Contents
Biography & Historical Record
Hu Wei (胡威, Hồ Uy), courtesy name Bohu (伯虎), was a celebrated statesman, provincial governor, and jurist of Cao Wei and the Western Jin dynasty. Originating from Shouchun in Jiujiang Commandery, he was the eldest son of Hu Zhi (胡质), the famed General Who Attacks the East and Inspector of Jingzhou.
Reared in an atmosphere of rigorous Confucian integrity and uncompromising honesty, Hu Wei became an archetype of the upright official in Chinese history. In his youth, when traveling across hundreds of miles to visit his father at his frontier garrison, Hu Wei rode a single horse accompanied by a lone servant, personally cutting grass and grooming the steed so as not to impose the slightest burden on local granaries. When his father gave him a roll of silk for travel expenses, Hu Wei questioned its origin, accepting it only after learning it came strictly from his father’s personal salary.
Serving successive regimes, Hu Wei held appointments as Inspector of Xuzhou, Inspector of Qingzhou, and Minister of Justice (廷尉). Under Emperor Wu of Jin (Sima Yan), he gained immense renown for impartial legal administration and incorruptible governance, rising to General of the Vanguard before his peaceful death in 280 AD.
Role in Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Chapter 96 (Legacy of the northern governors): Upright ministers like Hu Wei guarded the provinces of the Central Plains, their pure administration admired by soldiers and commoners alike as a beacon of justice in turbulent times.
Hu Wei — Historical & Literary Timeline
c. 220 AD
Youth in Shouchun
Born to Hu Zhi; masters the Confucian classics, imperial jurisprudence, and administrative ethics.
c. 240 AD
Exemplary Filial Journey
Visits his father at the frontier garrison; gains wide renown across Wei for refusing to accept gifts or utilize state labor.
280 AD
Minister of Justice of Western Jin
Serves as Minister of Justice and General of the Vanguard under Emperor Wu of Jin, passing away in office with high imperial honors.
Key Relationships
Family
- Hu Zhi (胡质, Hồ Chất) — Father; General Who Attacks the East and famed incorruptible commander of Cao Wei.
- Hu Jun (胡遵, Hồ Tuân) — Grandfather; General of the Guards of Cao Wei.
- Hu Shao (胡韶, Hồ Thiều) — Brother; scholar and official of Cao Wei and Western Jin.
- Hu Lie (胡烈, Hồ Liệt) — Relative / kinsman; prominent general who suppressed Zhong Hui’s rebellion.
Friends / Allies
- Sima Yan (司马炎, Tư Mã Viêm) — Emperor Wu of Jin; who personally interrogated Hu Wei about his ascetic lifestyle and praised him lavishly.
- People of Xuzhou and Qingzhou — Citizens who erected shrines commemorating Hu Wei’s benevolent and clean administration.
Enemies / Rivals
- Corrupt Dynastic Courtiers — Bureaucrats who practiced nepotism and embezzlement during the late Wei and early Jin periods.
Other
- Scholars of Jiujiang — Regional literati who recorded Hu Wei’s filial conduct as a model for subsequent generations.
In Novel
Chapter 96 (The upright governors of Wei)
- Hu Wei (胡威, Hồ Uy): Trained in the stern discipline of his father Hu Zhi, Hu Wei walked the path of righteousness, his administration praised by both northern lords and village elders.
Chapter 119 (Integrity amidst dynastic transition)
- Hu Wei (胡威, Hồ Uy): When the banners of Jin replaced the standards of Wei, Hu Wei remained steadfast in his duties, dispensing impartial justice across the eastern commanderies.
In History
Summary
- Hu Wei (胡威, c. 220–280 AD), courtesy name Bohu, was a famous upright official and Minister of Justice in Western Jin, son of Cao Wei general Hu Zhi.
Year: c. 220–280 AD
- Rose through provincial inspectorates to become Minister of Justice and General of the Vanguard, celebrated for spotless integrity.
Historical Record
- Jin Shu, Vol. 90 (Biographies of Upright Officials): Contains a comprehensive biography of Hu Wei, detailing his ascetic travel to his father’s garrison, his dialogue with Emperor Wu of Jin, and his incorruptible record.