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Zhou Fu (died February 311), courtesy name Zuxuan, was an official of the Jin dynasty (266–420). As a minister, he rose through the ranks of the Jin government and was one of the chief officials managing the Eastern Court (東臺) in Luoyang after Emperor Hui of Jin was moved to the Western Court (西臺) in Chang'an. Following the Prince of Donghai, Sima Yue's victory in the War of the Eight Princes, Zhou Fu was assigned to guard Yang province north of the Yangzi, while the southern part of the province was guarded by the Prince of Langya, Sima Rui. As Zhou Fu was castigated for his proposal to move the Jin capital to his base in Shouchun, Sima Rui took the opportunity to attack Zhou Fu and annex northern Yang for himself.

Early life and career

Zhou Fu was born into the Zhou clan of Runan Commandery as the son of Zhou Rui (周蕤), the Administrator of Anping. He was famous in his youth alongside his friend, Chenggong Jian, and the two of them started their careers teaching for princes of the Western Jin dynasty. He was promoted to Left Western Subordinate to the Minister Over the Masses, Wang Hun, who then recommended for him to become a Gentleman of Writing. He then went on to serve a succession of offices including Gentleman of the Secretariat and Inspector of Xu province, the former during which he was praised for his ability to pick out talents. He eventually returned to Luoyang to serve as a Minister of Justice.

War of the Eight Princes

In 304, the Prince of Donghai, Sima Yue brought Emperor Hui of Jin with him from Luoyang to attack the Prince of Chengdu, Sima Ying at Ye. However, he was defeated at the Battle of Dangyin, and Emperor Hui fell into Sima Ying's care. Yue's generals, Shangguan Si (上官巳) and Chen Zhen (陳眕) fled back to Luoyang with the Crown Prince, Sima Tan and took control of the capital. They handed out positions to Zhou Fu, but even after Sima Tan ordered him to cooperate, Zhou Fu refused as he believed that Shangguan Si was committing treason. As Shangguan Si became increasingly cruel and violent, Zhou Fu plotted with the minister, Man Fen to overthrow him. However, the plot was discovered, and Man Fen was killed while Zhou Fu barely escaped the city when Shangguan Si's forces attacked them.

Luoyang soon fell to Zhang Fang, a general of the Prince of Hejian, Sima Yong, allowing Zhou Fu to return to the capital as Intendant of Henan. After Zhang Fang received Emperor Hui and Sima Ying under his custody, they were forcibly moved to Sima Yong's base in Chang'an, but Zhou Fu remained behind and continued running the government in Luoyang with his fellow ministers, Xun Fan and Liu Tun. There were thus effectively two capitals; Chang'an was referred to as the Western Court while Luoyang was referred to as the Eastern Court. In 305, Zhou Fu, along with Liu Tun and others, opposed Sima Yong’s order to have Empress Yang Xianrong commit suicide, as dissidents in Luoyang were using her name to rebel. Yong had Liu Tun arrested, but spared Zhou Fu and seemingly cancelled his order on the empress.

In early 306, Zhou Fu welcomed Sima Yue when he recaptured Luoyang and was allowed to serve in his administration. Among other offices he received, Zhou Fu was appointed Chief Controller of the Armies and was stationed at Mianchi. Later that year, Sima Yue and others rescued Emperor Hui from Chang'an and moved him back to Luoyang. Zhou Fu was appointed. Zhou Fu was appointed General Who Pacifies the East and Chief Controller of military affairs in Yang province. He also replaced Liu Zhun (劉準) as General Who Guards the East and was assigned to Shouchun.

Guarding northern Yang province

To the south of Shouchun, the Jiangnan region had been under the control of the rebel, Chen Min since 305, but in 307, the local gentry clans, with the help of Liu Zhun, rose up to overthrow him. Zhou Fu continued to support clans after he was assigned to Shouchun, and following Chen Min's defeat, he sent the rebel's head to Luoyang and was awarded to title of Earl of Yongning. In August 307, Sima Yue garrisoned the Prince of Langya, Sima Rui to Jianye to serve as Chief Controller of military affairs in Yang province south of the Yangzi river, thus reducing Zhou Fu's authority in Yang to north of the Yangzi.

