Early life

When Zhuge Zhan was 16 years old, he married a Shu princess (a daughter of the Shu emperor Liu Shan) and was appointed as a Cavalry Commandant (骑都尉). One year later, he was promoted to a General of the Household (中郎将) in the Yulin (羽林) unit of the Imperial Guards. He subsequently held the following positions in the Shu government: Palace Attendant (侍中), Supervisor of the Masters of Writing (尚书仆射) and Military Adviser-General (军师将军).

Apart from serving as an official, Zhuge Zhan was also skilled in painting and calligraphy. Since the people of Shu deeply missed Zhuge Liang, who died in 234, they especially liked Zhuge Zhan for his talents because he reminded them of his father. Whenever the Shu government implemented a favourable policy, the people give credit to Zhuge Zhan even though it might have had nothing to do with him. As Zhuge Liang banned the position of official historian in the Shu government, it was hard to distinguish which policies Zhuge Zhan had a role in, although it was clear that Zhuge Zhan's reputation was greater than his actual accomplishments.

Pinnacle of power

Zhuge Zhan's frequent promotions continued until he reached the top of the imperial administrative system – the role of the Imperial Secretariat. At the same time, Zhuge Zhan was appointed as acting Protector-General (都护) and acting General of the Guards (卫将军).

Having seen his father adopt an aggressive foreign policy towards Shu's rival state Cao Wei in the form of six military campaigns between 228 and 234, Zhuge Zhan recognised the inherent dangers of overly using military force, especially for Shu since it was far weaker than Wei in terms of military and economic power. After Jiang Wei became the de facto overall commander of the Shu army, Zhuge Zhan attempted to dissuade him from continuing to wage war against Wei but to no avail – Jiang Wei launched a total of 11 military campaigns against Wei between 240 and 262. After Jiang Wei suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Wei forces, Zhuge Zhan wrote to the Shu emperor Liu Shan, asking him to remove Jiang Wei from his military command and replace him with Yan Yu, a friend of the eunuch Huang Hao. Zhuge Zhan's memorial to Liu Shan was preserved and was still available by the time of the Jin dynasty. However, it is not known whether Liu Shan heeded Zhuge Zhan's advice, because Jiang Wei did not return to the Shu capital, Chengdu, after his failure in the last of the 11 campaigns, presumably because he knew that the people of Shu were increasingly resentful of him. Liu Shan also compromised Zhuge Zhan's proposal to switch from an offensive stance against Wei to a defensive one, because he had earlier replaced Wei Yan's tried-and-tested defensive layout with a high-risk-high-reward strategy by Jiang Wei.

Previously, the Shu general Wei Yan had invented a defensive strategy to hinder and repel invading forces by setting up "covering camps" on the outskirts and exits of trails leading to Hanzhong Commandery, a strategic location on the road into the Shu heartland. Even after Wei Yan's death, Liu Shan had followed this arrangement, which allowed the Shu forces to successfully keep Wei invaders out every time. However, Jiang Wei argued that Wei Yan's design "could only repel the enemy but not reap big profits." Hoping to score a decisive victory, Jiang Wei proposed to abandon the camps set up by Wei Yan and vacate all the passes in the Qin Mountains, so an invading Wei army could be lured deeper into Hanzhong Commandery, where the weary expedition force could be blocked and rendered vulnerable to a Shu counterattack upon retreat. Jiang Wei claimed his arrangement could achieve a decisive victory previously unimaginable when they had just defended along the Qin Mountains. Since Jiang Wei's analysis had sound logic and merit, Zhuge Zhan did not oppose dismantling Wei Yan's intertwined fortifications.

Futile effort to defend Shu

In early 263, Jiang Wei requested reinforcements from Chengdu after he heard that the Wei government had put the general Zhong Hui in charge of military affairs along the Wei–Shu border. However, Liu Shan believed in Huang Hao's witchcraft, according to which destiny dictated Wei that would not attack. Liu Shan did not inform Zhuge Zhan of Jiang Wei's warnings. Nevertheless, Liu Shan did send reinforcements before the Wei invasion commenced.

