Jiang Wei
From Three Kingdoms Online Community
Revision as of 08:37, 8 April 2006
Jiang Wei, stylename Boyue, was a native of Ji in Tian Shui. His father died while he was young and he lived with his mother. He was fond of the learning of Zheng Xuan.
Fu Zi says: As a man, Jiang Wei was eager to win name and fame. Secretly he supported men who would lay down their life for him. He did not give his attention to the tasks appropriate to a commoner.
He served in the Tian Shui prefecture as Shang Qi Yuan. The Imperial Protector of Liangzhou appointed him a Chong Shi. Because his father, Jiang Qiong, who had once been Gong Cao of the Tian Shui prefecture, with his own body protected the person of the prefect and commander of Tian Shui when the Qiang barbarians revolted, and thus died as a warrior, Jiang Wei was given the title of Zhonglang and appointed as Assistant in the Military Affairs of his own prefecture.
In the sixth year of Jian Xing [CE 228], the Prime Minister Zhuge Liang led his army to Qishan. At that time, the Governor of Tian Shui had gone on a tour of inspection; Jiang Wei as well as the Gong Cao, Liang Xu, the Zhu Pu, Yin Shang, and the Zhu Ji, Liang Qian etc. were in his suite. Hearing that the Shu army was about to arrive, and that the various counties of Tian Shui had revolted and joined the Shu, the Governor became suspicious that Jiang Wei and others would become disloyal. So that night he fled to Shang Bang. When they saw that the Governor had gone, Jiang Wei and his men went after him, but they came too late to the city gate of Shang Bang, which was already closed. Not being admitted, Jiang Wei and his men returned to Ji, which would not admit them either. In the end, Jiang Wei and his men all came to Zhuge Liang. At that time, Ma Su had been defeated at Jieting so Zhuge Liang returned, taking with him more than a thousand households of the Xi county as well as Jiang Wei and his men. It was thus that Jiang Wei lost his mother.
[Yu Huan's] Wei Lue says: Ma Zun, the Governor of Tian Shui, leading Jiang Wei and various other subordinate officers, was in the company of Guo Huai, the Ci Shi (Governor) of Yongzhou on his way from the west to Lo Men on a tour of inspection. Hearing that Zhuge Liang had already reached Qishan, Guo Huai looked at Ma Zun and said, "This is not going to turn out well". He then led him to the east and returned to Shang Bang. Remembering that Ji county, the residence-city of his prefecture, was to the west, and fearing that the under-officials and people were inclined to be rebellious, Ma Zun followed Guo Huai and went. At that time, Jiang Wei said to Ma Zun, "Your Excellency ought to return to Ji county." Ma Zun said to Jiang Wei and the others, "You may all return. The rebels are indeed everywhere; let us scatter." Jiang Wei could do nothing with Ma Zun. But, his home being at Ji, he finally returned to Ji together with the under-officials of Tian Shui, such as Shangguan Zi Xiu and others. In Ji, the under-officials and the people were glad to see Jiang Wei and the others back. They then forced them to see Zhuge Liang. Being compelled, the two men came together to Zhuge Liang. Zhuge Liang was greatly pleased to see them and sent his subordinates to summon the people of Ji. At that time, the vanguard of Zhuge Liang was defeated by Zhang He and Fei Yu, etc., so that he retreated bringing with him Jiang Wei and others. Thus Jiang Wei could not return and finally entered Shu. The various Wei troops attacked Ji county and captured Jiang Wei's mother, wife, and children. But because Jiang Wei had not gone voluntarily, they did not kill the members of his family, but only imprisoned them to make him return. This account seems to be different to that given in San Guo Zhi.
Zhuge Liang appointed Jiang Wei his Cang Cao Yuan, gave him the added title of Feng Yi Jiang Jun, and had him enfeoffed as Lord (Ting Hou) of Tangyang. At that time, he was twenty-seven years old. Zhuge Liang wrote a letter to Zhang Yi, the Chang Shi of the Prime Minister's palace left behind, and Jiang Wan, the Can Jun saying, "Jiang Boyue is loyally assiduous towards the affairs of the day and his thoughts are fine and exact. As for his qualities, Yongnan (Li Shao) and Qichang (Ma Liang) are not his equals. He is a superior gentleman of Liangzhou". He again wrote to them, "Wait till I have him train the five or six thousand men of the Central Hu Bu detachment. Jiang Boyue is very competent in military affairs; not only is he courageous and proficient in warfare, but his heart is loyal to the House of Han and his talents combine those of other people. I shall instruct him thoroughly in warfare and shall also send him to the palace to be received in audience by the Sovereign."
