Zong Yu (late 180s - 264),

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 Theobald ...

Deyan, was a military general and diplomat of the state of

Shu Han Han (; 221–263), known in historiography as Shu Han ( ) or Ji Han ( "Junior Han"), or often shortened to Shu (; pinyin: ''shŭ'' <

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 Han dynasty#Eastern Han, Eastern Han dynasty and wa ...

period of China. Like

Liao Hua Liao Hua (late 180s - 264), courtesy name Yuanjian, originally named Liao Chun, was a military general of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of China. Like Zhang Yi and Zong Yu, Liao was one of few officials who served the Sh ...

and Zhang Yi, Zong was one of few officials who served the Shu-Han state throughout its entire existence.

Early career

Zong Yu was born in the late

Eastern Han dynasty The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–207 BC) and a warr ...

in Anzhong County (),

Nanyang Commandery Nanyang Commandery ( zh, 南陽郡) was a Chinese commandery that existed from the Warring States period to Tang dynasty. It was centered in present-day Nanyang, Henan. History Nanyang Commandery was established by Qin in the 35th year of King Zh ...

(), which is around present-day

Dengzhou Dengzhou (), formerly Deng County (), is a city in Nanyang, Henan, China. It has an area of and a population of 1,500,000. The urban area is 35 km², and the urban population is 300,000. The city is located in the southwest of Henan provin ...

Henan Henan (; or ; ; alternatively Honan) is a landlocked province of China, in the central part of the country. Henan is often referred to as Zhongyuan or Zhongzhou (), which literally means "central plain" or "midland", although the name is al ...

. In 214, Zong Yu followed the 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 earlies ...

into

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 Chongqing ( or ; ; Sichuanese dialects, Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ), Postal Romanization, alternately romanized as Chungking (), is a Direct-administered municipalities of China, municipality in Southwes ...

) to serve as reinforcements for the 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 H ...

, who was fighting for control over Yi Province with the provincial governor Liu Zhang. After the fall of the Eastern Han dynasty, Zong Yu served in the state of Shu, which Liu Bei established in 221 to challenge the legitimacy of the Wei state that replaced the Eastern Han dynasty in 220. In the early Jianxing era (223–237) of

Liu Shan Liu Shan () (207–271), courtesy name Gongsi, was the second and last emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period. As he ascended the throne at the age of 16, Liu Shan was entrusted to the care of the Chancellor Zhuge Lia ...

's reign,

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 r ...

, the Imperial Chancellor of Shu, appointed Zong Yu as his Registrar () and later made him an Army Adviser () and Right General of the Household ().

Diplomatic trips to Wu

Following Zhuge Liang's death in 234, Shu's ally state Wu worried that Wei would take advantage of the situation to attack Shu, so it sent an additional 10,000 troops to the Wu garrison at Baqiu (巴丘; present-day

Yueyang Yueyang, formerly known as Yuezhou or Yochow, is a prefecture-level city on the eastern shores of Dongting Lake and Yangtze in the northeastern corner of Hunan Province in the People's Republic of China. Yueyang has an administrative area of a ...

Hunan Hunan (, ; ) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, part of the South Central China region. Located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze watershed, it borders the province-level divisions of Hubei to the north, Jiangxi to ...

) for two purposes: 1) to reinforce Shu in the event of a Wei invasion and 2) seize Shu territories if Shu cannot defend itself against Wei. When the Shu government received intelligence of the increased Wu military presence at Baqiu, they immediately strengthened their defences at Yong'an (永安; present-day

Fengjie County Fengjie County () is a county of Chongqing Municipality, China. It is on the Yangtze River; located within a couple hundreds kilometers upstream from the Three Gorges Dam, it is within the dam's affected area. The county's most famous geograp ...

) near the Wu–Shu border to prepare for unforeseen circumstances. Shu later sent Zong Yu as their emissary to meet the Wu emperor

Sun Quan Sun Quan (, Chinese: 孫權) (183 – 21 May 252), courtesy name Zhongmou (), posthumously known as Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of the Eastern Wu dynasty, one of the Three Kingdoms of China. He inherited control of the warlord regime es ...

, who asked him: "The east (Wu) and west (Shu) are like one family. I heard that the west has strengthened their defences at

Baidicheng Baidicheng or Baidi Fortress is an ancient fortress and temple complex on a hill on the northern shore of the Yangtze River in China, 8 km east of the present day Fengjie County seat in Chongqing municipality. Overview The name ''Baidicheng ...

