Zhu Yi 朱異

RecordsRomance Wu Courtesy name 季文 Jiwen주이계문朱异

Profile
OccupationRGeneral · General Who Guards the SouthFactionWu
AppearsRNBiography inBook of Wu
BornR? UnverifiedNative placeWu Commandery Wu County Unverified
DiedR257 UnverifiedPlace of death
Cause of deathRExecuted NExecuted Unverified
ExistenceHistoricalMentionsR26

Profile

Zhu Yi, courtesy name Jiwen, was the son of the Wu general Zhu Huan and succeeded his father. In the 4th year of Chiwu (241), when he followed Zhu Ran in attacking Fancheng, he devised a plan that broke its outer defenses, and he made a surprise attack that broke seven camps of Wen Qin, Wei's Administrator of Lujiang. Sun Quan said his courage exceeded what he had heard. In the 1st year of Jianxing (252) he became General Who Guards the South, and that year he destroyed with his navy the pontoon bridge of the Wei army that had come out to Dongxing. Records, Wu 11 §61 · 63–65

In the 2nd year of Taiping (257) he was granted the tally of authority (jiajie) and made Grand Commander, and went to relieve Zhuge Dan, who was besieged at Shouchun, but he was defeated repeatedly by the Wei army and could not lift the siege. He turned his army back and in the 9th month of that year was put to death at Huoli by Sun Chen. Records, Wu 11 §65Records, Wu 3 §17Records, Wu 19 §84–86

In his assessment, Chen Shou said that he and Lü Ju met with disaster although they had committed no such faults, because the times they met with were different. In the Romance he first appears in Chapter 111 as the vanguard of the relief army for Shouchun and appears in two chapters, Chapters 111–112; his name is in no chapter title. After repeated defeats he is beheaded by Sun Chen. Records, Wu 11 §67Romance, Ch. 111 §32Romance, Ch. 112 §8

In the Records

Zhu Yi was the son of Zhu Huan and succeeded him when Zhu Huan died. His courtesy name was Jiwen. Through his father's privilege he was appointed a gentleman (lang), later became Chief Commandant of Cavalry and commanded troops in place of Zhu Huan. In the 4th year of Chiwu (241), when he followed Zhu Ran in attacking Wei's Fancheng, he devised a plan that broke its outer defenses, and on his return he became Lieutenant General (pian jiangjun). The Biography of Lü Ju also records that at this time Lü Ju, together with Zhu Yi, broke the defenses outside the city. Records, Wu 11 §61 · 63 · 43

Wen Qin, Wei's Administrator of Lujiang, kept his camp at Lu'an and set up many camps and stockades at the strategic points of the various roads, luring fugitives and deserters and raiding the border. Zhu Yi personally led 2,000 of his own men in a surprise attack that broke seven of Wen Qin's camps and took several hundred heads, and he was promoted to General Who Displays Martial Might. When Sun Quan discussed attacks and battles with him, his answers pleased him. Sun Quan said to Zhu Ju, General of Agile Cavalry and Zhu Yi's uncle, 'I always knew Jiwen's courage was firm, but seeing him for myself, he surpasses what I had heard.' Records, Wu 11 §63–64

In the 10th month, in winter, of the 13th year of Chiwu (250), Wen Qin feigned surrender and secretly sent Zhu Yi a letter, hoping to make him come in person to receive him. Zhu Yi submitted a memorial presenting Wen Qin's letter and stated that it was a deception and that Wen Qin should not be received at once. Sun Quan issued an edict saying that since the northern lands were not yet united, Wen Qin should be received for now, and that if a trick was suspected, they had only to spread a net of stratagems and station heavy forces to guard against it. He therefore had Lü Ju lead 20,000 men to join forces with Zhu Yi, but when they reached the northern frontier, Wen Qin did indeed not surrender. Records, Wu 11 §64–65Records, Wu 2 §108

