Zhang Yi ( 166 – 230),

courtesy name A courtesy name (), also known as a style name, is a name bestowed upon one at adulthood in addition to one's given name. This practice is a tradition in the East Asian cultural sphere, including China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.Ulrich Theob ...

Junsi, was an official of the state of Shu Han in the

Three Kingdoms The Three Kingdoms () from 220 to 280 AD was the tripartite division of China among the dynastic states of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu. The Three Kingdoms period was preceded by the Eastern Han dynasty and was followed by the West ...

period of China.

Serving the Yi Province government

Zhang Yi was from

Chengdu Chengdu (, ; simplified Chinese: 成都; pinyin: ''Chéngdū''; Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: ), alternatively romanized as Chengtu, is a sub-provincial city which serves as the capital of the Chinese pro ...

, the capital of

Yi Province Yizhou (益州), Yi Province or Yi Prefecture, was a '' zhou'' (province) of ancient China. Its capital city was Chengdu.de Crespigny, p. 256. During the Han dynasty, it included the commanderies Hanzhong, Ba, Guanghan, Shu, Wenshan, Jianwei, ...

(covering present-day

Sichuan Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by Protestant missions) is a province in Southwest China occupying most of the ...

and Chongqing). He was an avid reader of the

Gongyang Zhuan The ''Gongyang Zhuan'' (), also known as the ''Gongyang Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals'' or the ''Commentary of Gongyang'', is a commentary on the ''Spring and Autumn Annals'', and is thus one of the Chinese classics. Along with the '' ...

and studied conscientiously the

Book of Han The ''Book of Han'' or ''History of the Former Han'' (Qián Hàn Shū,《前汉书》) is a history of China finished in 111AD, covering the Western, or Former Han dynasty from the first emperor in 206 BCE to the fall of Wang Mang in 23 CE. ...

along with the

Records of the Grand Historian ''Records of the Grand Historian'', also known by its Chinese name ''Shiji'', is a monumental history of China that is the first of China's 24 dynastic histories. The ''Records'' was written in the early 1st century by the ancient Chinese his ...

. When Xu Jing (Three Kingdoms) from Runan who was famous for his appraisals entered the Yi Province. He praised Zhang Yi as a nimble man in actions and perspicacious in reasons; even said that he was the equivalent of

Zhong Yao Zhong Yao (151 – April or May 230), also referred to as Zhong You, courtesy name Yuanchang, was a Chinese calligrapher and politician who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty and Three Kingdoms period of China. He served in the state of ...

from the central plains. He started his official career after Liu Zhang, the Governor of Yi Province, nominated him as a ''

xiaolian Xiaolian (; literally "filial and incorrupt"), was the standard of nominating civil officers started by Emperor Wu of Han in 134 BC. It lasted until its replacement by the imperial examination system during the Sui Dynasty. In Confucian philosophy ...

'' (civil service candidate), later assigned as the Chief of Yufu. And was recalled to serve as an official in the Yi's staff. Between 212 and 214, when conflict broke out between Liu Zhang and another warlord

Liu Bei Liu Bei (, ; ; 161 – 10 June 223), courtesy name Xuande (), was a warlord in the late Eastern Han dynasty who founded the state of Shu Han in the Three Kingdoms period and became its first ruler. Although he was a distant relative of the ...

, Liu Zhang sent Zhang Yi to Deyang County to block Liu Bei's reinforcements from entering Yi Province. However, Liu Bei's general

Zhang Fei Zhang Fei () (died July or August 221 AD), courtesy name Yide, was a military general serving under the warlord Liu Bei in the late Eastern Han dynasty and early Three Kingdoms period of China. Zhang Fei and Guan Yu, who were among the earlie ...

defeated the force led by Zhang Yi, who was forced to return to Chengdu. In 214, as Liu Bei's forces besieged Liu Zhang in Chengdu, Liu Zhang sent Zhang Yi as his envoy to negotiate the terms of surrender with Liu Bei. Liu Bei reassured the people of his intention and promised that he would treat Liu Zhang well if he surrendered, which Liu Zhang did. Liu Bei's adviser,

Zhuge Liang Zhuge Liang ( zh, t=諸葛亮 / 诸葛亮) (181 – September 234), courtesy name Kongming, was a Chinese statesman and military strategist. He was chancellor and later regent of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period. He is ...

