生平

宽雅沉深

史书记载步骘为春秋时期晋国大夫杨食之后，因其采邑在步这个地方，遂以步为氏。秦汉之际步氏族人有为将军者，以功封淮阴侯，步氏于是成为淮阴大族。

步骘因战乱避居江东，到江东后孑然一身，生活穷困，与同龄的广陵人衞旌交好，二人耕种自给自足，在晚间努力研习书籍，步骘广泛地学习各种学问和技艺，各种书籍无不通读博览。

始通交州

建安十五年（210年），步骘被任命为翻阳太守，同年，徒交州刺史，立武中郎将，领武射吏千人，即时南行出发。翌年，由于赖恭被苍梧太守吴巨逼走，回到小零陵及越城求救于步骘，吴巨逐迎之。步骘以吴巨阴怀异心，外附内违，诱斩之，威声大震，自始通南土，士燮随之伏降于孙权。步骘加封加拜平戎将军，封广信侯。

故战少败

孙权被曹操表为讨虏将军后，任命步骘为主记，后辞官与张承、诸葛瑾、严畯在吴中各地拜访贤士，三人逐渐声名显赫，被称为当世的英杰俊才。后又当过海盐长，车骑将军东曹掾，徐州治中。建安十五年（210年）为鄱阳太守，不久又迁任交州刺史、立武中郎将，领著千馀人南行接管交州。建安十六年（211年）追拜使持节、征南中郎将。步骘到后，苍梧太守吴巨阴怀异心，不听从调遣，步骘设局将他斩杀，名声大振，交趾太守士燮率众归附东吴；当时，前刺史张津故将夷廖、钱博之徒仍然割据山头，称雄一方，步骘逐一将其讨伐消灭，交州的秩序才渐渐趋于稳定，法令遂得到执行。后来雍闓杀蜀汉任命的太守正昂，并要求投降东吴，步骘接纳并安抚。步骘因稳定交州有功，加任平戎将军，封广信侯。

声名光国

延康元年（220年），孙权任命吕岱为交州刺史，取代步骘，步骘于是率领一万名交州义士出交州，到长沙时正遇上刘备东征孙权，武陵郡的蛮夷更接受蜀汉的招降，蠢蠢欲动，于是孙权命步骘驻守益阳。222年，刘备于夷陵被陆逊击败，但零陵、桂阳等郡仍然不稳，步骘领兵稳定郡县。

黄武二年（223年），步骘迁任右将军左护军、改封临湘侯。黄龙元年（229年），孙权称帝，任命步骘为骠骑将军、领冀州牧，同年都督西陵，代替陆逊安定吴蜀二境。后来因吴在与蜀汉二分天下的计划上将冀州划给蜀汉，步骘被解除冀州牧职衔。

后来，孙权迁都建业，留太子孙登和上大将军陆逊继续镇守武昌。孙登写信给步骘，请求教诲。步骘于是把当时在荆州界内担任重要职务的官员即诸葛瑾、陆逊、朱然、吕岱、潘浚、裴玄、夏侯承、卫旌、李肃、周条、石干等十一人列出，对他们的品行才能进行逐一的介绍分析，且上疏希望孙登要信任和重用这些杰出人才。

后来孙权信任酷吏中书校事吕壹，让他负责监察百官、处理刑狱。吕壹经常对官员的公文进行审核，对许多具体事项吹毛求瑕，稍微有问题的官员就会被诬陷以重罪，且滥用严刑，弹劾处理了许多无辜官员，甚至左将军朱据、丞相顾雍等也难免被诬陷以罪名而遭到软禁。后来典军吏刘助提供证据证明朱据无罪，揭发吕壹制造冤案的真相，在潘浚等人的压力下后来孙权终于觉悟，诛杀吕壹。虽然步骘曾上书孙权言及校事制度，但并没有点出吕壹之名，而且有的上书在吕壹伏诛之后；故在吕壹被杀后，孙权在归咎于己的同时，仍下诏责怪步骘和诸葛瑾、吕岱、朱然以身为武官为由，在吕壹事件中置身事外。步骘先后上书数十次，孙权虽然不是全部接纳，但都多次采纳他的言词。

步骘族人步练师为孙权宠妃，生前即被称为皇后，死后更被追为皇后，孙鲁班就是她的大女儿。在孙权子太子孙和和鲁王孙霸之间的二宫之争中，步骘和孙鲁班立场一致，都支持鲁王，因此遭到史学家裴松之的非议，认为这与他的为人不符，也足可抹杀他的政绩。赤乌九年（246年），支持太子的丞相陆逊因屡遭孙权谴责而忧死，步骘继任丞相。

