生平

朱异的父亲朱巽之以义烈知名，官至南朝齐江夏王参军、吴平县令。朱异年轻时，涉猎文史，兼通杂艺博弈书算。503年，在他21岁的时候，被梁武帝的宰相沈约面试，给沈约很深的印象。当时年满24岁才能为官，他21岁被破格提拔为扬州议曹从事史。那年，梁武帝召朱异入直西省，兼太学博士。梁武帝自讲《孝经》，命朱异执读。转任尚书仪曹郎、中书通事舍人、鸿胪卿、太子右卫率、加员外常侍。524年，梁武帝北伐，北魏徐州刺史元法僧以彭城降梁，梁武帝怀疑，朱异认为元法僧不是诈降，建议梁武帝接受。梁武帝参与机密的大臣周舍去世，朱异为梁武帝参掌机密。办公不暂停笔，顷刻之间，诸事便了。535年，侍中徐勉去世，朱异虽无侍中之名，但有侍中之实。朱异虽有能力但非常贪婪，经常接受大量的礼物，将行贿的人推荐给梁武帝。

司马光在《资治通鉴》评价朱异：

547年，东魏（在华北接替北魏）将领侯景，在高欢死后不愿臣服高欢的儿子高澄，献出他统领的淮河与黄河之间的十三个州给梁朝。梁武帝对是否接受了侯景的投降犹豫不决，怕失去了与东魏长久和平的局面。朱异看出了梁武帝扩张领土之心，积极劝说梁武帝接受侯景。但侯景和梁武帝的侄子贞阳侯萧渊明率领支援的军队，都被东魏将领慕容绍宗击败。萧渊明被俘，侯景的领地也全属东魏。梁武帝以侯景为南豫州（今安徽中部）刺史。朱异建议和东魏讲和。侯景十分担心，他向朱异送礼，请朱异停止议和建议。朱异收礼但是没有代为请求。同时，梁武帝的侄子鄱阳王萧范提醒朝廷侯景准备谋反，但是朱异不以为然。不久，侯景怀疑他被出卖了，他伪造了高澄给梁武帝以萧渊明换侯景的书信。朱异认为侯景没有异动，劝梁武帝接受高澄的条件。侯景得知大骂吴儿老翁薄心肠。于548年反梁，宣称清除奸臣朱异、徐麟、陆验、周石珍。这时，朱异也没有意识到侯景的危险，将军羊侃建议一定阻止侯景过长江，朱异不以为然，梁武帝什么都没有做，侯景很容易就渡过长江，兵围梁都建康。

围城期间，侯景再次强调他是为讨伐朱异而起兵。梁武帝问皇太子萧纲，侯景所称的朱异的罪责是否属实，萧纲说确实属实，但不同意梁武帝问罪于朱异，因为这样只会助长侯景的威势。朱异因此被赦免，他又参与城防，写信给侯景请他停止攻城，但无任何效果。侯景的将领范桃棒表示要杀死侯景降梁，朱异非常支持，萧纲认为是诈降，没有支持范桃棒。不久，侯景得知，杀死了范桃棒。

建康居民认为侯景之乱就是朱异的贪腐导致的。朱异又愧又惧，重病缠身，于549年去世。梁武帝赠侍中、尚书右仆射。不久后，建康陷落，南朝梁的朝政被侯景控制。

家庭

八世祖

• 朱均，东汉鸿胪卿，逃避董卓之乱迁居江东，定居于吴郡钱唐县

父母

• 朱巽之，南齐始安王记室，《南齐书》有传

• 吴郡顾氏，顾欢之女

妻妾

• 济阳江氏，南梁奉朝请江法成姐妹，戎昭将军、通直散骑侍郎、南津校尉、义子江子一姑姑

• 袁氏，朱干生母

子女

• 朱肃，长子，南梁国子博士

• 朱闰，次子，南梁司徒掾

• 朱干，第七子，袁氏所生，北周齐王宇文宪府属，追赠司成大夫、杨州刺史

• 朱斐，第八子

• 朱氏，嫁隋朝仪同三司、太子内舍人、历城侯明克让

评价

• 《资治通鉴》评价朱异：「异善伺候人主意为阿谀，用事三十年，广纳货赂，欺罔视听，远近莫不忿疾。园宅、玩好、饮膳、声色穷一时之盛。每休下，车马填门。」

• 《梁书·朱异传》评价朱异：「异居权要三十馀年，善窥人主意曲，能阿谀以承上旨，故特被宠任。历官自员外常侍至侍中，四官皆珥貂，自右卫率至领军，四职并驱卤簿，近代未之有也。异及诸子自潮沟列宅至青溪，其中有台池玩好，每暇日与宾客游焉。四方所馈，财货充积。性吝啬，未尝有散施。」

