Hu Zhao (胡昭), courtesy name Kongming (孔明) (162 - 250), was a

hermit A hermit, also known as an eremite (adjectival form: hermitic or eremitic) or solitary, is a person who lives in seclusion. Eremitism plays a role in a variety of religions. Description In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Chr ...

and calligrapher who lived during the late Eastern Han and

Cao Wei Wei () was one of the major Dynasties in Chinese history, dynastic states in China during the Three Kingdoms period. The state was established in 220 by Cao Pi based upon the foundations laid by his father Cao Cao during the end of the Han dy ...

dynasties.

Life

Hu Zhao was from Yingchuan Commandery. He initially sought refuge in Ji province, where he declined

Yuan Shao Yuan Shao (, ; died 28 June 202), courtesy name Benchu (), was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty. He occupied the northern territories of China during the civil wars that occurred tow ...

's offer of recruitment, and lived in the countryside. When

Cao Cao Cao Cao (; ; ; 15 March 220), courtesy name Mengde, was a Chinese statesman, warlord, and poet who rose to power during the end of the Han dynasty (), ultimately taking effective control of the Han central government. He laid the foundation f ...

was appointed Minister of Works and later Imperial Chancellor, he repeatedly requested Hu Zhao to join him. While Hu accepted the offers, after joining Cao's service, he explained that he was useless in both state governance and military matters, and sincerely asked to be released from service. Cao Cao replied, "To each his own; different people have different preferences, be they serving a government or leaving service. I respect your decision and will not force you." Before

Sima Yi Sima Yi (; ; 179 CE7 September 251 CE), courtesy name Zhongda, was a Chinese military general, politician, and regent of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He formally began his political career in 208 under th ...

became a government official, he was a good friend of Hu Zhao's. A man named Zhou Sheng (周生), who hailed from the same commandery as Hu, wanted to kill Sima Yi. Once Hu Zhao heard of the plot, he went to meet Zhou in a mountainous area between the Xiao Mountains (崤山) and Mianchi County (渑池) (both in modern-day Henan). At first, Hu tried to persuade Zhou to stop the plot; Zhou refused. Hu then began crying; touched by Hu's sincerity, Zhou agree not to kill Sima. Before they parted, Hu chopped down a

jujube Jujube (UK ; US or ), sometimes jujuba, scientific name ''Ziziphus jujuba'', and also called red date, Chinese date, and Chinese jujube, is a species in the genus '' Ziziphus'' in the buckthorn family Rhamnaceae. It is often confused wit ...

tree as a part of the vow. Although Hu helped saved Sima, he never told anyone else about it. Yet, word of his honour and reputation spread among the people in his hometown. Hu Zhao was well versed in historical texts. His calligraphy, alongside those of

Zhong Yao Zhong Yao (鍾繇, 151 – April or May 230), also referred to as Zhong You, courtesy name Yuanchang (元常), was a Chinese calligrapher and politician who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty and Three Kingdoms period of China. He serv ...

Handan Chun Handan Chun (), courtesy name Zishu () or Zili (), also known as Handan Zhu (), was a writer, calligrapher, and official from Yingchuan Commandery (modern day Yuzhou, Henan) who served the state of Cao Wei during the early 3rd century. As a cal ...

, Wei Ji (卫觊), and Wei Dan (韦诞) were widely emulated by others. One final attempt was made to recruit him in 250, but did not succeed due to his death at the age of 88.(至嘉平二年，公车特征，会卒，年八十九) ''Sanguozhi'', vol.11

References

{{reflist 162 births 250 deaths Han dynasty calligraphers 2nd-century Chinese calligraphers