步骘驻守西陵二十年，蜀汉和曹魏都敬仰他的威信。赤乌十年（247年）五月逝世，由其子步协继承其爵位。后来步骘次子步阐据西陵叛投西晋，但西陵被吴将陆抗攻克，步氏一族几遭夷灭，只有步协的儿子步璇因被派到洛阳为人质而得以幸免。

性格特徵

• 《吴书》载步骘「宽雅沉深，能降志辱身。」当日豪族焦征羌放纵霸道，步骘与衞旌献瓜讨好焦征羌但受辱，衞旌不能忍受，但步骘却说：「吾等贫贱，是以主人以贫贱遇之，固其宜也，当何所耻？」

• 《三国志》载他性格「宽弘得众，喜怒不形于声色，而外内肃然。」因此得到当地人的的尊敬，即使敌人也敬仰他。

• 步骘教导门生时，手不释卷，衣饰和居处都和一般儒生一样朴素。但妻妾的衣饰奢华令他被当时人讥笑。

评价

• 韦昭《吴书》：「骘博研道艺，靡不贯览，性宽雅沈深，能降志辱身。岁馀，骘以疾免，与琅邪诸葛瑾、彭城严畯俱游吴中，并著声名，为当时英俊。 」

• 陈寿《三国志·吴书七·张顾诸葛歩传》：「在西陵二十年，邻敌敬其威信。性宽弘得众，喜怒不形于声色，而外内肃然」「诸葛瑾、步骘并以德度规检见器当世」 。

• 周昭：「当世君子能不然者，亦比有之，岂独古人乎！然论其绝异，未若步丞相之为美也。 」

• 吕范、诸葛恪：「每读步骘表，辄失笑。此江与开辟俱生，宁有可以沙囊塞理也！」

• 孙盛：「风雅则诸葛瑾、张承、步骘以声名光国。」

• 孙登：「步骘忠于为国，通达治体。」

• 傅玄《傅子》：「及权继其业，有张子布以为腹心，有陆议、诸葛瑾、步骘以为股肱，有吕范、朱然以为爪牙，分任受职，乘间伺隙，兵不妄动，故战少败，而江南安。」

后代

• 步协，继承步骘爵位，任抚军将军。

　• 步玑，步协之子，继承父亲爵位。

　• 步璇，步玑之弟，陆抗几乎灭绝步氏一族，作为西晋人质的他成了唯一的幸存者。

• 步阐，继任为西陵督，任昭武将军，封西亭侯。后来叛吴被斩。

Family background

Bu Zhi was from Huaiyin County, Linhuai Commandery (临淮郡), which is around present-day Huai'an, Jiangsu. He traced his ancestry to Yangshi (扬食), an aristocrat of the Jin state in the Spring and Autumn period. As Yangshi's estate was located in an area called "Bu" (步; around present-day Linfen County, Shanxi), his descendants adopted "Bu" as their family name. One of Yangshi's descendants was Bu Shusheng (步叔乘; or Bu Shucheng), a disciple of Confucius. Sometime in the early Western Han dynasty, a certain General Bu received the peerage "Marquis of Huaiyin" (淮阴侯) from the emperor as a reward for his contributions in battle. Bu Zhi descended from this General Bu, whose marquisate was in Huaiyin County.

Early life

When chaos broke out in central China towards the end of the Eastern Han dynasty, Bu Zhi fled south to the Jiangdong region to avoid trouble. Alone and penniless, he befriended one Wei Jing (衞旌) from Guangling Commandery who was around the same age as him. They farmed crops to feed themselves. Bu Zhi tirelessly toiled in the fields in the day and diligently read books at night. He became very well-read and well-versed in various arts and crafts. He was known for being magnanimous, deep thinking, and able to put up with indignities.

Bu Zhi and Wei Jing settled in Kuaiji Commandery, where they encountered an influential landlord, Jiao Zhengqiang (焦征羌), who allowed his retainers to behave lawlessly. As Bu Zhi and Wei Jing feared that Jiao Zhengqiang would seize the plot of land on which they farmed, they decided to offer him some of their produce as tribute. When they arrived at his residence, he was asleep so they had to wait outside. After some time, Wei Jing became impatient and wanted to leave, but Bu Zhi stopped him and said, "We came here because we feared he would seize our land. If we come here to visit him and then leave without even meeting him, he might think that we're insulting him and we'll only end up antagonising him." After a while, Jiao Zhengqiang woke up, saw them through the window, and instructed his servants to lay mats on the ground for them to sit outside while he remained indoors. Wei Jing was enraged but Bu Zhi remained calm and composed. When it was time for lunch, Jiao Zhengqiang feasted on tasty dishes and did not invite them to join him. Instead, he had scraps of food served to them in small bowls. Wei Jing, who received only vegetables and mushrooms, was so unhappy that he did not eat at all. In contrast, Bu Zhi finished all the food he got. They then bid farewell to Jiao Zhengqiang and left. Wei Jing later scolded Bu Zhi, "How can you put up with this?" Bu Zhi replied, "We're of lowly status. He treated us in a manner befitting our status. What's there to be ashamed of?"