When the Wei forces started advancing towards Shu in September 263, the first half of Jiang Wei's plan worked – the Wei forces marched unopposed until they reached Han (汉; in present-day Mian County, Shaanxi) and Yue (乐; in present-day Chenggu County, Shaanxi) counties, which served as bait to wear out the enemy. However, Zhong Hui sent two smaller detachments to attack the two counties and led the main Wei army further into Shu territory. In the meantime, Jiang Wei lost to the Wei generals Wang Qi (王欣) and Yang Xin (杨欣) and had to retreat to the highly fortified mountain pass at Jiange (剑阁; in present-day Jiange County, Sichuan). Upon learning that Jiang Wei's plan had failed and sown the seeds of destruction, Zhuge Zhan hastily assembled an army in Chengdu and moved to Fu County to prepare for a final defence.

Battles with Deng Ai, and death

The aforementioned military movements happened within weeks, and Zhong Hui's rapid advance shocked most of the Shu generals. As they realised the danger of letting the enemy in, Jiang Wei and his comrades were still stuck at Jiange. As he knew that Jiange was well-defended, Zhuge Zhan did not send reinforcements there and instead held his position in Fu County. When the Wei general Deng Ai suddenly appeared in Jiangyou (江由) with his troops after taking a dangerous shortcut across mountainous terrain, the official in charge of Jiangyou surrendered without putting up a fight. Huang Chong, a son of Huang Quan, had urged Zhuge Zhan on numerous occasions to move quickly and seize control of advantageous terrain before Deng Ai did. Zhuge Zhan, however, deemed Huang Chong's plan too ambitious and adopted a more "cautious" approach instead. When Huang Chong repeatedly urged him to attack Deng Ai, Zhuge Zhan relented and tentatively sent a vanguard force to attack the enemy, which defeated them. Zhuge Zhan then left Fu County for the better fortified Mianzhu, where he planned to make a last stand against Deng Ai.

When Deng Ai besieged Zhuge Zhan at Mianzhu, he offered the latter a chance to surrender and promised to recommend to the Wei government to enfeoff Zhuge Zhan as the Prince of Langye if he surrendered. However, Zhuge Zhan refused, had Deng Ai's messenger executed, and ordered his troops to prepare for battle outside the pass. He supposedly arranged his troops in the Eight Trigrams Formation invented by his father. At the time, there were other notable Shu figures with Zhuge Zhan at Mianzhu, including Zhang Zun (张遵; a grandson of Zhang Fei), Li Qiu (李球; an imperial guard commander), Huang Chong, as well as Zhuge Zhan's eldest son Zhuge Shang. After Huang Chong gave a speech to the Shu soldiers to boost their morale, both sides engaged in battle. Deng Ai ordered his son Deng Zhong (邓忠) and another officer Shi Zuan (师纂) to flank Zhuge Zhan's position. They moved to the formation's left and right but the Shu forces intercepted them and drove them back; only Deng Ai's central force remained intact. When Deng Zhong and Shi Zuan complained that there was no way to break the formation and suggested that they retreat, Deng Ai angrily said that they must win if they wanted to live another day, and even threatened to execute anyone who spoke of retreat. Deng Zhong and Shi Zuan then led their men to attack the Shu formation again and succeeded in breaking it. Zhuge Zhan, Zhuge Shang, Zhang Zun, Li Qiu, Huang Chong and other Shu officers were killed in action.

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms

In the 14th-century historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which romanticises the events before and during the Three Kingdoms period, the writer Luo Guanzhong depicts the ill-fated defence of Chengdu in a dramatic fashion. When the Shu emperor Liu Shan sought Zhuge Zhan's opinion on how to drive the Wei invaders, Zhuge Zhan thought of dressing up as his deceased father to scare away the enemy. His ruse worked initially as the Wei soldiers panicked and scattered upon thinking that Zhuge Liang had returned from the dead. However, Deng Ai quickly pointed out that it was someone pretending to be Zhuge Liang and ordered his troops to regroup and attack. Zhuge Zhan died at the Battle of Mianzhu along with his eldest son Zhuge Shang, Huang Chong and others while helplessly outnumbered by Deng Ai's forces.