, named Zhang Yi as one of the most capable officials who served under Liu Zhang, and urged Liu Bei to employ him. Liu Bei then appointed Zhang Yi as the Administrator (太守) of Ba Commandery (巴郡) and was promoted to Managing Metal Internal Cadet General. Here, he managed the manufacture of the warfare equipment and the production and distribution of the agriculture. In late 222 or early 223, after Liu Bei lost the

Battle of Xiaoting The Battle of Xiaoting (猇亭之戰), also known as the Battle of Yiling and the Battle of Yiling and Xiaoting, was fought between the state of Shu and the state of Wu, between the years 221 and 222 in the early Three Kingdoms period of Chin ...

against his ally-turned-rival Sun Quan, the local tribes in southern Yizhou Commandery (益州郡; covering parts of present-day

Yunnan Yunnan , () is a landlocked province in the southwest of the People's Republic of China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 48.3 million (as of 2018). The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders the C ...

), led by an elderly Yong Kai (雍闓) who was known as a kind man and trusted by them started a rebellion, killed Zheng Ang (正昂) the Shu-appointed Administrator of Jianning Commandery and secretly communicates with Sun Quan. Zhang Yi was sent to reclaim the prefecture, Yong Kai at first pretended that he wanted to yield but later refused to meet him. Then, he falsely declared that Zhang Yi is like a gourd; although impressed by his appearance, his inside is empty. After that, the rebels captured Zhang Yi but did not dare to kill him and instead sent him as a captive to Sun Quan.

As a prisoner of Wu

Around 223, when the states of Shu Han and Eastern Wu reestablished their alliance against their rival state

Cao Wei Wei ( Hanzi: 魏; pinyin: ''Wèi'' < Middle Chinese: *''ŋjwei^C'' <

Imperial Chancellor of Shu, sent

Deng Zhi Deng Zhi (178 - 251), courtesy name Bomiao, was a government official, diplomat and military general of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of China. A descendant of Deng Yu, Deng Zhi started his career in the late Eastern Han ...

as an envoy to Wu to meet its ruler, Sun Quan. One of Deng Zhi's tasks was to seek the release of Zhang Yi and bring him back to Shu. Only then did Sun Quan meet Zhang Yi for the first time after he had been imprisoned for several years; he agreed to have him freed. During the farewell banquet he held before sending Deng Zhi off, Sun Quan spoke to Zhang Yi and was very impressed with him. Later, after Zhang Yi left with Deng Zhi, Sun Quan regretted letting Zhang Yi leave because he wanted to recruit Zhang Yi to serve under him. He then sent his men to pursue them and bring Zhang Yi back, but from the moment he left Zhang Yi already regretted showing his wit and sensed that Sun Quan did not want to let him leave, had sped up his journey day and night upon leaving Wu and returned to Shu just one day ahead of Sun Quan's men.

Service in the Chancellor's office

After his return to Shu, Zhang Yi served as an Army Adviser under Zhuge Liang and as an Assistant Officer at General Headquarters in

. Around 227, when Zhuge Liang launched the first of a series of military campaigns against Shu's rival state Wei, he appointed Zhang Yi as Colonel of Trainee Archers (射聲校尉) and Chief Clerk (長史) in the Imperial Chancellor's office. He often declared that: Zhang Yi did not join Zhuge Liang at the frontline and instead took charge of communications between Zhuge Liang and the Shu central government in

. As Zhuge Liang wanted to review everything before making a decision, Zhang Yi had to travel north to Hanzhong Commandery, where Zhuge Liang was stationed, to seek his opinion on key policy issues. As Zhang Yi left Chengdu, the road was full of people since hundreds of them lined the streets to bid him farewell. He wrote back to those close to him: His writing style was as such; often swift and eloquent. In his later career, Zhang Yi was appointed as General Who Assists Han (輔漢將軍) but remained as Chief Clerk in Zhuge Liang's office. He died in 230 at around the age of 64. His two sons, Zhang Mu (張毣) and Zhang Yu (張郁), continued serving as officials in Shu; with Mao succeeding him and serving successively in three commanderies as Administrator.

Appraisal

During his adulthood, Zhang Yi was close friend with a man of Qianwei, Yang Gong (楊恭), but Yang Gong died in his young age. His orphans were still children therefore Zhang Yi took them in his own residence and cared for them. He also treated Yang Gong's mother as if she was his own mother. When Yang Gong's children became adults, Zhang Yi bought fields and houses for their property and helped them to find wives and employment. He looked after his old friends, cared and supported the orphaned and fallen clans. His behaviour was as such and of utmost virtue.(少與犍為楊恭友善，恭早死，遺孤未數歲，裔迎留，與分屋而居，事恭母如母。恭之子息長大，為之娶婦，買田宅產業，使立門戶。撫恤故舊，振贍衰宗，行義甚至。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 41.

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