1. Zhuge Ke, courtesy name Yuanxun, was a Chinese military general and politician of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of China.
24 Facts About Zhuge Ke
1. 3.
When he ordered his secretary Hu Zong to write a commentary on four of his advisers in 229, Hu Zong wrote that Zhuge Ke was the most skillful and intelligent of his generation.
4.
Around 234, Zhuge Ke submitted a plan to Sun Quan to suppress the indigenous Shanyue tribes and recruit about 40,000 locals to serve as soldiers in Danyang Commandery.
5.
However, after Zhuge Ke insisted that his plan would be successful, Sun Quan appointed him as the Administrator of Danyang Commandery and General Who Pacifies the Yue, effectively giving him full authority to implement his plan.
6.
Once Zhuge Ke arrived in Danyang Commandery, he requested the Administrators of the four neighbouring commanderies to seal their borders and refrain from using military force against the Shanyue.
7.
The Shanyue, deprived of food supplies, were inevitably left without any alternative options but to ultimately surrender to Zhuge Ke, who treated them kindly and earned their respect.
8.
Zhuge Ke was able to easily fulfill his quota of conscripting 40,000 local men to serve as soldiers.
9.
In 243, Zhuge Ke planned to launch a major attack on Shouchun, a strategic location in Eastern Wu's rival state, Cao Wei.
10.
Zhuge Ke decided to defer to Lu Xun, who was much more senior than him, so he wrote back and apologised for his attitude.
11.
Historians interpreted this incident as a sign of Zhuge Ke's growing arrogance and recklessness.
12.
Indeed, Zhuge Ke became more arrogant after his appointment as regent, and especially after a dying Sun Quan instructed his subjects to let Zhuge Ke review all important policy decisions first.
13.
In late 252, Zhuge Ke gave orders to rebuild the dam at Dongxing, which was constructed earlier in 230 but had been destroyed in 241.
14.
Zhuge Ke's plan was to create a reservoir near the Chao Lake and use it as a defensive structure against potential invasions from Wei, as well as to construct two castles nearby to serve as forward attack mechanisms for Wu ships.
15.
In 253, Zhuge Ke prepared for another invasion of Wei and said that he wanted to take advantage of Sima Shi's "youth and inexperience".
16.
Zhuge Ke coordinated the invasion with Jiang Wei, a general from Wu's ally state Shu Han.
17.
However, Zhuge Ke's strategy turned out to be flawed when he switched his target from Shouchun to Hefei, even though Hefei's defences were much stronger and built to withstand enemy attacks.
18.
Zhuge Ke only withdrew after hearing that Wei reinforcements had arrived.
19.
When Zhuge Ke returned to Jianye later in 253, he attempted to wipe out all dissent against him by punishing those who disagreed with him.
20.
Zhuge Ke made plans for another invasion of Wei, despite much resentment from the people over the heavy losses incurred from the previous campaign.
21.
Sun Xiu posthumously rehabilitated Zhuge Ke and ordered him to be reburied with full honours.
22.
Zhuge Ke added zhi lu, causing those present to roar with laughter.
23.
When Zhuge Ke arrived, he immediately knelt down and thanked Sun Quan for the gift.
24.
Sun Quan was surprised at how Zhuge Ke already knew why he was summoned there, so he asked him.