In the 1st year of Jianxing (252) he was promoted to General Who Guards the South. That year, when Wei sent Hu Zun, Zhuge Dan and others out to Dongxing, Zhu Yi led the navy to attack the pontoon bridge and destroyed it, and the Wei army was heavily defeated. Later, when Zhuge Ke advanced into Huainan, failed to take the city and showed his frustration, the general Zhu Yi argued the rights and wrongs with him, and Zhuge Ke in his anger immediately took away his troops. Records, Wu 11 §65Records, Wu 19 §44–45

The Biographies of the Three Successor Rulers record that in the 3rd month of the 2nd year of Wufeng (255) the General Who Guards the South Zhu Yi was sent to make a surprise attack on Anfeng but did not succeed. In the 8th month of the 1st year of Taiping (256), Sun Jun, adopting Wen Qin's plan to attack Wei, first sent Wen Qin, Lü Ju, Liu Zuan, Zhu Yi and Tang Zi to enter the Huai and Si rivers from Jiangdu, but when Sun Jun died in the 9th month, his successor Sun Chen recalled Lü Ju and the others. Records, Wu 3 §9–10 · 12Records, Wu 19 §76

In the 5th month of the 2nd year of Taiping (257), when Wei's General-in-Chief Who Conquers the East Zhuge Dan declared himself a subject of Wu at Shouchun, Wu in the 6th month gave Wen Qin, Tang Zi, Quan Duan and others 30,000 men to relieve him. Meanwhile Sun Chen sent Zhu Yi to make a secret attack on Sun Yi, the Commander at Xiakou, and when Zhu Yi arrived Sun Yi fled to Wei. In the 7th month, when Sun Chen halted at Huoli, he made Zhu Yi, who had come from Xiakou, Commander of the Front Division and had him, together with Ding Feng and others, lift the siege with 50,000 armored soldiers. The Biography of Zhu Yi records that at this time he was granted the tally of authority and made Grand Commander. Records, Wu 3 §15–16Records, Wu 6 §22Records, Wu 11 §65

Zhu Yi led 30,000 men to garrison Anfeng as support for Wen Qin, but when Wei's Inspector of Yan Province Zhou Tai (州泰) blocked him at Yangyuan, he was defeated and withdrew, and under pursuit he lost 2,000 killed or wounded. Leading 50,000 men again with Ding Feng, Li Fei and others, he left his baggage train at Dulu and encamped at Lijiang, and had the generals Ren Du, Zhang Zhen and others recruit 6,000 brave men to build a pontoon bridge six li to the west, cross by night and build a crescent-shaped rampart, but they were defeated by Wei's Army Supervisor Shi Bao and Zhou Tai. He formed a camp of wagons ringed like a box and advanced on Wumu, but was defeated again and turned back, and Wei's Administrator of Taishan Hu Lie, with a surprise force of 5,000, raided Dulu and burned all of Zhu Yi's supplies and provisions. Records, Wu 19 §84–86

Sun Chen gave Zhu Yi 30,000 troops and ordered him to fight to the death, and when Zhu Yi would not obey, he beheaded him at Huoli. The Biographies of the Three Successor Rulers record that when Zhu Yi brought his army back saying the soldiers had run out of food, Sun Chen flew into a rage and killed him at Huoli on the day jisi, the first day of the 9th month, while the Biography of Zhuge Dan in the Records of Wei records that Sun Chen killed him in anger because Zhu Yi fought but could not advance. The Biography of Zhu Yi writes that he turned his army back and was wrongfully put to death by Sun Chen. Since Sun Chen had failed to rescue Zhuge Dan, lost his soldiers and killed a famous general himself, there was no one who did not resent him. Records, Wu 19 §86Records, Wu 3 §17Records, Wei 28 §38Records, Wu 11 §65

In his assessment, Chen Shou said that Lü Ju, Zhu Yi and Shi Ji all had the talent of commanders and ably carried on their fathers' work. He wrote that Lü Fan and Zhu Huan had faults yet ended their lives well, whereas Lü Ju and Zhu Yi, without such faults, met with disaster instead, because the times they met with were different. Records, Wu 11 §67