生平

美名虚誉

诸葛亮十分关心诸葛瞻，有一次收到诸葛瞻的来信，文字写的很拙劣，诸葛亮十分不满，同时告诫诸葛瞻饮酒要适度。234年，诸葛亮在军旅中写信给他的哥哥诸葛瑾说：「瞻今已八岁，聪慧可爱，嫌其早成，恐不为重器耳。」（《三国志·蜀书·诸葛亮传》，下引同）。他17岁时便娶蜀国的公主为妻。为此，蜀国授给他以骑都尉的官职。这是一种比将军略低的武官。第二年，他又被升为羽林中郎将，负责护卫皇宫。以后，他又升迁为射声校尉、侍中、尚书仆射加军师将军等职。当时由于蜀国人不忘旧德，十分怀念诸葛亮，便对诸葛瞻爱屋及乌，凡是有了成绩，都会归功于他。

忠勇死义

263年秋，曹魏大将军司马昭策划大举伐蜀，命邓艾率三万馀人进攻姜维，雍州刺史诸葛绪则率三万馀人断其归路，锺会统十馀万众主力进攻汉中，命卫瓘为监军。不久，锺会攻破汉中，姜维退守剑阁，双方相持不下。同年十月，邓艾率精兵，从阴平小路进攻。邓艾到达江油后，蜀汉守将马邈投降。邓艾率军迅速攻涪城及绵竹，诸葛瞻在涪城却步不前，黄崇多次劝诸葛瞻快速前行，占据险要地势，阻止敌军进入平地。可惜诸葛瞻犹豫并没有采纳，黄崇因此流涕。邓艾长驱直入，诸葛瞻曰：「吾内不除黄皓，外不制姜维，进不守江油，吾有三罪，何面目而反！」最后退守绵竹；黄崇激励部下死战，但最后黄崇被杀。诸葛瞻尽力反抗，最后与儿子诸葛尚皆战死，邓艾筑台以为京观。但诸葛瞻临难死义的行为，连敌人也表示敬佩。不久，邓艾到达成都，刘禅投降，蜀汉灭亡。

评价

• 诸葛亮：瞻今已八岁，聪慧可爱，嫌其早成，恐不为重器耳。

• 锺会：巴蜀贤智文武之士多矣。至于足下、诸葛思远，譬诸草木，吾气类也。

• 干宝：瞻虽智不足以扶危，勇不足以拒敌，而能外不负国，内不改父之志，忠孝存焉。（《晋纪》）

• 司马炎：诸葛亮在蜀，尽其心力，其子瞻临难而死义，天下之善一也！

• 陈寿：瞻工书画，强识念，蜀人追思亮，咸爱其才敏。每朝廷有一善政佳事，虽非瞻所建倡，百姓皆传相告曰：「葛侯之所为也：」是以美声溢誉，有过其实。

• 罗贯中：苍天有意绝炎刘，汉室江山至此休。诸葛子孙皆效死，成都卿相尽添愁。智谋虽不扶危主，忠义真堪继武侯。古往今来多少泪，行人哀怨哭坟丘。《三国志通俗演义》

• 蔡东藩：诸葛瞻不依黄崇之议，让敌深入，猝至战死，是咎在诸葛瞻。（《后汉演义》）

家族成员

祖先

• 诸葛丰，汉元帝时任司隶校尉，他以执法严格、性情刚直见称。

祖父辈

• 诸葛圭，诸葛亮父亲。东汉末年为太山郡丞。于诸葛亮幼年已死。

• 诸葛玄，诸葛亮叔父。本为豫章太守，后投靠刘表，照顾诸葛亮和诸葛均。

伯叔姑母

• 诸葛瑾，诸葛亮之兄。东吴大将军、左都护、豫州牧、宛陵侯。

• 诸葛均，诸葛亮之弟。为蜀汉官吏，官至长水校尉。

• 诸葛亮有两位姊姊，一位嫁给荆州名士庞季，一位嫁给襄阳望族蒯氏的蒯祺。

父

• 诸葛亮，蜀汉丞相、领司隶校尉、录尚书事、武乡侯

兄弟

• 诸葛乔，本为伯父诸葛瑾次子，后成为诸葛亮养子。官至翊武将军，早逝。

子

• 诸葛尚，诸葛瞻长子。与父亲诸葛瞻在涪城一役中战死。

• 诸葛京，诸葛瞻次子。264年，与诸葛攀之子诸葛显移居河东，在晋朝仕官。根据《三国志·裴松之注》，诸葛京依著他的才能，被任命为郿（今陕西眉县）令，而晋朝大臣山涛也称赞过诸葛京，为郿令时政绩可称，应予拔擢。诸葛京最后官至江州刺史。