Service under Sun Quan

Sometime in the 200s, when the warlord Sun Quan held the nominal appointment General Who Attacks Barbarians, he recruited Bu Zhi to serve as his Chief Scribe, and later appointed him as the Chief (长) of Haiyan County (海盐县; present-day Pinghu, Zhejiang). After holding office in Haiyan County for a few years, Bu Zhi claimed that he was ill and resigned. He then travelled around the Wu territories with Zhuge Jin and Yan Jun. During this time, he earned himself a fine reputation as a learned man.

In 209, Sun Quan was appointed as acting General of Chariots and Cavalry and acting Governor (牧) of Xu Province. Bu Zhi returned to serve under Sun Quan as an Assistant in the East Bureau of the office of the General of Chariots and Cavalry and Assistant Officer in the Headquarters Office of the Governor of Xu Province. Sun Quan also nominated Bu Zhi as a maocai (茂才).

Governorship of Jiao Province

In 210, Sun Quan appointed Bu Zhi as the Administrator (太守) of Poyang Commandery (鄱阳郡; around present-day Poyang County, Jiangxi). Within the same year, however, he promoted Bu Zhi to Inspector (刺史) of Jiao Province. Bu Zhi was also concurrently appointed General of the Household of Martial Establishment (立武中郎将) and put in charge of a military unit comprising over 1,000 elite archers for his mission to Jiao Province.

Since the time of Emperor Ling ( 168–189), Jiao Province, being a remote province in the south, had posed serious problems for the Han central government. The locals, unwilling to submit to Han rule, had caused much trouble for their Han-appointed governors – two governors, Zhu Fu (朱符) and Zhang Jin, were killed while in office.

In the following year, Sun Quan granted Bu Zhi greater authority and promoted him to General of the Household Who Attacks the South (征南中郎将). When Bu Zhi arrived in Jiao Province, Wu Ju (吴巨), a commandery administrator in the province, pretended to cooperate with him while harbouring ill intentions. Bu Zhi lured Wu Ju into a trap and executed him. His actions shocked the other elites in Jiao Province including the minor warlord Shi Xie, who led his followers to submit to Bu Zhi and pledge allegiance to Sun Quan. The whole of Jiao Province thus came under Sun Quan's control, with Bu Zhi as the governor.

Sometime in the 210s, Yong Kai (雍闓), a tribal chief in Yi Province (covering present-day Sichuan and Chongqing), killed Zheng Ang (正昂), a commandery administrator appointed by the warlord Liu Bei. Yong Kai contacted Shi Xie and asked to defect to Sun Quan's side. Shi Xie relayed the message to Bu Zhi, who sent an emissary to meet Yong Kai and accept his allegiance. In recognition of Bu Zhi's achievements, Sun Quan appointed him as General Who Pacifies the Rong and enfeoffed him as the Marquis of Guangxin.

Maintaining peace in southern Jing Province

In 220, Sun Quan ordered Lü Dai to replace Bu Zhi as the Inspector of Jiao Province. Bu Zhi then led over 10,000 volunteer troops from Jiao Province to Changsha Commandery (长沙郡; around present-day Changsha, Hunan). About a year later, Liu Bei, the emperor of the state of Shu Han, launched a military campaign to attack Sun Quan in retaliation against Sun Quan's seizing of his territories in Jing Province in late 219. This subsequently led to the Battle of Xiaoting/Yiling of 221–222. During this time, some local tribes in Wuling Commandery (武陵郡; around present-day Changde, Hunan) in southern Jing Province rebelled against Sun Quan's rule. Sun Quan ordered Bu Zhi to lead troops to Yiyang County (益阳县; east of present-day Yiyang County, Hunan) to guard against attacks from the rebels.

Even after Sun Quan's forces defeated Liu Bei at the Battle of Xiaoting/Yiling in mid 222, there was still much unrest in Lingling (零陵; around present-day Yongzhou, Hunan) and Guiyang (桂阳; around present-day Chenzhou, Hunan) commanderies in southern Jing Province. Bu Zhi led his troops to quell the uprisings and restored peace in the region.

