Eradicating the Three Scourges

A folk story about Zhou Chu appeared in the 430 book A New Account of the Tales of the World and proved to be very popular. The story claims that Zhou Chu was such a cruel and violent ruffian in his younger days that he was called one of the "Three Scourges" by the villagers in his native (present-day city of Yixing, Jiangsu), along with a tiger and a dragon.

Prompted by a villager, Zhou Chu took on the challenge to seek out and kill the tiger and the scaly dragon that lived in a stream (the jiao). His battle with this dragon endured for 3 days in Lake Tai, and the villagers were celebrating the demise of the two scourges when Zhou Chu returned triumphant with the dragon's head. That was when he realized that he was the last scourge that the villagers feared. Determined to mend his old ways, he sought out Eastern Wu generals Lu Ji and Lu Yun (陆云), and received encouragement. Eventually he became an accomplished general beloved by his people.

Death

Zhou Chu became Palace Aide to the Censor-in-Chief (御史中丞) and had no fear in indicting and exposing the wrongdoings of other ministers. He thus offended many, including Sima Rong (司马肜), son of Sima Yi and an uncle of Sima Yan, founder of Western Jin. In 296, during the reign of Sima Zhong (Sima Yan's son and successor), when Sima Rong was named the Grand General of the Western expedition to quell Qi Wannian's rebellion, Zhou Chu was named the vanguard general. His fellow general Sun Xiu warned him and suggested him to bid his aging mother a final farewell. Zhou Chu replied, "One cannot fulfill both filial piety and loyalty at the same time. Since I have already chosen to serve my country... I will die for it."

Zhou Chu was ordered to take 5,000 soldiers to attack the 70,000-strong enemy. After the attacks began, Sima Rong also ordered his supply to be cut off completely. Zhou's troops ran out of arrows and the generals assigned to reinforce him did not help. When asked to flee, Zhou Chu replied, "I am a minister of a nation. Isn't it proper to die for one's country?" He fought to his death.

After his death, Zhou Chu was posthumously appointed as General Who Pacifies the West. He had four sons, Zhou Jing (周靖), Zhou Qi, Zhou Zha and Zhou Shuo (周硕). Zhou Qi became a famous general south of the Yangzi during the fall of Western Jin, thrusting their clan into prominence. Following Emperor Yuan of Jin's ascension, Zhou Chu was given the posthumous name of "Xiao" (孝). Today, his tomb and a shrine dedicated to him can be found in Yixing, Jiangsu.

Explanatory notes

生平

除三害

周处出身世家，但年幼时就已丧父，年少时已经体力超群，喜欢骑马打猎，而且轻狂放荡，纵情肆欲，成为乡里中恶名昭彰、众人唯恐避之不及的人物。而周处自己也知道乡里讨厌自己，就有了改过之心，于是周处有一日就问乡里的长辈：「当今时局平和，又是丰年，大家为何苦闷不呢？」长辈叹道：「三害未除，何乐之有！」周处追问哪三害，得到的答案是：「南山白额虎，长桥下蛟龙，连同你就是三害了。」周处就说：「若是这些为祸，我可以消灭他们。」长辈们说：「你若是能消灭他们，不仅仅是除去祸害，而是整个郡的喜事啊！」周处就先入山射杀了猛虎，又下水与蛟龙缠斗，周处抓住蛟龙载浮载沉穿越了数十里，终在荆溪（今江苏宜兴市南之南溪）斩杀了蛟龙。周处杀蛟龙用了三日三夜，乡人见周处没有消息，以为他死了，他们都很高兴，全都互相庆贺。周处活著回来看见了，才知自己在乡民眼中是何等祸患，于是坚定起决心改过自新，变得励志好学，并有文才，志向存义烈，言谈讲忠信而守分寸。一年过后，周处得到州府辟命，历任左国史、东观令及无难督。

入仕晋朝

太康元年（280年），晋灭吴。晋军大将王浑在建业宫中开庆祝酒会，半醉时问底下的吴臣：「你们的国家亡了，不难过吗？」周处站出来说：「汉朝末年天下分崩，三国鼎立，魏国灭亡于前，吴国灭亡于后，该难过的岂只一人？」曾是魏臣的王浑面有惭色。而其后大批吴臣出仕于晋，周处名列其中，出任雍州新平郡太守，处理边疆民族问题很成功，因令叛乱的羌人归附而有美名。之后周处转任梁州广汉太守，处理争讼详细正直，平息缠讼经年案件。后来周处因母亲年迈而辞官归里，但不久又受徵为楚内史，尚未到任，又转担任散骑常侍。周处认为应当「辞大不辞小」，先到楚国赴任，对经历过战乱的当地有安抚教化、收葬无主尸骨等治绩，然后才入朝当散骑常侍，此行为人称道。