侄

• 诸葛攀，诸葛乔之子。诸葛恪被杀后，东吴诸葛瑾后裔灭绝，诸葛攀便恢复诸葛瑾之后的身份。

逸闻

• 落凤坡的寺庙入口处的「将台」景点，相传为诸葛亮之子诸葛瞻当年点将之地，有个神话故事说：在诸葛瞻点将的前一天，这里还是一座土山，有神仙相助要建一点将台，晚上神仙伪装成卖猪匠，将其他地方的石头往白马寺赶，可是快到清晨时，一农夫起床看见问神仙在干什么，神仙回答我在赶猪，农夫说你明明赶的石头怎么会是猪，魔法被点破，正在路上的石头都停下来了，现在游人参观时仍然可以见到漫山的整齐方块石头，点将台看著也真有种未完工的景象。

• 根据华阳国志卷八纪载，蜀中军士王富在江原和临邛一带造反时自称自己是诸葛瞻，后被李高擒获，送交给益州刺史董荣问斩。

• 四川绵竹建有诸葛双忠祠纪念蜀汉末年在绵竹关战死的诸葛瞻及其子诸葛尚，为四川重要蜀汉遗址之一，现存有清代建筑与三国两晋时期建造的诸葛瞻墓冢。祠内有「蜀汉三叛」士仁、麋芳与郝普的石雕跪像，与诸葛瞻父子形成强烈对比。

三国演义

• 小说中，诸葛瞻生母为黄夫人。父亲诸葛亮和黄夫人死后，以忠孝为遗训勉其子诸葛瞻。自幼聪明，娶后主刘禅女儿为夫人，后袭父亲武乡侯爵位。后迁升为行军护卫将军，因黄皓用事，而托病不出。

• 刘禅听从郤正之言，即刻连发三道诏文召诸葛瞻到殿前。刘禅以成都受邓艾侵攻等为理由哭泣，诸葛瞻愧疚接受，领兵防守。辞别刘禅整装待发，集结诸将问谁领先锋，一人喊著担任先锋之位，这就是自己的长子诸葛尚。诸葛瞻任命诸葛尚为先锋，离开成都对抗魏军，到绵竹进行驻兵防守。

• 第一次绵竹防守战，诸葛瞻为了对抗邓艾军，使用上自己父亲诸葛亮的木像和四轮车，让正在进攻绵竹的师纂和邓忠以为诸葛亮常在人世，导致敌军混乱，大败敌军。邓艾见二人回归而责怒，喊道就算诸葛亮在世都不惧怕，而手下的哨兵回报是诸葛亮的木雕像，邓艾派出二人再次进攻，下令师纂和邓忠再次失败就必当斩首，二人领一万兵马再次进攻。

• 第二次绵竹防守战，诸葛尚先声夺人压倒性击败二人，诸葛瞻指挥两队人马直撞魏阵，最后魏军再次失败。邓艾见二人受伤未有责骂，见状认为不能再拖时间，应该速破为佳。经过与监军丘本商议后，派使者向诸葛瞻递交招降书。诸葛瞻看罢怒斩使者，派人把头颅领回邓艾营地，邓艾大怒，打算出击，被丘本制止。

• 第三次绵竹防守战，邓艾派王颀、牵弘设伏兵于两旁，然后亲自攻击诸葛瞻，诸葛瞻大怒冲入敌军阵地还击，邓艾诈逃。诸葛瞻追击路途上被伏兵击败，退守绵竹。此时，邓艾与众将士兵像铁桶般围著绵竹，诸葛瞻见此事危急派彭和赍书逃出，赶至东吴救援。至东吴吴主孙休与大臣讨论后决定出兵，派老将丁奉作主帅率三万兵力从寿春进发，丁封、孙异二人为副将，率兵五万到沔中前进。诸葛瞻不见救兵，对众将说：「长时间这样防守不是办法。」留诸葛尚和张遵，自己引兵出城进击。邓艾见诸葛瞻引兵出城便再次诈逃，诸葛瞻追赶忽然四面出现伏兵，把诸葛瞻围住，虽然诸葛瞻引兵杀了数百人，但最后被邓艾指挥的弓手把自军弄到溃散，自己也射倒在马下。诸葛瞻大呼，最后自刎报国。诸葛尚在城上看到父亲死后愤怒出城，最后死于阵中。邓艾悯二人忠孝，将二人合葬，并趁势攻下绵竹。张遵、黄崇、李球三人各自引军抵抗，可惜穷兵之下对邓艾军多人，三人最终战死。吴军听到蜀军失败沦陷，便引军退还。