Sun Sheng's Za Ji: Earlier, when Jiang Wei came to Zhuge Liang, he lost his mother. Later he received a letter from her, ordering him to search for the Dang Gui (medicinal plant but also means "ought to return"). Jiang Wei said, "When there is a good land of a hundred jing, one should not stick to single mou. If one has a Yuan Zhi (also a medicinal plant but also means "great ambition"), one needs no Tang Gui."
Later on, he was promoted to be Zhong Jian Jun and General Who Conquers the West.
In the twelth year of Jian Xing [CE 234], Zhuge Liang died suddenly. Jiang Wei returned to Chengdu and was appointed Instructor General of the Left in command of the army, General Who Assists the Han, and enfeoffed as Lord (Hou) of Ping Xiang. In the first year of Yan Xi [CE 238], he convinced the Grand Commander, Jiang Wan to station in Hanzhong. Jiang Wan had already appointed someone as Da Sima and thus appointed Jiang Wei as Sima. Numerous times, Jiang Wei led his auxiliary troops to enter the West. In the sixth year of Yan Xi [CE 243], he was appointed General Who Subdues the West and Inspector (Ci Shi) of Liangzhou. In the tenth year of Yan Xi [CE 247], he was appointed as General Who Protects and together with the Grand Commander, Fei Wei [Yi], they worked on matters of the Emperor's Secretariat (Shang Shu). In the same year, the Ping Kang barbarians of Wen Shan rebelled and Jiang Wei led a multitude of troops to subdue them. He again set forth to the Longxi, Nan An, and Jincheng boundary and battled with the Grand Commander of Wei, Guo Huai, Xiahou Ba, and others west of the Tao river. The King of the Hu barbarian, Zhi Wudai and his followers surrendered. Jiang Wei then returned with his troops. In the twelth year of Yan Xi [CE 249], he again advanced past Xiping but unable to conquer, he returned. Jiang Wei believed he was familiar the culture and military ways of the West, so that he could entice the Qiang and Hu tribes to act as his "wings" and thus capture the region west of Long (in Gansu province). Each time Jiang Wei wished to undertake a large military operation, Fei Wei always rejected it and fearing lest he did not follow, restricted Jiang Wei's troops to no more than ten thousand.
[Xi Zuochi's] Han Jin Chun Qiu says: Fei Wei said to Jiang Wei, "We are far less comparable to the late Prime Minister. Even his schemes were not able to conquer the Zhong Xia (Middle Land), let alone us. Furthermore, we should protect the State, govern the people well, and guard the dynasty. Performing these duties we can wait till someone capable comes along. Do not have the thought that victory and defeat are determined by mere luck. If you are inferior, then it will be too late to regret."
In the spring of the sixteenth year [CE 253], Fei Wei died. In the summer, Jiang Wei led his troops, numbering to the tens of thousands, out of Shi Ying, passed Dong Ting, and surrounded Nan An. The Wei Governor (Ci Shi) of Yongzhou, Chen Tai, arrived at Luo Men to relieve the situation. Jiang Wei's supplies were exhausted and he returned. The next year [CE 254], all external and internal military affairs were added to his responsibilities. Again, he led his troops out of Longxi where Li Jian, who guarded Di Dao, surrendered the city. He advanced and surrounded Xiang Wu, confronting the Wei general, Xu Zhi. Beheading Xu Zhi, he defeated the Wei army who then retreated. After many victories, Jiang Wei accumulated a lot of surrendered people, so he selected the civilians of the three counties of He Jian, Di Dao and Lin Tao to return with him. After, in the eighteenth year [CE 255], together with the General of Chariots, Xiahou Ba and others, he again led his troops out to Di Dao and heavily defeated the Wei governor (Ci Shi) of Yongzhou, Wang Jing, at Tao Xi. Wang Jing's casualties amounted to tens of thousands. Wang Jing retreated and defended the city of Di Dao which was later surrounded by Jiang Wei. The Wei General Who Conquers the West, Chen Tai, advanced his troops to relieve the situation at Di Dao and Jiang Wei retreated to his station at Zhong Ti.
Translator Notes
The first three paragraphs of the translation was done by Achilles Fang and presented in his book, "Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms"
Wiki Note
This biography was done by both Shu-Han Zhao Lie Di and Empress Zhang. I have not recieved permission from the latter to post this biography and it may be taken down at any moment, I apologize ahead of time should she wish this to be taken down.