Despite having been allies, Zhou Fu began openly criticizing Sima Yue for his abuse of power over the imperial court and treacherous behaviour, which irritated the prince. Meanwhile, the Jin had been at war with the Han-Zhao dynasty in northern China, and with each day the Han forces was growing closer to Luoyang. In 310, Zhou Fu and his subordinates, Wu Si (吳思) and Yin Shi (殷識) submitted a petition to imperial court urging them to move the capital to Shouchun for their safety. Sima Yue was furious that Zhou Fu submitted such a petition without his permission and recalled him to Luoyang. Zhou Fu was hesitant to return, so he ordered the Administrator of Huainan, Pei Shuo (裴碩) to go before him. However, Pei Shuo accused him of overstepping his authority and falsely claimed that he received an order from Sima Yue to attack him. Zhou Fu was able to repel Pei Shuo, prompting him to retreat to Dongcheng (東城; in present-day Quanjiao County, Anhui), where he requested for reinforcements from Sima Rui.

In 311, Sima Rui ordered his generals, Gan Zhuo and Guo Yi (郭逸) to attack Shouchun. The Administrator of Anfeng Commandery, Sun Hui also raised his army against Zhou Fu and had his subordinate, Xie Yan (謝摛) write a letter accusing him for his crimes. Xie Yan had previously worked under Zhou Fu, and when Zhou received the letter, he wept and said, "This can only be Xie Yan's words!" Zhou Fu held out in Shouchun for ten days, but he was finally defeated and wanted to flee Xiang county (項縣; present-day Shenqiu County, Henan). However, he was intercepted and detained by the Prince of Xincai, Sima Que (司馬確). He reportedly fell ill due to anger and grief, and soon died in captivity.

After his death, the minister, Hua Tan appealed to Sima Rui to rehabilitate Zhou Fu's honour, and the prince was able to reach a degree of understanding for Zhou Fu. He had two sons, Zhou Mi (周密) and Zhou Qiao (周矯), both who served as Jin officials, while his cousin, Zhou Yi, was an important minister under Sima Rui.

