhong Yao again became Grand Judge, and when Cao Pi took the imperial throne he was made Commandant of Justice and advanced to Marquis of Chonggao District. In the 8th month of the 4th year of Huangchu (223) he became Grand Commandant and was transferred in fief to Marquis of Pingyang District. When he thus became one of the Three Excellencies together with Hua Xin, Minister over the Masses, and Wang Lang, Minister of Works, Emperor Wen said, "These three excellencies are the great men of an age; later generations will find it hard to follow them." When Emperor Ming took the throne, Zhong Yao was advanced to Marquis of Dingling with a fief of 1,800 households, and in the 12th month of the 7th year of Huangchu (226) he was transferred to Grand Tutor. Because a knee ailment made it hard for him to bow and rise, he and Hua Xin, who was also ill, were carried to court audiences in carriages and lifted up into the hall by the Rapid as Tigers guards, which afterwards became the custom for the Three Excellencies. Records, Wei 13 §9–10Records, Wei 2 §44Records, Wei 3 §4

Zhong Yao repeatedly argued that some death sentences should be replaced by the ancient mutilating punishments. The matter was discussed under Cao Cao and under Emperor Wen, but each time it was dropped. In the Taihe era he memorialized that if those facing the death penalty who so wished were instead given the punishment of cutting off the right foot, three thousand lives could be saved every year. The Minister over the Masses Wang Lang said that if mutilating punishments were used again, word of it would spread to their enemies, and proposed substituting head-shaving and hard labor; of the more than one hundred who took part in the debate, many sided with Wang Lang. Emperor Ming set the matter aside because Wu and Shu had not yet been pacified. Records, Wei 13 §11–17

Zhong Yao was close to Xun You of Yingchuan. When Xun You died first, leaving a young son, Zhong Yao looked after his family. Hu Zhao was skilled in calligraphy and was famous alongside Zhong Yao, Handan Chun, Wei Ji and Wei Dan. Records, Wei 29 §40–41Records, Wei 11 §109

When Zhong Yao died in the 4th month of the 4th year of Taihe (230), Emperor Ming wore plain mourning clothes and came in person to offer condolences, and gave him the posthumous title Marquis Cheng. His son Zhong Yu succeeded him. Earlier, Emperor Wen had divided Zhong Yu's fief to enfeoff Zhong Yao's younger brother Zhong Yan, his son Zhong Shao and his grandson Zhong Yu as full marquises. Records, Wei 13 §18Records, Wei 3 §18

In his assessment, Chen Shou said that Zhong Yao was open-minded and capable in handling affairs, and wrote that he, Hua Xin and Wang Lang were all outstanding men of their age, who first rose to the Three Excellencies when Wei was founded—a splendid thing. Records, Wei 13 §99