In the Romance

In Chapter 111 of the Romance, when Zhuge Dan asks for relief at Shouchun, Sun Chen sends an army of 70,000 in three divisions, with Quan Yi and Quan Duan as commanders, Yu Quan as the rear army, Zhu Yi and Tang Zi as the vanguard, and Wen Qin as guide. Zhu Yi, Eastern Wu's vanguard, faces Wang Ji of Wei and is defeated and flees in fewer than three bouts, and when Tang Zi, who goes out next, is also defeated, the Wu army falls back fifty li and makes camp. Romance, Ch. 111 §32 · 36

In Chapter 112 Zhuge Dan advances with Zhu Yi on his left and Wen Qin on his right, but while the southern troops scramble to seize the oxen, horses, donkeys and mules that the Wei army has scattered as bait, they are heavily defeated by the ambush of Shi Bao and Zhou Tai and the picked troops of Wang Ji and Chen Qian. When the Wu army is stationed at Anfeng, Sun Chen summons Zhu Yi and rebukes him: 'If you cannot even relieve the single city of Shouchun, how can you swallow the Central Plain? If you fail to win again, I will surely have you beheaded.' Romance, Ch. 112 §1–2 · 4–5

Zhu Yi returns to his main camp to deliberate and approves Yu Quan's plan to enter by the south gate, which is not yet surrounded, and strike out from within the city. Quan Yi, Quan Duan, Wen Qin and others, together with Yu Quan, lead 10,000 troops into the city by the south gate. Sima Zhao, however, sees this as a plan for a pincer attack from inside and out and has Wang Ji and Chen Qian cut off Zhu Yi's route, and Zhu Yi is heavily defeated by the two forces that strike him from behind. When he returns and reports to Sun Chen, Sun Chen says, 'What use is a general who loses again and again?' and has him dragged out and beheaded. Romance, Ch. 112 §6–8

Where the Romance differs

Earlier career: In the Romance, Zhu Yi first appears in Chapter 111 as the vanguard of the relief army for Shouchun. The Records record that before this he broke the outer defenses of Fancheng, made a surprise attack on Wen Qin's seven camps and destroyed Wei's pontoon bridge at Dongxing. Romance, Ch. 111 §32Records, Wu 11 §63–65

The first battle: In Chapter 111 of the Romance, Zhu Yi faces Wang Ji of Wei and is defeated in fewer than three bouts. In the Records, Zhu Yi was stationed at Anfeng and was defeated at Yangyuan by Wei's Inspector of Yan Province Zhou Tai (州泰), and the Biography of Wang Ji says only that Zhu Yi was stationed at Ancheng; there is no clash with Wang Ji. Romance, Ch. 111 §36Records, Wu 19 §84Records, Wei 27 §66

The troops who entered the city: In Chapter 112 of the Romance, after Zhu Yi accepts Yu Quan's plan, Quan Yi, Quan Duan, Wen Qin and others enter the city by the south gate. In the Records, Wu, on receiving Zhuge Dan's request for relief, first sent Quan Yi, Quan Duan, Tang Zi and others together with Wen Qin, and while Wang Ji's siege lines were not yet joined, Tang Zi, Wen Qin and others broke into the city by way of the steep hills to the northeast of it. There is no mention of Zhu Yi taking part in this. Romance, Ch. 112 §6Records, Wei 28 §36Records, Wu 3 §16

Defeat: In Chapter 112 of the Romance, Zhu Yi is struck from behind by Wang Ji and Chen Qian as he comes toward the south gate and is heavily defeated. In the Records, he was defeated by Shi Bao and Zhou Tai while building a pontoon bridge and a crescent-shaped rampart at Lijiang, was defeated again when he advanced on Wumu, and Hu Lie raided Dulu and burned all his provisions. Romance, Ch. 112 §7–8Records, Wu 19 §85–86