In 223, Sun Quan promoted Bu Zhi to General of the Right and Left Protector of the Army, and changed his marquis title to "Marquis of Linxiang" (临湘侯). In 226, he granted greater powers to Bu Zhi and ordered him to move to a garrison at Oukou (沤口).

Service in the state of Eastern Wu

In 229, after Sun Quan declared himself emperor and established the state of Eastern Wu, he appointed Bu Zhi as General of Agile Cavalry and the nominal Governor (牧) of Ji Province. In the following year, he reassigned Bu Zhi to Xiling (西陵; present-day Xiling District, Yichang, Hubei) and replace Lu Xun as the military commander guarding the border between Eastern Wu and its ally state, Shu Han. He was relieved of his nominal gubernatorial appointment of Ji Province later.

Advice to Sun Deng

Around the time, Sun Quan's heir apparent, Sun Deng, who was stationed in Wuchang (武昌; present-day Ezhou, Hubei), was actively networking with many people. He wrote to Bu Zhi, seeking his advice on whom he should talk to first because he knew little about the officials in Eastern Wu. In his reply to Sun Deng, Bu Zhi named 11 notable officials serving in Jing Province – Zhuge Jin, Lu Xun, Zhu Ran, Cheng Pu, Pan Jun, Pei Xuan (裴玄), Xiahou Cheng (夏侯承), Wei Jing (衞旌), Li Su (李肃), Zhou Tiao (周条) and Shi Gan (石干) – and appraised them individually. He also advised Sun Deng to refrain from micromanaging, and instead learn from great rulers such as Duke Huan of Qi and Emperor Gao of Han, who delegated the task of governing their empires to their premiers (e.g. Guan Zhong, Xiao He). He also urged Sun Deng to attract as many talents as possible to join him.

Saving officials from Lü Yis abuses of power

Sun Quan had appointed Lü Yi, whom he highly trusted, as the supervisor of the audit bureau. Lü Yi abused his powers by picking on trivialities and framing numerous officials under his watch for committing serious offences. He also freely abused his powers to investigate and prosecute officials, some of whom were arrested, imprisoned and tortured. Even officials like Zhu Ju, a high-ranking general, and Gu Yong, the Imperial Chancellor, fell victim to Lü Yi's malice.

Bu Zhi wrote to Sun Quan at least four times to speak up against Lü Yi's abuses of power. He also advised Sun Quan to rely on capable officials such as Gu Yong, Lu Xun and Pan Jun. He pointed out that there were far too many bureaucrats in the administration and urge Sun Quan to dismiss them.

Sun Quan eventually discovered the truth, understood the gravity of the situation, and had Lü Yi removed from office and executed. Throughout this entire saga, Bu Zhi wrote to Sun Quan numerous times, recommending him to rehabilitate Lü Yi's victims and defending those who were wrongly accused. Sun Quan, however, did not accept every piece of advice from Bu Zhi. Nevertheless, Bu Zhi's efforts ultimately saved many officials from doom.

Role in the succession struggle between Sun He and Sun Ba

Sometime in the 240s, a power struggle broke out between two of Sun Quan's sons – Sun He, the Crown Prince and Sun Ba, the Prince of Lu – with both of them fighting over the succession to their father's throne. The conflict had a polarising effect on Sun Quan's subjects and led to the emergence of two opposing factions: On one side, Lu Xun, Zhuge Ke, Gu Tan, Zhu Ju, Teng Yin, Shi Ji, Ding Mi (丁密) and Wu Can believed that Sun He was the rightful heir apparent so they supported him. On the other side, Bu Zhi, Lü Dai, Quan Cong, Lü Ju, Sun Hong, Quan Ji (全寄), Yang Zhu, Wu An and Sun Qi supported Sun Ba. In 250, Sun Quan put an end to the conflict by forcing Sun Ba to commit suicide, and deposing Sun He and replacing him with Sun Liang as Crown Prince. Some of the officials involved in the succession struggle were executed, exiled or removed from office, but Bu Zhi remained unaffected.

The historian Pei Songzhi criticised Bu Zhi for supporting Sun Ba, because he deemed Sun Ba's claim to the succession as illegitimate given that Sun Quan had already designated Sun He as the heir apparent. He also remarked that this incident had a huge negative impact on Bu Zhi in particular, because Bu Zhi had a reputation for being virtuous and generous.