周处任散骑常侍接近皇帝，故多有规劝。后转任御史中丞，纠劾对象不避权贵；梁王司马肜违法也遭到纠举，两人于是结下梁子。元康六年（296年），秦雍一带氐羌民族反叛，首领齐万年称帝，朝内众官讨厌周处，于是以其是东吴名将之子而推荐周处出讨。元康六年（296年）十一月，朝廷任命司马肜为征西大将军、都督雍凉二州诸军事，出镇关中；周处为建威将军，隶属安西将军夏侯骏出兵叛胡。伏波将军孙秀知周处这样一去将会战死，于是对他说：「你有年老母亲，可以用这理由来辞让呀。」周处却说：「忠孝之道，怎能两全！既然离开亲人去事奉君主，父母还怎有这儿子？今天这是我死的地方。」周处自知与梁王有私怨，肯定会被其陷害，但为尽人臣之节，便不推辞，抱著必死决心西征。朝中有中书令陈准为周处讲话，警告说夏侯骏、司马肜都是皇亲国戚，不会打仗，若其令周处为先锋，必败无疑，建议让孟观领精兵万人当周处前锋；可是朝廷中人并不听从。连周处的敌人齐万年分析局势，也认为若周处当主帅，则无法抵挡；若周处受制于人，则必可擒获。

元康七年正月初四日（297年2月12日），齐万年屯兵七万于梁山（位于今陕西乾县西北），司马肜、夏侯骏逼周处仅以五千兵力发动攻击。周处抗议：「我军没有后援，必然失败，不只会死，而且为国取耻。」司马肜不听，逼迫周处前进，周处只好和振威将军卢播及雍州刺史解系进攻六陌（今陕西乾县东），就在与齐万年军接战前，周处的士兵连饭都没吃就被司马肜逼上战场，更不派后援给他们。周处知必败无疑，临战赋诗：「去去世事已，策马观西戎。藜藿甘粱黍，期之克令终。」接著就率军奋勇杀敌，杀了数以万计的敌人，终于弦绝矢尽，而与他一同进攻的卢播及解系皆不救援。旁人劝周处撤退，他却按著剑说：「这是我效忠死节之日，为甚么要撤退！古代良将受命，凿开凶险之门而出，都是有进无退。现在诸军辜负信诺，士气一定不振。我作为大臣，以身殉国，亦可以呀！」遂力战至死。

周处获朝廷追赠平西将军，并有一百万钱，一顷墓葬之地，以及五十亩京城土地作为府第，又赐王家近田五顷，并特别恩恤周处母亲，赐其终身医药酒米。晋元帝称晋王，经太常贺循议决，追封諡周处为清流亭孝侯。时今江苏省无锡宜兴有「周王庙」，奉祀周处。

墓葬

在江苏宜兴，一直都有一个叫「周墓墩」的土丘，被历朝历代看作是周处的墓葬。

1952年，宜兴一中学在「周墓墩」附近掘土时发现了两座魏晋墓葬。考古队从墓中出土了许多香薰炉和陶器，其中一号墓中出土的鎏金铜带饰最为珍贵，材质为包含85%的铝，10%的铜和5%的锰的合金。这种器物在考古界是少见的。

一号墓中出土了纪年砖，内容是「元康七年九月廿日阳羡所作周前将军砖」。阳羡则是宜兴的别称，周处殉国于元康七年（公元297年）且姓周，其军衔也是将军，且「前将军」必定是称呼已经去世或离职的将领，因此基本确定一号墓为周处墓。周处遗骨检测后是「四十岁以上的男性」，这更加佐证了一号墓是周处的最终之所。有意思的是，周处的头骨比一般人的更厚，达到10毫米。因为与一号墓相关联的二号墓出土有小孩遗骨，考古学家猜测其很可能是周处早逝的第二子周靖的。

逸事

《晋书》《建康实录》《世说新语》都指出周处除三害之后有去拜访名士陆机、陆云兄弟，但只找到陆云。他对陆云告以实情，称自己想改过自新，但已蹉跎岁月，恐怕来不及了。陆云勉励周处说：「古人珍视改过迅速，你尚有前途呀。而且只怕定不下志向，哪会怕名不显露。」经此鼓励，周处亦成功改过。不过，这些记述遭后世史家怀疑其真确性。

孙皓即位，立《国山碑》，周处时任太常。

著作

周处著有《默语》三十篇及《风土记》，也曾撰集吴国历史。《风土记》是记述地方风俗的名著，今人查考端午、七夕、重阳等等习俗，所依据的便是这一部《风土记》。

子女

• 周靖，早卒

• 周玘，曾为东晋三定江南，但因与侨姓士族摩擦而打算与其他江南士族起事反抗，失败后忧愤而死。

• 周札，在晋官至右将军，他反对周勰杀侨姓士族复仇；王敦之乱时守衞石头城，打开城门迎王敦入城令其得势，但为王敦所杀。

• 周硕，亦早卒

注脚

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