Mi Zhu

Mi Zhu (c. 165–221),[1] courtesy name Zizhong, was an official and adviser who served under the warlord Liu Bei in the late Eastern Han dynasty, during the Three Kingdoms period, after Liu Bei founded the state of Shu Han. He was also Liu Bei's brother-in-law, as his sister, Lady Mi, married Liu Bei. Mi Zhu was essential to Liu Bei during the defeats of the latter, financing Liu Bei's army in critical times where there was no tax base. Mi Zhu was extremely well educated and helped Liu Bei develop relationships with wealthy rivals such as Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu and Liu Biao. He was also the elder brother of Mi Fang, who served Liu Bei as well until his defection to Liu Bei's ally-turned-rival Sun Quan in 220. Mi Zhu served Liu Bei loyally for more than 25 years, as a high civil official of Liu during all the later's tenures as governor of Xu, Jing and Yi provinces, the former's ideas were regularly and widely circulated to the common people which greatly helped Liu Bei's political movement as Han loyalist and Confucian but, historians would argue it mere rhetoric as Liu ruled more in the tradition of legalism. Nonetheless, Mi along with Jian Yong, Sun Qian, and later Yi Ji, greatly contributed to the Liu's populist movement to restore the Han dynasty through literature and essays. Mi Zhu was thought to be Liu's best friend and most favored subject, he died of illness a little over a year after Liu Bei declared himself emperor.

In this Chinese name, the family name is Mi.
Mi Zhu
麋竺
An illustration of Mi Zhu
General Who Pacifies Han (安漢將軍)
(under Liu Bei)
In office
214 (214) – 221 (221)
MonarchEmperor Xian of Han
Personal details
Bornc. 165[1]
Lianyungang, Jiangsu
Diedc. 221[1]
Relations
ChildrenMi Wei
OccupationOfficial, adviser
Courtesy nameZizhong (子仲)

Life

Mi Zhu was from Qu County (朐縣), Donghai Commandery (東海郡), which is present-day Lianyungang, Jiangsu. He was born in an extremely rich merchant family.[2] According to In Search of the Supernatural (搜神記) by Gan Bao (干竇), a work largely consisting of legends and hearsays, Mi Zhu was once returning home from the capital Luoyang when he met a lady by the road. He gave her a lift out of kindness. When she alighted, she revealed that she was an emissary from Heaven on a mission to burn down Mi Zhu's house. However, to repay his kindness, she agreed to walk slowly so as to allow Mi Zhu the time to evacuate the house. A huge fire indeed broke out at noon as the lady promised.[3]

Legends aside, Mi Zhu initially served under Tao Qian, the governor of Xu Province (present-day northern Jiangsu). Upon his death, Tao Qian passed on the governorship to Liu Bei, to whom Mi Zhu thereafter rendered his service. In 196, Lü Bu seized control of Xiapi, the capital of Xu Province, and proclaimed himself the governor. Henceforth, Liu Bei was forced into exile, forming a series of temporary alliances with different warlords, including Cao Cao, Yuan Shao and Liu Biao. Throughout this trough in Liu Bei's career, however, Mi Zhu stayed loyal. When Liu Bei was defeated by Lü Bu, Mi Zhu sponsored Liu Bei with his all of his family wealth and also married his younger sister to the latter. Cao Cao had once attempted to entice Mi Zhu and Mi Fang to serve him by offering them governorships of Ying Commandery (northwest of present-day Laiwu, Shandong) and Pengcheng Commandery respectively but was turned down, and the brothers fled with Liu Bei.[4]

The Cáo Gōng Jí records one of Cao Cao's memorial concerning Mi Zhu :

“The prefecture of Taishan has wide borders which makes it hard to control, moreover it is since long inffected by many bandits and brigands. Looking at the sitatuation, it should be divided into five counties as Yíng prefecture and have one knwon to be pure and incorruptible to defend and adjure it. The Supporting General Mi Zhu is naturally faithful and loyal and is reliable to command military and civil affairs; Hence I request to have him take office as Yíng Prefecture Administrator, to comfort the officials and people.”[5]