Final years as Imperial Chancellor

Bu Zhi once wrote a memorial to Sun Quan to tell him that he heard from Wang Qian (王潜) and other defectors that the Wei forces were planning to fill up the Yangtze River with sandbags and launch an attack on the Wu-controlled territories in Jing Province. Sun Quan doubted it and said that if that really happened, he would have 1,000 cattle slaughtered for a feast in Bu Zhi's honour. Some years later, he told Lü Fan and Zhuge Ke: "Every time I read Bu Zhi's memorial, I can't stop laughing. The river has existed since the beginning of life. How can anyone use sandbags to fill it up?"

In 246, Bu Zhi succeeded Lu Xun as the Imperial Chancellor (丞相). Even after assuming the highest office in the Wu government, he never stopped reading and giving lectures to his students. His attire and living quarters also resembled those of a Confucian scholar. However, behind the walls of his residence, his wife and concubine(s) wore expensive dresses and jewellery. Some people ridiculed him because of that.

Over the 20 years he was stationed in Xiling (西陵; present-day Xiling District, Yichang, Hubei), Bu Zhi had gained the respect of enemies from the neighbouring areas. He was known for being magnanimous and generous, and was able to win the hearts of people. He was also able to hide his emotions well and project a calm and serious demeanour. He died sometime between 20 June and 19 July 247.

Descendants

Bu Zhi had two sons: Bu Xie (步恊) and Bu Chan (步阐).

Bu Xie

After Bu Zhi's death, Bu Xie inherited his father's peerage "Marquis of Linxiang" (临湘侯) and took command of the troops which used to be under his father's command. Bu Xie also received the rank General Who Pacifies the Army. After Bu Xie died, his son, Bu Ji (步玑), inherited the peerage "Marquis of Linxiang".

Bu Chan

Bu Chan inherited his father's legacy and became the new military commander stationed at Xiling (西陵; present-day Xiling District, Yichang, Hubei) to guard the border. He was also appointed as General of Illustrious Martial Might and enfeoffed as the Marquis of Xi Village (西亭侯). In 272, during the reign of the last Wu emperor Sun Hao, Bu Chan was recalled to the imperial capital to serve as the Controller of the Imperial Guards (绕帐督). As Bu Chan and his family had been living in Xiling for several years, he thought that he was being recalled because he had failed to perform his duty well in Xiling. He also feared that he would become a victim of slander and end up in deep trouble, so he defected to the Jin dynasty and surrendered Xiling to the enemy.

Bu Chan sent Bu Xie's sons, Bu Ji (步玑) and Bu Xuan (步璇), to the Jin imperial capital, Luoyang. The Jin imperial court permitted him to continue overseeing military affairs in Xiling, in addition to appointing him as General of the Guards with honours equivalent to those of the Three Ducal Ministers; Palace Attendant (侍中); and Governor (牧) of Jiao Province with imperial authority. Bu Chan was also enfeoffed as the Duke of Yidu (宜都公). Bu Ji was put in charge of supervising military affairs in Jiangling (江陵) and awarded the following appointments: General of the Left; Regular Mounted Attendant (散骑常侍); and Administrator (太守) of Lujiang Commandery (庐陵郡). His original peerage, "Marquis of Linxiang", was changed to "Marquis of Jiangling" (江陵侯). Bu Xuan was appointed as an Official Who Concurrently Serves in the Palace (给事中) and General Who Declares Might, and enfeoffed as a Marquis of a Chief District.

The Jin imperial court then ordered Yang Hu (General of Chariots and Cavalry) and Yang Zhao (杨肇; Inspector of Jing Province) to lead troops to Xiling to reinforce Bu Chan. The Wu emperor Sun Hao ordered Lu Kang (Lu Xun's son) to lead troops to suppress Bu Chan's rebellion. Lu Kang succeeded in his mission – he drove back the Jin forces, retook Xiling, and captured and executed Bu Chan. The entire Bu family, except for Bu Xuan's branch, was exterminated.

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Bu Zhi is a minor character in the 14th-century historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which romanticises the events before and during the Three Kingdoms period. He first appears in chapter 43 as one of the scholars from Wu who challenged Zhuge Liang to a debate just before the Battle of Red Cliffs. He appears again in chapter 68 as Sun Quan's representative to meet Cao Cao to discuss peace terms after the Battle of Ruxu (217). His final appearance is in Chapter 83 before the Battle of Yiling. When Liu Bei is leading his forces to attack Sun Quan, Bu Zhi suggests to Sun Quan to arrest Fan Qiang (范疆) and Zhang Da – the men who murdered Zhang Fei – and send them, along with Zhang Fei's head, to Liu Bei as an act of appeasement. Later in the chapter, he voices his objection to Sun Quan putting Lu Xun in command of the Wu army to resist Liu Bei's invasion.