The circumstances of his death: In Chapter 112 of the Romance, Sun Chen beheads Zhu Yi for his repeated defeats. The Records say both that Sun Chen gave him 30,000 troops and ordered him to fight to the death, and beheaded him when Zhu Yi would not obey, and that Sun Chen killed him in anger when Zhu Yi came back because his soldiers had run out of food. The Biography of Zhu Yi writes that he was wrongfully put to death. Romance, Ch. 112 §8Records, Wu 19 §86Records, Wu 3 §17Records, Wu 11 §65

Time and place of death: The Romance does not state where or on what day Zhu Yi died. The Biographies of the Three Successor Rulers in the Records state that he was killed at Huoli on the day jisi, the first day of the 9th month of the 2nd year of Taiping (257). Romance, Ch. 112 §8Records, Wu 3 §17

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

The Records score (Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms, main text) is the baseline. Each ability compares how the Romance redrew the same person, and the evidence from both sources explains the difference.

LEASTRINTPOLCHAVIRADPSCHDIPDIS
Records (solid) vs Romance (dashed)
  • LEA7238−34
  • STR6235−27
  • INT6438−26
  • POL4033−7
  • CHA4538−7
  • VIR6245−17
  • ADP4035−5
  • SCH3531−4
  • DIP4233−9
  • DIS3833−5
Records · Romance scores and difference (Romance − Records · left = lowered by the Romance · right = raised)

Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more

LeadershipR72N38 −34

RRaided Wen Qin's seven camps and broke the pontoon bridge at Dongxing; Chen Shou credited him with a commander's talent. Failed to relieve ShouchunWu 11 §63Wu 11 §65Wu 11 §67

NAs Wu's vanguard he lost to Wang Ji, then suffered another heavy defeat from a pincer attackCh. 111 §36Ch. 112 §7Ch. 112 §8

StrengthR62N35 −27

RPersonally led 2,000 men in a surprise attack; Sun Quan called his courage firmWu 11 §63Wu 11 §64

NFought Wang Ji and fled in defeat in fewer than three boutsCh. 111 §36

IntelligenceR64N38 −26

RBroke the outer defenses of Fancheng with a plan and saw through Wen Qin's feigned surrenderWu 11 §63Wu 11 §64

NFollowed Yu Quan's pincer plan, but Sima Zhao saw through itCh. 112 §6

VirtueR62N45Unverified −17

RArgued right and wrong with Zhuge Ke; Chen Shou said he was without faultWu 19 §45Wu 11 §67

NNo direct record — estimated from his conductCh. 112 §8

6 similar abilities — show evidence
  • PoliticsR40UnverifiedN33Unverified −7

    RNo direct record — estimated from his career as a generalWu 11 §63

    NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a vanguard commanderCh. 111 §32

  • CharismaR45UnverifiedN38Unverified −7

    RNo direct record — estimated from his career commanding troopsWu 11 §63

    NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a vanguard commanderCh. 111 §32

  • AdaptabilityR40N35Unverified −5

    RExecuted for not obeying Sun Chen's order to fight to the death; Chen Shou said he met with the wrong timesWu 19 §86Wu 11 §67

    NNo direct record — estimated from his execution after repeated defeatsCh. 112 §5Ch. 112 §8

  • ScholarshipR35UnverifiedN31Unverified −4

    RNo direct record — estimated from his career as a military commanderWu 11 §63

    NNo direct record — estimated from his being a military commanderCh. 111 §32

  • DiplomacyR42UnverifiedN33Unverified −9

    RNo direct record — estimated from the record of his discussing battles with Sun QuanWu 11 §64

    NNo direct record — estimated from his conductCh. 112 §6

  • DiscernmentR38UnverifiedN33Unverified −5

    RNo direct record — estimated from his career as a generalWu 11 §63

    NNo direct record — estimated from his conductCh. 112 §6

Records Romance 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.

Romance chapters (2)

AppearsNot present Chapter list →

Allegiance history

  1. Wu · Records · Records vol. 56 「還拜偏將軍」

Family

ParentsZhu Huan Records

Based on Wikidata items for the historical and Romance figures. Relations without the Unverified badge were also confirmed in the Records.

Related events (2)

Includes automatic matching from Wikipedia infoboxes and source keywords (unverified).