• 日本《平家物语》将赵高、王莽、朱异、安禄山称为中国历史上误国的四大奸臣。

Background

Zhu Yi was born in Qiantang County of Wu Commandery, which is in present-day Hangzhou, Zhejiang, and was a member of Zhu clan of Wu (吴郡朱氏). His father Zhu Xuanzhi (朱选之) was known for his integrity, but was only a county magistrate at the prime of his career. His mother was the daughter of Gu Huan of the Gu clan of Wu. Zhu Yi himself, when young, became known for his knowledge of the Confucian classics, history, and astrology. When he met Emperor Wu's minister Shen Yue, Shen was impressed by him, and although Zhu was not yet at the age of 24, which was generally required for junior Liang officials, Zhu was selected as an official at age 20, in 503. That year, he was selected to publicly pronounce Emperor Wu's commentaries on the Xiao Jing—an honor for junior officials—and from that point, he was repeatedly promoted. This was particularly the case after 524, when Zhu correctly judged that the rival Northern Wei's general Yuan Faseng (元法僧) was truly surrendering his garrison of Pengcheng to Liang. That year, one of Emperor Wu's co-de facto prime ministers, Zhou She, died, and after Zhou's death Zhu became increasingly involved in drafting edicts for Emperor Wu and in making judgment in some important matters. He was described to be quick in his reactions, getting work done quickly. After Xu Mian's death in 535, Zhu became de facto prime minister, although he never got that title. By this point, Zhu was considered to be capable but corrupt, often accepting large bribes and then making recommendations to Emperor Wu based on those bribes. The historian Sima Guang commented about Zhu in this manner in his Zizhi Tongjian:

Zhu was spectacular in his writing talent, and for his quick and proper reactions. He used all his effort to build up his reputation among the people. Zhu carefully served the emperor, and was good at flattering. He spent 30 years in power, and he was exceedingly corrupt, deceiving and covering the eyes of the emperor. The people of the entire empire, regardless of how far they were from the capital, hated him greatly. Zhu's garden, residence, favorite items, food, entertainment, and women were all best in the empire. Whenever he had a vacation and returned to his home, the streets were filled with the wagons of his guests.

Descent

In 547, the Eastern Wei (a branch successor state of Northern Wei) general Hou Jing, not willing to submit to Gao Cheng, the son of the paramount general Gao Huan after Gao Huan's death, surrendered his ___domain—13 provinces forming the region between the Huai River and the Yellow River—to Liang. Emperor Wu initially hesitated at accepting Hou's defection, given his long-standing peace with Eastern Wei, but Zhu, seeing how deep in his heart Emperor Wu wanted more territory, greatly encouraged him to accept Hou. However, both Hou and the army Emperor Wu sent to support Hou, commanded by Emperor Wu's nephew Xiao Yuanming the Marquess of Zhenyang, were defeated by the Eastern Wei general Murong Shaozong (慕容绍宗). Xiao Yuanming was captured by Murong, while Hou lost his entire territory. Emperor Wu made Hou the governor of Southern Yu Province (南豫州, modern central Anhui), but at Zhu's suggestion, entered into peace talks with Eastern Wei. Hou became apprehensive, and he paid a large bribe to Zhu to ask Zhu to stop the peace talks.

Zhu, who was the dominant statesmen at Emperor Wu's court, accepted Hou's bribes but refused to intercede. At the same time, not taking Hou seriously, Zhu rejected warnings from Emperor Wu's nephew Xiao Fan (萧范) the Prince of Poyang to prepare for a Hou rebellion. He dismissed Fan while saying "Jing has with him but a few hundred rebellious caitiffs. What can they do?"

Soon, Hou was suspicious that he would be betrayed, and he forged a letter from Gao Cheng, offering to trade Xiao Yuanming for Hou. Emperor Wu, after Zhu convinced him that Hou posed no actual threat, accepted—and when Hou saw this, he rebelled in 548, claiming that he was seeking to clear the court of evil officials—Zhu, along with Xu Lin (徐麟), Lu Yan (陆验), and Zhou Shizhen (周石珍). Even then, Zhu did not take Hou seriously, and when the general Yang Kan (羊侃) suggested blocking Hou's path to the Yangtze River, Zhu advised against it, and Emperor Wu did not do so, allowing Hou to cross the Yangtze easily and put the capital Jiankang under siege.

During the siege, Hou again repeatedly stated that he was only seeking to execute Zhu. When Emperor Wu asked his crown prince Xiao Gang whether the crimes that Hou accused Zhu of were true, Xiao Gang indicated that they were true—but subsequently spoke against Emperor Wu's thought of executing Zhu, arguing that doing so would only encourage Hou. Zhu was therefore spared, and subsequently participated in the city's defense, and he wrote letters to Hou trying to persuade Hou to lift the siege, to no avail. When Hou's general Fan Taobang (范桃棒) subsequently offered to defect and kill Hou, Zhu greatly advocated for the plan, but Xiao Gang suspected Fan's intentions and therefore did not act on the offer. (Hou subsequently discovered Fan's plan and executed him.)

The people of the capital all believed that Hou's rebellion was stoked by Zhu's corruption. Zhu, in embarrassment and fear, became ill. He died in 549, with the city still under siege. Emperor Wu, still believing in his faithfulness, buried him with honor.

The author of Book of Liang Yao Silian, when summarizing Zhu Yi's life, attributed his political successes in Emperor Wu's court to his craftiness.

Tang dynasty politician Wei Zheng believed that Zhu Yi was deeply trusted by Emperor Wu of Liang but the Emperor's partial and subjective trust on him was not advisable and should be avoided by any ruler.

In literature

Zhu Yi, along with Zhao Gao, Wang Mang, and An Lushan was listed as one of the four treacherous Chinese historical figures in the monogatari The Tale of the Heike. In the monogatari, the author argued that Zhu Yi caused the fall of Liang dynasty.