. Why is that so?" Zong Yu replied: "I think it is normal for the west to strengthen its defences at Baidicheng, just as it is normal for the east to send more troops to Baqiu. That's why I don't think it is a cause for concern." Sun Quan laughed and praised Zong Yu for making such a bold and candid reply. Among the Shu diplomats who visited Wu, Zong Yu was second only to

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 ...

and

Fei Yi Fei Yi (died 16 February 253), courtesy name Wenwei, was a regent and military general of the state of Shu during the Three Kingdoms period of China. Born in the late Eastern Han dynasty, Fei Yi started his career as an attendant to Liu Shan, ...

in terms of how highly Sun Quan favoured and regarded him. Zong Yu was later reassigned to be a Palace Attendant () and promoted to serve as a Master of Writing () in the imperial secretariat. In 247, he was appointed as a Colonel of the Garrison Cavalry (). Some time later, Zong Yu made another diplomatic visit to Wu and met Sun Quan again. Before he left, Sun Quan held his hand and tearfully told him: "For many years, you have undertaken the task of strengthening ties between our two states. Now, both of us are old and frail already. I am afraid we might not see each other again!" Zong Yu also told Sun Quan: "Shu is small and isolated. Although they are neighbours in name, the east and west are actually dependent on each other. Wu cannot do without Shu; Shu also cannot do without Wu. I hope that Your Majesty will bear in mind that rulers and subjects need each other." He then described himself as "old and sickly" and expressed his worries that he might not see Sun Quan again. Sun Quan gave Zong Yu one ''hu'' of large pearls as a parting gift.

Standing up to Deng Zhi

In 243, when the Shu general

returned to the capital

Chengdu Chengdu (, ; Simplified Chinese characters, simplified Chinese: 成都; pinyin: ''Chéngdū''; Sichuanese dialects, Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: ), Chinese postal romanization, alternatively Romanization of Chi ...

to assume his new appointment as General of Chariots of Cavalry (), he met Zong Yu on his way to the imperial court and asked him: "According to the rules of propriety, a man should no longer serve in the military once he reaches 60. Why do you still want to receive command of troops at this age?" Zong Yu rebuked him: "You are already 70, but you haven't relinquished your command of troops. So why can't I receive command of troops when I am 60?" Deng Zhi's colleagues, including his superior General-in-Chief

, tended to give in to his arrogant and condescending attitude. Zong Yu was the only person who stood up to him.

Later career and death

After he returned from his last diplomatic trip to Wu, Zong Yu was promoted to General of the Rear () and put in charge of guarding Yong'an (永安; present-day

) near the Wu–Shu border. He was later further promoted to Senior General Who Attacks the West () and awarded a peerage as a Secondary Marquis (). In 258, Zong Yu was recalled to

due to poor health. Later, he was reassigned to the position of Senior General Who Guards the Army () and appointed as the nominal Inspector of

Yan Province Yan Province or Yanzhou was one of the Nine Provinces of ancient China. During the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), it covered roughly present-day southwestern Shandong, eastern Henan, and the northwestern corner of Jiangsu Jiangsu (; ...

(). Around 261, when

's son

Zhuge Zhan Zhuge Zhan (227–263), courtesy name Siyuan, was a military general and official of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was a son of Zhuge Liang, the first Imperial Chancellor of Shu. Early life When Zhuge Zhan ...

took charge of the Shu central government,

asked Zong Yu to accompany him to visit Zhuge Zhan. Zong Yu refused and told Liao Hua: "Both of us are already above the age of 70. All that we desire have passed. Nothing but death remains for us. Why bother to seek favours from the younger generation by paying calls for trivial issues?" Shu's existence came to an end in 263 when the Shu emperor

surrendered to Shu's rival state Wei following a Wei invasion of Shu. In the following year, Zong Yu and Liao Hua received orders to relocate to the Wei imperial capital

Luoyang Luoyang is a city located in the confluence area of Luo River (Henan), Luo River and Yellow River in the west of Henan province. Governed as a prefecture-level city, it borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the ...

but they died from illness during the journey.(咸熈元年春，化、預俱內徙洛陽，道病卒。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 45.

References

* Chen, Shou (3rd century). ''

Records of the Three Kingdoms The ''Records or History of the Three Kingdoms'', also known by its Chinese name as the Sanguo Zhi, is a Chinese historical text which covers the history of the late Eastern Han dynasty (c. 184–220 AD) and the Three Kingdoms period (220– ...

'' (''Sanguozhi''). * * Pei, Songzhi (5th century). ''

Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms () by Pei Songzhi (372-451) is an annotation completed in the 5th century of the 3rd century historical text ''Records of the Three Kingdoms'', compiled by Chen Shou. After leaving his native land, Pei ...

'' (''Sanguozhi zhu''). * {{DEFAULTSORT:Zong, Yu Year of birth unknown 264 deaths Shu Han generals Three Kingdoms diplomats Shu Han politicians People of Cao Wei Politicians from Nanyang, Henan Generals from Henan

Early career

Diplomatic trips to Wu

Standing up to Deng Zhi

Later career and death

See also

References