生平

诸葛融生于尊荣显贵之门，年少骄傲放纵和享乐，喜好学习章句但好而不精通，性格宽容且技艺多。多次以平民身份参加朝会，后来拜骑都尉。赤乌年间，新都都尉陈表、吴郡都尉顾承等率领部队在毗陵耕作，男女人数各有数万。陈表病死后，孙权以诸葛融代替他的职务，后代理父亲兼管。

241年（赤乌四年），父亲诸葛瑾逝世，诸葛恪自己已被封侯，因此由诸葛融继承宛陵侯爵位，并且代为带领父亲的部队，驻守公安。

250年，曹魏将领王昶率军攻打江陵，不克而撤退。朱绩与诸葛融书信道：「昶远来疲困，马无所食，力屈而走，此天助也。今追之力少，可引兵相继，吾欲破之于前，足下乘之于后，岂一人之功哉，宜同断金之义。（王昶远道而来感到疲困，马无粮可食，没有办法而撤走，此实在是天助我们。现今追弱少的他们，可率兵追杀，我想在前攻破他们，你可在后乘势追击，岂会是一人之功呢，宜一起有断金之义。）」诸葛融答应朱绩。朱绩率兵追杀王昶至纪南，此地离城三十里，朱绩先到与敌战得胜，诸葛融却没有推进，朱绩最后也因而失利，被王昶用计大败，钟离茂、许旻被斩。孙权对朱绩大为嘉许，责怒诸葛融，但因诸葛融之兄大将军诸葛恪身为贵胄，所以诸葛融未被废弃。起初，朱绩与诸葛恪、诸葛融已不太喜欢对方，直至今次事件，仇怨更深。

孙权死后，诸葛融任奋威将军。

诸葛恪要攻击淮南，先要求朱绩一起合力，后又要他留置半州，而代以诸葛融假节领军入沔水，准备迎击曹魏从西方来的军队。但是在此时，孙峻发动政变诛杀诸葛恪，并派无难督施宽领朱绩、将军孙壹和全煕等追捕诸葛融。诸葛融听到有军队将至，惊惧犹豫，不能下决定。兵到围城，诸葛恪已经被诛杀，诸葛融饮毒药而死。江表传记载，先前公安有一只灵鼍叫，童谣说：「白鼍叫，龟背平，南郡城中的人就可以长生，为了守护性命而不死就不会成义」。诸葛融果然刮下金龟印服下而死，三个儿子也被诛杀。

性格

• 部曲的吏士亲近依附诸葛融，当时疆外没有战事，秋冬两季就打猎或讨论武技，春夏两季则宴请宾客参加盛大宴会，有的休假兵卒也会不惜远途到访。每次盛大宴会都要历问宾客，各人说出自己的才能，并一起合床坐席靠近，互相打量找到适合的对手，其中有奕棋、樗蒲、投壶弓弹等类别的游戏；带著甘果在宴会前进，清酒伴随慢行，诸葛融在四周浏览，整天观看也不会厌倦。

• 父亲诸葛瑾和兄长诸葛恪即使在军旅但衣著朴素，而诸葛融则则穿「锦罽文绣」，独显奢侈华贵。

Family background

Zhuge Rong was the third son of Zhuge Jin, a military general who served under Wu's founding emperor, Sun Quan. He had two elder brothers: Zhuge Ke and Zhuge Qiao. His second uncle, Zhuge Liang, served as the Imperial Chancellor of Wu's ally state, Shu. As Zhuge Liang initially had no son, he adopted Zhuge Qiao. Like their father, both Zhuge Ke and Zhuge Rong served as generals in Wu. Zhuge Rong also had a sister who married Zhang Cheng, a Wu general. Zhang Cheng and Zhuge Rong's sister had a daughter who married Sun Quan's third son, Sun He.

Early life

In his younger days, Zhuge Rong was known for being spoiled, brash and thrill-seeking, largely because of his elite family background. Although he enjoyed reading and had a wide breadth of knowledge, he did not specialise in any particular field. He was also known for being understanding and tolerant, and for being skilful in a range of arts and crafts. Before he reached adulthood, he had already been invited on numerous occasions to attend Sun Quan's imperial court as a civilian observer. After he came of age, he was commissioned as a Cavalry Commandant (骑都尉) in the Wu military.