When Liu Bei sought refuge with Liu Biao, he sent Mi Zhu first to meet and disscuss with him. And for his effort in soothing the relation between them was appointed as General of the Left's Attending Official Internal Cadet. After Liu Bei conquered Yi Province (covering present-day Sichuan and Chongqing) in 214, Mi Zhu was promoted to General Who Pacifies Han (安漢將軍).[6] Although he was not given any troops to command, as military manoeuver were not his expertise, he was nonetheless the most highly esteemed among Liu Bei's subjects. He was viewed as a role model official for the state of Shu and many young civil officials looked up to him as they did to Zhuge Liang, Fa Zheng, Dong He and Xu Jing.[7]

In 219, Mi Fang defected to Sun Quan when Sun's general Lü Meng launched a surprise attack on Jing Province (covering present-day Hubei and Hunan), which resulted in the death of Guan Yu. Mi Zhu bound himself and came to Liu Bei, pleading guilty for his brother's crime. Although Liu Bei did not fault him, Mi Zhu was so ashamed that he soon fell sick and died slightly more than a year later.[8]

Family

Aside from his younger brother and sister, Mi Zhu had a son Mi Wei (麋威) who reached the rank of Tiger Elite Internal Cadet General while Wei's son Mi Zhào (麋照) was Tiger Cavalry Supervisor. The Mi family were known to be talented with the arts of archery and riding hence they were all excellent riders and archers.[9]

Appraisal

Chen Shou, who wrote Mi Zhu's biography, commented as follows: "Mi Zhu, Sun Qian, Jian Yong and Yi Ji were refined and cultured persons whose ideas were widely circulated. They were well known for their good observation of the proprieties."[10]

See also

Notes
  1. ^ 麋竺 is often (mis)printed as 糜竺 in copies of the historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms in circulation.

References
  1. de Crespigny, Rafe (2007). A biographical dictionary of Later Han to the Three Kingdoms (23–220 AD). Brill. p. 671. ISBN 978-90-04-15605-0.
  2. (麋竺字子仲，東海朐人也。祖世貨殖，僮客萬人，貲產鉅億) Sanguozhi vol. 38.
  3. (搜神記曰：竺嘗從洛歸，未達家數十里，路傍見一婦人，從竺求寄載。行可數里，婦謝去，謂竺曰：「我天使也，當往燒東海麋竺家，感君見載，故以相語。」竺因私請之，婦曰：「不可得不燒。如此，君可馳去，我當緩行，日中火當發。」竺乃還家，遽出財物，日中而火大發。) Soushen Ji annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 38.
  4. (後徐州牧陶謙辟為別駕從事。謙卒，竺奉謙遺命，迎先主於小沛。建安元年，呂布乘先主之出拒袁術，襲下邳，虜先主妻子。先主轉軍廣陵海西，竺於是進妹於先主為夫人，奴客二千，金銀貨幣以助軍資；于時困匱，賴此復振。) Sanguozhi vol. 38.
  5. (搜神記曰：竺嘗從洛歸，未達家數十里，路傍見一婦人，從竺求寄載。行可數里，婦謝去，謂竺曰：「我天使也，當往燒東海麋竺家，感君見載，故以相語。」竺因私請之，婦曰：「不可得不燒。如此，君可馳去，我當緩行，日中火當發。」竺乃還家，遽出財物，日中而火大發。) Cao Gong Jí annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 38.
  6. (後曹公表竺領嬴郡太守，竺弟芳為彭城相，皆去官，隨先主周旋。先主將適荊州，遣竺先與劉表相聞，以竺為左將軍從事中郎。益州既平，拜為安漢將軍，班在軍師將軍之右。) Sanguozhi vol. 38.
  7. (竺雍容敦雅，而幹翮非所長。是以待之以上賓之禮，未嘗有所統御。然賞賜優寵，無與為比。) Sanguozhi vol. 38.
  8. (芳為南郡太守，與關羽共事，而私好攜貳，叛迎孫權，羽因覆敗。竺面縛請罪，先主慰諭以兄弟罪不相及，崇待如初。竺慚恚發病，歲餘卒。) Sanguozhi vol. 38.
  9. (子威，官至虎賁中郎將。威子照，虎騎監。自竺至照，皆便弓馬，善射御云。) Sanguozhi vol. 38.
  10. (麋笁、孫乾、簡雍、伊籍，皆雍容風議，見禮於世。) Sanguozhi vol. 38.
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