References

1. Vol.87 of Zizhi Tongjian recorded that Zhou Fu died between the yi'hai and geng'chen days of the 1st month of the 5th year of the Yong'jia era; the dates correspond to 21 and 26 Feb 311 in the Julian calendar.
2. (馥字祖宣，浚從父弟也。父蕤，安平太守。馥少與友人成公簡齊名，俱起家為諸王文學，累遷司徒左西屬。司徒王渾表「馥理識清正，兼有才幹，主定九品，檢括精詳。臣委任責成，褒貶允當，請補尚書郎」。許之。稍遷司徒左長史、吏部郎，選舉精密，論望益美。轉御史中丞、侍中，拜徐州刺史，加冠軍將軍、假節。徵為廷尉。) Jin Shu, vol.61
3. (惠帝幸鄴，成都王穎以馥守河南尹。陳眕、上官已等奉清河王覃為太子，加馥衛將軍、錄尚書，馥辭不受。覃令馥與上官已合軍，馥認已小人縱暴，終為國賊，乃共司隸滿奮等謀共除之，謀泄，為已所襲，奮被害，馥走得免。) Book of Jin, vol.61
4. (帝停方壘三日，方擁帝及太弟穎、豫章王熾等趨長安，王戎出奔郟...唯尚書僕射荀藩、司隸劉暾、河南尹周馥在洛陽爲留臺，承制行事，號東、西臺。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.85
5. (河間王顒矯詔，以后屢為姦人所立，遣尚書田淑敕留臺賜后死。詔書累至，司隸校尉劉暾與尚書僕射荀藩、河南尹周馥馳上奏曰...) Jin Shu, vol.31
6. (暨東海王越迎大駕，以馥為中領軍，未就，遷司隸校尉，加散騎常侍、假節，都督諸軍事于澠池。帝還宮，出為平東將軍、都督揚州諸軍事，代劉准為鎮東將軍...) Jin Shu, vol.61
7. (帝還宮，出為平東將軍、都督揚州諸軍事，代劉准為鎮東將軍，與周玘等討陳敏，滅之，以功封永甯伯。) Jin Shu, vol.61
8. (己未，以琅邪王睿爲安東將軍、都督揚州‧江南諸軍事、假節，鎭建業。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.86
9. (馥自經世故，每欲維正朝遷，忠情懇至。以東海王越不盡臣節，每言論厲然，越深憚之。馥睹群賊孔熾，洛陽孤危，乃建策迎天子遷都壽春。永嘉四年，與長史吳思、司馬殷識上書曰：「不圖厄運遂至於此！戎狄交侵，畿甸危逼。臣輒與祖納、裴憲、華譚、孫惠等三十人伏思大計，僉以殷人有屢遷之事，周王有岐山之徙，方今王都罄乏，不可久居，河朔蕭條，崤函險澀，宛都屢敗，江漢多虞，於今平夷，東南為愈。淮揚之地，北阻塗山，南抗靈嶽，名川四帶，有重險之固。是以楚人東遷，遂宅壽春，徐邳、東海，亦足戍禦。且運漕四通，無患空乏。雖聖上神聰，元輔賢明，居儉守約，用保宗廟，未若相土遷宅，以享永祚。臣謹選精卒三萬，奉迎皇駕。輒檄前北中郎將裴憲行使持節、監豫州諸軍事、東中郎將，風馳即路。荊、湘、江、揚各先運四年米租十五萬斛，布絹各十四萬匹，以供大駕。令王浚、苟晞共平河朔，臣等戮力以啟南路。遷都弭寇，其計並得。皇輿來巡，臣宜轉據江州，以恢王略。知無不為，古人所務，敢竭忠誠，庶報萬分。朝遂夕隕，猶生之願。」) Jin Shu, vol.61
10. (揚州都督周馥以洛陽孤危，上書請遷都壽春。太傅越以馥不先白己而直上書，大怒，召馥及淮南太守裴碩。馥不肯行，令碩帥兵先進。碩詐稱受越密旨，襲馥，爲馥所敗，退保東城。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.87
11. (帝遣揚威將軍甘卓、建威將軍郭逸攻馥于壽春。安豐太守孫惠帥眾應之，使謝摛為檄。摛，馥之故將也。馥見檄，流涕曰：「必謝摛之辭。」摛聞之，遂毀草。旬日而馥眾潰，奔于項，為新蔡王確所拘，憂憤發病卒。) Jin Shu, vol.61
12. (初，華譚之失廬江也，往壽春依馥，及馥軍敗，歸於元帝。帝問曰：「周祖宣何至於反？」譚封曰：「周馥雖死，天下尚有直言之士。馥見寇賊滋蔓，王威不振，故欲移都以紓國難。方伯不同，遂致其伐。曾不逾時，而京都淪沒。若使從馥之謀，或可後亡也。原情求實，何得為反！」帝曰：「馥位為征鎮，握兵方隅，召而不入，危而不持，亦天下之罪人也。」譚曰：「然。馥振纓中朝，素有俊彥之稱；出據方嶽，實有偏任之重，而高略不舉，往往失和，危而不持，當與天下共受其責。然謂之反，不亦誣乎！」帝意始解。) Jin Shu, vol.61

• Fang, Xuanling (ed.) (648). Book of Jin (Jin Shu).
• Sima, Guang (1084). Zizhi Tongjian.

• Jin dynasty (266–420) government officials
• Jin dynasty (266–420) generals
• 311 deaths