Service under Sun Quan

During the Chiwu era (238–251) of Sun Quan's reign, Chen Biao and Gu Cheng led the tens of thousands of residents in their respective commanderies to Piling County (毗陵县; present-day Changzhou, Jiangsu) to work on an agricultural project. After Chen Biao died, Sun Quan ordered Zhuge Rong to replace Chen Biao as the Commandant of Xindu Commandery (新都郡; around present-day Yi County, Anhui).

Following Zhuge Jin's death in 241, Zhuge Rong inherited his father's peerage as the Marquis of Wanling (宛陵侯) and took control of the troops stationed at Gong'an County who used to be under his father's command. When Zhuge Rong assumed command at Gong'an County near Wu's western border, the area was rather peaceful. The troops also willingly submitted to his command. While he was at Gong'an County, Zhuge Rong spent his time hunting and training in combat during autumn and winter, and hosting parties during spring and summer. Some of his men even returned to camp to attend his parties when they were on leave. During the party, the guests chatted or played games such as chupu, weiqi, touhu and slingshot, while feasting on fruits, snacks and alcoholic drinks. Zhuge Rong would walk around and mingle with them; he never grew tired of such parties. When Zhuge Rong's father Zhuge Jin and brother Zhuge Ke served in the military, they wore simple and plain clothing with no decorations. Zhuge Rong, in contrast, enjoyed wearing lavishly designed clothes to highlight his "special" status.

In 250, Wang Chang, a senior general from Wu's rival state Wei, led the Wei forces to attack the Wu-controlled Jiangling County (江陵县; in present-day Jingzhou, Hubei). When Wang Chang was withdrawing his troops after failing to breach Jiangling County's walls, the Wu general Shi Ji wrote to Zhuge Rong: "(Wang) Chang has come a long way; he and his men are weary and their horses have no more fodder. Heaven is on our side. I don't have enough men to attack them so I hope you can lead your troops to support me. I will attack them from the front while you can mop them up from the rear. The glory won't be only mine; this is an opportunity for us to work together." After Zhuge Rong promised to help him, Shi Ji then led his troops to attack Wang Chang and his men at Jinan (纪南), which was located about 30 li away from Jiangling County. Although Shi Ji initially had the upper hand, he ultimately lost the battle when Zhuge Rong broke his promise and did not show up to help him. After the battle, Sun Quan praised Shi Ji, but severely reprimanded Zhuge Rong and wanted to relieve him of his appointment. However, he eventually pardoned Zhuge Rong as he had to "give face" to Zhuge Rong's brother Zhuge Ke, whom he favoured and heavily relied on. As Shi Ji was initially already not on good terms with Zhuge Ke and Zhuge Rong, this incident further deepened the rift between him and the Zhuge brothers.

Service under Sun Liang

After Sun Quan died in 252, his youngest son Sun Liang succeeded him as the emperor of Wu, with Zhuge Rong's brother Zhuge Ke serving as regent for the young emperor. Zhuge Rong was promoted to General of Vehement Might (奋威将军). In the spring of 253, when Zhuge Ke was away leading Wu forces to attack the Wei fortress of Xincheng at Hefei, he requested support from Shi Ji's units but did not bring Shi Ji along and instead ordered him to remain at Banzhou (半州). He then granted Zhuge Rong acting imperial authority and ordered him to take command of Shi Ji's units and lead them towards the Mian River to attack Wei reinforcements coming from the west to reinforce Xincheng.

Death

In late 253, Sun Jun, a distant cousin of Sun Quan, overthrew and assassinated Zhuge Ke in a coup d'état. He then ordered Shi Kuan (施宽), Shi Ji, Sun Yi (孙壹) and Quan Xi (全熈) to lead their troops to Gong'an County to arrest Zhuge Rong. When Zhuge Rong heard about it, he started panicking and could not decide what to do. While under siege by Sun Jun's forces, Zhuge Rong eventually took his own life by consuming poison. His three sons, along with Zhuge Ke's extended family, were rounded up and executed.

The Jiang Biao Zhuan recorded that there were sightings of a white alligator in Gong'an County, and that there was a children's rhyme which goes, "The white alligator growls, a turtle carries peace on its back; one can live long in Nan Commandery, but he won't be righteous if he holds on to his life and refuses to die." When Zhuge Rong heard about this, he had a golden seal carved in the image of a turtle, and then committed suicide by swallowing the seal.