Biography & Historical Record
Zhuge Chuo (诸葛绰, Gia Cát Xước) was a military officer and noble scion of the Eastern Wu state during the Three Kingdoms period. Hailing from Yangdu County, Langya Commandery (present-day Yinan County, Shandong Province), he belonged to the distinguished Langya Zhuge clan. He was the eldest son of the Wu Grand Tutor and regent Zhuge Ke (诸葛恪, Gia Cát Khác), grandson of Grand Marshal Zhuge Jin (诸葛瑾, Gia Cát Cẩn), and grandnephew of Shu Han Prime Minister Zhuge Liang (诸葛亮, Gia Cát Lượng). Due to his family’s high standing, Zhuge Chuo entered officialdom early, serving as Commandant of Cavalry (骑都尉).
During the late reign of Sun Quan (孙权, Tôn Quyền), the imperial court was fractured by the destructive succession dispute known as the Two Palaces Struggle (二宫之争). While Zhuge Ke supported Crown Prince Sun He, Zhuge Chuo secretly aligned with the rival faction of Sun Ba, Prince of Lu. When Sun Quan resolved the feud in 250 AD by forcing Sun Ba to commit suicide, those in Sun Ba’s faction faced severe punishment. To protect his political ambition and demonstrate absolute loyalty, Zhuge Ke refused to plead for his eldest son, instead imprisoning Zhuge Chuo and forcing him to drink poison. The tragic death of Zhuge Chuo highlighted Zhuge Ke’s ruthless ambition, foreshadowing the total annihilation of his line during Sun Jun’s coup in 253 AD.
Role in Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Chapter 108 (In the Snow, Ding Feng Defeats the Enemy; With a Ruse, Zhuge Ke Crushes the Invaders): While Zhuge Chuo (诸葛绰, Gia Cát Xước) does not take the center battlefield stage in the novel, his historical tragedy reflects the volatile internal strife within Eastern Wu. The stern ruthlessness exhibited by Zhuge Ke (诸葛恪, Gia Cát Khác) toward his own household foreshadowed his eventual arrogance and fall at the hands of Sun Jun (孙峻, Tôn Tuấn).
Zhuge Chuo (诸葛绰) — Historical & Literary Timeline
Mid-3rd Century AD
Early Career as Cavalry Commandant
Appointed Commandant of Cavalry in Eastern Wu due to the high stature of the Langya Zhuge clan.
240s AD
Involvement in Two Palaces Struggle
Aligns with Prince of Lu Sun Ba against his father’s backing of Crown Prince Sun He.
250 AD
Fall of Sun Ba’s Faction
Sun Ba is forced to commit suicide; Zhuge Chuo’s illicit ties to the prince are exposed.
250 AD / Ch. 108
Execution by Poison
Forced to drink poison by his own father Zhuge Ke to shield Zhuge Ke’s political standing.
See Sanguozhi 64 (Biography of Zhuge Ke) and Zhuge Ke.
Key Relationships
Family
- Father Zhuge Ke (诸葛恪, Gia Cát Khác): Grand Tutor and regent of Eastern Wu who forced Zhuge Chuo to drink poison.
- Grandfather Zhuge Jin (诸葛瑾, Gia Cát Cẩn): Grand Marshal of Wu and trusted elder statesman under Sun Quan.
- Granduncle Zhuge Liang (诸葛亮, Gia Cát Lượng): Prime Minister of Shu Han.
- Younger brother Zhuge Song (诸葛悚, Gia Cát Tủng): Executed during the extermination of Zhuge Ke’s clan in 253 AD.
- Younger brother Zhuge Jian (诸葛建, Gia Cát Kiến): Fled toward Wei but was caught and executed in 253 AD.
Friends
- Sun Ba (孙霸, Tôn Phách): Prince of Lu whose faction Zhuge Chuo secretly supported during the imperial succession struggle.
Enemies
- Rival court factions in Eastern Wu who exposed his ties to Sun Ba.
Other
- Sun Quan (孙权, Tôn Quyền): Emperor of Eastern Wu who ordered the purging of Sun Ba’s faction in 250 AD.
- Sun He (孙和, Tôn Hòa): Crown Prince whose supporters opposed Sun Ba during the Two Palaces Struggle.
In Novel
Chapter 108
- Zhuge Chuo (诸葛绰, Gia Cát Xước): Reflected in the historical background of Zhuge Ke (诸葛恪, Gia Cát Khác)'s rise to absolute power in Wu. As Zhuge Ke's eldest son, his execution by poison on his father's orders demonstrated the unyielding ruthlessness that defined Zhuge Ke's regency prior to his demise at the hands of Sun Jun (孙峻, Tôn Tuấn).
In History
Summary
- Zhuge Chuo (诸葛绰, Gia Cát Xước) was the eldest son of Zhuge Ke and Commandant of Cavalry who was forced to drink poison by his father in 250 AD for backing Sun Ba.
Year: 250 AD
- Sanguozhi 64 records that after Sun Ba was forced to commit suicide, Zhuge Chuo's complicity was revealed, whereupon Zhuge Ke poisoned him to purge his own family name.
Historical Record
- Sanguozhi 64 (Wu Book 19, Biography of Zhuge Ke); Jiang Biao Zhuan. Chen Shou highlights Zhuge Ke's merciless handling of his own son as a reflection of his unyielding political arrogance.
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