Zhu Jun (Han dynasty)
Zhu Jun, courtesy name Gongwei, was a military general and official who lived during the Eastern Han dynasty of China.
Life
Zhu Jun was from Shangyu County, Kuaiji Commandery, which is present-day Shangyu District, Shaoxing, Zhejiang. His father died when he was still young, so he lived with his mother and earned a living by selling fabrics. He gained a reputation for being very filial towards his mother. When he reached adulthood, he served as a scribe in the local county office. Du Shang, the Chief of Shangyu County, favoured him and recommended him to serve in the commandery office under Wei Yi, the Administrator of Kuaiji Commandery. Zhu Jun later became a Registrar when Yin Duan replaced Wei Yi as the Administrator. Yin Duan's successor, Xu Gui, further nominated Zhu Jun as a xiaolian, after which the Han central government appointed Zhu Jun as the Prefect of Lanling County.In 178, when a rebellion broke out in Jiaozhi Commandery in the far south, the Han imperial court appointed Zhu Jun as the Inspector of Jiao Province and ordered him to suppress the revolt. Zhu Jun managed to rally some soldiers from his home commandery and gather another 5,000 soldiers from other commanderies to join him in fighting the rebels. He successfully quelled the rebellion and killed the rebel leader Liang Long in Nanhai Commandery. In 181, he attacked and defeated Wuhuman, another rebel leader in Hepu and Jiaozhi commanderies. In recognition of his achievements, the Han imperial court enfeoffed him as a Marquis of a Chief Village and summoned him to the imperial capital Luoyang to serve as a Counsellor Remonstrant.
In 184, when the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, the Han imperial court appointed Zhu Jun as Right General of the Household and ordered him, Lu Zhi and Huangfu Song to lead imperial forces to eliminate the rebels. Zhu Jun defeated the rebels at Changshe with the aid of Huangfu Song and Cao Cao and was promoted to General of the Household Who Suppresses Rebels. He was also elevated from a village marquis to a district marquis under the title "Marquis of Xi District". Zhu Jun and Huangfu Song later joined forces to defeat the rebels at Yangzhai and Xihua counties and pacified Yu Province. Later, Zhu Jun led his troops south to Nanyang Commandery and joined the local government forces there in defeating the Yellow Turban rebels led by Zhao Hong and later Han Zhong. In early 185, he defeated another group of rebels led by Sun Xia and succeeded in restoring peace in Nanyang Commandery.
In 185, the Han imperial court promoted Zhu Jun to Right General of Chariots and Cavalry and elevated him to a county marquis under the title "Marquis of Qiantang". However, after his mother died, he resigned and returned home to perform filial mourning. After the mourning period, he returned to serve as Court Architect and was subsequently reassigned to be Minister Steward and Minister Coachman. In the late 180s, when the Heishan bandits led by Zhang Yan raided Henei Commandery and threatened Luoyang, the Han central government appointed Zhu Jun as the Administrator of Henei Commandery and ordered him to lead troops to attack the bandits. Zhu Jun subsequently held the following appointments: Household Counsellor, Colonel of the City Gates and Intendant of Henan.
In 189, the warlord Dong Zhuo took advantage of the political vacuum created in the aftermath of Emperor Ling's death to seize control of, and dominate the Han central government. He felt rather intimidated by Zhu Jun because of the latter's standing in the imperial court as a veteran general and senior official. In 190, when a coalition of warlords launched a campaign against Dong Zhuo in the name of freeing the central government and Emperor Xian from his control, Dong Zhuo became afraid and wanted to relocate the imperial capital from Luoyang to Chang'an in the west. Zhu Jun strongly objected, but Dong Zhuo pushed his plan through. Although he dreaded Zhu Jun and wanted to eliminate him, he still appointed Zhu Jun as Minister Coachman in Emperor Xian's name. Zhu Jun rejected the appointment.
After Dong Zhuo left for Chang'an with Emperor Xian, the emperor's subjects and Luoyang's residents, Zhu Jun remained in Luoyang and maintained contact with the anti-Dong Zhuo coalition. However, he feared that Dong Zhuo would turn back and attack him, so he abandoned his post and fled south to Jing Province. Dong Zhuo then appointed Yang Yi as the Intendant of Henan to guard Luoyang. When Zhu Jun heard about it, he led troops from Jing Province to attack Luoyang and drive away Yang Yi. At the time, much of Luoyang had been burnt down when Dong Zhuo gave orders to relocate the imperial capital to Chang'an, so Zhu Jun moved to a garrison at Zhongmu County.
Zhu Jun contacted various regional officials and warlords and asked them to join him in attacking Dong Zhuo. Tao Qian, the Governor of Xu Province, sent troops to help Zhu Jun, and even recommended Zhu Jun to be acting General of Chariots and Cavalry to lead the operations. However, Zhu Jun was defeated by Dong Zhuo's subordinates Li Jue and Guo Si in battle, so he could not advance further west and remained in Zhongmu County.
In 192, Dong Zhuo was assassinated in Chang'an by his subordinate Lü Bu, after which the Han central government came under Wang Yun's control. However, within months, Dong Zhuo's former followers attacked Chang'an and seized control of the central government. At the time, Zhu Jun was still stationed in Zhongmu County. Tao Qian contacted other regional officials and warlords and proposed naming Zhu Jun as Grand Preceptor to lead them to attack Chang'an and free Emperor Xian from Li Jue and Guo Si's control. At the same time, Li Jue and Guo Si also tried to win Zhu Jun over to their side: they sent him an imperial edict in Emperor Xian's name, ordering him to head to Chang'an and serve as Minister Coachman in the central government. Although Zhu Jun knew that it was a ploy by Li Jue and Guo Si, he still obeyed the edict because it was sent in the emperor's name.
In 193, Zhu Jun replaced Zhou Zhong as Grand Commandant and held an additional appointment as Manager of the Affairs of the Masters of Writing. In the following year, he was removed from office and reassigned to be acting General of Agile Cavalry to guard Hangu Pass. In early 195, before Zhu Jun left for Hangu Pass, internal conflict broke out between Li Jue and Guo Si, who started attacking each other in the streets of Chang'an. Zhu Jun remained in Chang'an and was reassigned to be Minister of Finance. During this time, Li Jue took Emperor Xian hostage to threaten Guo Si, while Guo Si did the same by holding the emperor's subjects hostage to threaten Li Jue. Zhu Jun, Yang Biao and Emperor Xian's other subjects tried to persuade Guo Si to make peace with Li Jue, but Guo Si would not listen. Zhu Jun died of illness within the same year as he could not stand the humiliation of being held hostage.