Lu Zhi

Here is the exhaustive biography of Lu Zhi (盧植 / 卢植), courtesy name Zigan (子幹) (? – 192), a distinguished Eastern Han scholar-official, general, and teacher of Liu Bei and Gongsun Zan, incorporating historical records and the narrative of Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Historical Career

Lu Zhi was a native of Zhuo Commandery (present-day Zhuozhou, Hebei). A tall man with a powerful voice, he studied under the great classicist Ma Rong and became one of the leading Confucian scholars of his age, noted for his work on ritual texts and his contribution to the compilation of the Han Records of the Eastern Lodge. He served as Administrator of Jiujiang (175) and later of Lujiang, suppressing local rebellions. While at home between posts he taught students who included Liu Bei, Gongsun Zan and Gao You.

In 184, at the outbreak of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, he was appointed Northern General of the Household and led the northern armies against Zhang Jiao. He repeatedly defeated the rebels and besieged Zhang Jiao at Guangzong, constructing siege works and ladders. The eunuch Zuo Feng, sent to inspect the camp, demanded a bribe; Lu Zhi refused. Zuo Feng then falsely accused him of inactivity, and Lu Zhi was recalled, imprisoned and stripped of command. Huangfu Song later memorialised on his behalf and he was restored as Master of Writing (Shangshu).

In 189, after He Jin’s assassination, Lu Zhi took part in the massacre of the eunuchs. When Dong Zhuo seized power and proposed deposing Emperor Shao, Lu Zhi alone among the high ministers strongly opposed the plan. Dong Zhuo wished to kill him, but Cai Yong and others interceded and his life was spared. After Emperor Xian was installed, Lu Zhi left Chang’an on the pretext of illness and became a recluse. Yuan Shao invited him to serve as a military adviser in Ji Province; he travelled north but died of illness in 192 before he could take up the post. His son Lu Yu later became a high official under Cao Wei.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms Portrayal

In the novel Lu Zhi appears in the early chapters dealing with the Yellow Turban Rebellion. Liu Bei, recalling that he had once been Lu Zhi’s student, leads Guan Yu and Zhang Fei to Guangzong to offer assistance. Lu Zhi gladly receives them and later detaches Liu Bei to reinforce Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun in Yingchuan. When the eunuch Zuo Feng arrives, Lu Zhi refuses the demanded bribe and is promptly arrested and sent to the capital in a prison cart. Zhang Fei wishes to rescue him by force, but Liu Bei restrains him. After Zhang Jiao’s death Huangfu Song successfully petitions for Lu Zhi’s rehabilitation. Later, when Dong Zhuo seizes power, Lu Zhi condemns his actions and resigns, after which the novel does not follow his later life.

Family, Friends and Enemies

Family:

• Son: Lu Yu (盧毓), later a prominent official of Cao Wei

Students: Liu Bei, Gongsun Zan, Gao You (and Liu Deran).

Colleagues / supporters: Huangfu Song (who secured his pardon), Cai Yong and Peng Bo (who saved his life from Dong Zhuo), Ma Midi, Yang Biao.

Principal adversaries: the eunuch Zuo Feng (who framed him); Dong Zhuo (whom he opposed).

Lu Zhi (盧植) — Historical & Literary Timeline

Historical Note

Historically Lu Zhi was a major Confucian scholar, capable administrator and upright general who combined literary distinction with military competence. His refusal to bribe a eunuch cost him command at a critical moment against the Yellow Turbans, yet his integrity was later vindicated. His sole open opposition to Dong Zhuo’s usurpation nearly cost him his life. The novel preserves the essential episodes—his role as Liu Bei’s teacher, the Guangzong campaign, the framing by Zuo Feng, and his condemnation of Dong Zhuo—while simplifying his later years and omitting the scholarly achievements that made him one of the most respected figures of the late Eastern Han.