Bu Zhi was an official of Eastern Wu

Eastern Wu

Eastern Wu, also known as Sun Wu, was one the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period after the fall of the Han Dynasty. It was based in the Jiangnan region of China...

 during the Three Kingdoms

Three Kingdoms

The Three Kingdoms period was a period in Chinese history, part of an era of disunity called the "Six Dynasties" following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty rulers. In a strict academic sense it refers to the period between the foundation of the state of Wei in 220 and the...

 period of Chinese history

History of China

Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...

. He was a scholar from the Wu

Wu (region)

Wu is a region in the Jiangnan area , surrounding Suzhou, in Jiangsu province and Zhejiang province of China. It is also the abbreviation of several kingdoms based in Wu. The two largest cities in the Wu region today are Shanghai and Hangzhou...

 region and served as an advisor to the warlord Sun Quan

Sun Quan

Sun Quan , son of Sun Jian, formally Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He ruled from 222 to 229 as King of Wu and from 229 to 252 as Emperor of Wu....

 during the late Han Dynasty

Han Dynasty

The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...

 before the founding of Eastern Wu. He held several military posts from time to time, and was noted in his successful subjugation of the lords and barbarians in the south. After he became famous and influential within the regime, he started to actively engage himself in the central government's politics, and was one of those accounted for leading to the destructive result of the crown prince case in Eastern Wu's history. As a consequence, he was relocated to Xiling; during his tenure there, he established his clan as a unrivaled local power. He was later called back to Jianye to be the chancellor, but died soon on the post.

Early life

When Bu Zhi was young, he befriended Wei Jing of Guangling, and they were farming tenants for a landlord called Jiao Zhengqiang in Kuaiji. It is said that Bu did not feel shameful when Jiao treated him and Wei Jing badly because of his poverty, while Wei felt disgusted out of pride. After Sun Quan inherited Jiangdong from his brother Sun Ce

Sun Ce

Sun Ce was a military general and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was the oldest of the children of Sun Jian who was killed during the Battle of Xiangyang when Sun Ce was only 16. Sun Ce then broke away from his father's overlord, Yuan Shu, and headed to...

, Bu Zhi was summoned by Sun Quan as a secretary, but he left his office before the battle of Red Cliffs

Battle of Red Cliffs

The Battle of Red Cliffs, otherwise known as the Battle of Chibi, was a decisive battle at the end of the Han Dynasty, immediately prior to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. It was fought in the winter of 208/9 AD between the allied forces of the southern warlords Liu Bei and Sun Quan...

 and traveled within the realm of Jiangdong.

Service under Sun Quan

During the year of AD 210, he returned to the Sun Quan's camp, and was granted a military post and led a special force consisting of one thousand elite archers to go southward. In the following year, he was privileged with the authority to execute lower to middle-ranked officers without court approval, which enabled him to decide provisions on his own. When Bu Zhi arrived in the city of Cangwu, he requested a meeting with Grand Administrator of Cangwu, Wu Ju. Though Wu Ju appeared cooperative, he was hiding evil thoughts in his heart, and was ready to cause trouble; during the banquet, Bu Zhi beheaded Wu Ju in front of the officers attending the party. As a consequence, Bu Zhi's name was recognized and feared by many lords in the south, and among them, the most influential Shi Xie, led his men to pledge loyalty to the Wu court, which signaled Eastern Wu's successful consolidation of the south.

In AD 220, the emperor of Shu Han

Shu Han

Shu Han was one of the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period, after the fall of the Han Dynasty. The state was based on areas around Sichuan, which was then known as Shu...

, Liu Bei

Liu Bei

Liu Bei , also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...

, declared war against Sun Quan in an attempt to retake Jing province, and bribed the Wuling

Wuling

Wuling may refer to the following of dynastic or the People's Republic of China:* Wuling District , Changde, Hunan* Wuling Mountains , mountain range covering an area from western Hunan to eastern Guizhou and Chongqing...

 barbarians to rebel as a way to dilute the Sun army. Bu Zhi, upon hearing the news, led ten thousand volunteer troops from Jiao province to Yiyang

Yiyang

Yiyang is a prefecture-level city at the Zi River in Hunan province, China. According to the 2010 Census, Yiyang has a population of 4,313,084 inhabitants residing in an area of 12,144 km². It can be said that the population of the city hasn't changed since the last census in 2000, when the data...

 to prepare for war. After Liu Bei was defeated by Lu Xun

Lu Xun

Lu Xun or Lu Hsün , was the pen name of Zhou Shuren , one of the major Chinese writers of the 20th century. Considered by many to be the leading figure of modern Chinese literature, he wrote in baihua as well as classical Chinese...

, Bu Zhi spent one year on quelling the barbarians and local uprising in southern Jing province.

Late life

During Bu Zhi's later years, he actively got himself involved in political struggle revolving around the crown prince case, in which he supported Sun Ba to replace the crown prince Sun He

Sun He

Sun He , style name Zixiao , formally known as Emperor Wen , was a son and crown prince of Eastern Wu's founding emperor Sun Quan during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history...

 as the successor to Sun Quan, eventually leading to Sun Ba's forced suicide and Sun He's exile, and he himself was asked to leave Jianye and stationed in Xiling. There, he built a strong base for his family, which was the cause his son, Bu Chan (步闡) rebelled when he was summoned back to Jianye years later. Bu was also involved in Lü Yi

Lu Yi

Lu Yi is the name of:*Lu Xun , original name Lu Yi, general of Wu* Lu Yi , chancellor of Tang Dynasty*Lu Yi , Chinese middle-distance runner*Lu Yi , Chinese actor...

's case, and ultimately succeed to put Lü Yi out of Sun Quan's trust. Bu died of illness 2 years after he ascended to the post of Chancellor, and his eldest son Bu Xie(步協) resumed his military command and inherited his Marquis title while Bu Chan inherited his developed base back at Jiao province.

Appointments and titles held

• Zhuji (主記)
• Haijianzhang (海鹽長)
• East Assistant to the General of Chariots and Cavalry (車騎將軍東曹掾)
• Administrator of Poyang (鄱陽太守)
• Inspector of Jiao Province (交州刺史)
• General of the Household of Martial Establishment (立武中郎將)
• General of the Household Who Attacks the South (征南中郎將)
• General Who Pacifies War (平戎將軍)
• Marquis of Guangxin (廣信侯)
• Left Protector of the Army to the General on the Right (右將軍左護軍)
• Marquis of Linxiang (臨湘侯)
• General of Agile Cavalry (驃騎將軍)
• Governor of Ji Province (冀州牧)
• Area Commander of Xiling (西陵都督)
• Chancellor (丞相)