Zhong Hui (225 – 3 March 264), courtesy name Shiji, was a Chinese calligrapher, essayist, military general, and politician of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was the younger son of Zhang Changpu with Zhong Yao, who served as the Grand Tutor in the Wei imperial court. He was already known for being insightful, intelligent and knowledgeable since he was young. Zhong Hui rose to prominence in the 250s when he became a close aide to Sima Zhao, the regent and de facto ruler of Wei. He advised Sima Zhao on how to deal with Zhuge Dan's Rebellion in Shouchun from 257 to 258 and was highly regarded by the latter. With Sima Zhao's help, Zhong Hui steadily moved up the ranks and became one of the key figures in the Wei government.
In 263, the Wei imperial court ordered Zhong Hui, Deng Ai and Zhuge Xu to lead separate armies to attack and conquer Wei's rival state, Shu Han. During and after the campaign against Shu, Zhong Hui framed Zhuge Xu and Deng Ai for cowardice and treason respectively, and seized command of their troops. By the time Shu surrendered to Wei in 263, Zhong Hui was in full control of all the Wei military forces in Shu territory. In 264, with backing from Jiang Wei, a former Shu general, Zhong Hui started a rebellion against Sima Zhao. However, the revolt failed when Zhong Hui's plan to purge several Wei officers – because he was worried that they would not support him – was leaked out. The officers escaped from custody, regrouped with their men, mutinied against Zhong Hui, and killed him and Jiang Wei.
Early life and career Zhong Hui's ancestral home was in Changshe County (), Yingchuan Commandery (), which is located east of present-day Changge, Henan. He was the younger son of Zhong Yao, who served as the Grand Tutor () in the Wei imperial court; he was about five years old when Zhong Yao died in 230. At a young age, he was already known for being insightful and intelligent.(鍾會字士季，潁川長社人，太傅繇小子也。少敏惠夙成。) Sanguozhi vol. 28. His mother, Zhang Changpu, was known for being very strict with her son and for her influential role in his early education.
The Wei official Jiang Ji wrote in one of his works that one can tell what a person's character is like by observing his/her eye pupils. When Zhong Hui was four years old, his father sent him to meet Jiang Ji, who noted that the boy was extraordinary. By the time Zhong Hui reached adulthood, he was already famous for being hardworking, well read, and versed in different types of arts. During the Zhengshi era (240–249) of the reign of Cao Fang, he served as a Gentleman Cadet of the Imperial Library () and was later promoted to Attendant Gentleman of the Palace Writers and Masters of Writing (). He was awarded the title of a Secondary Marquis () when Cao Mao ascended the throne in 254.(中護軍蔣濟著論，謂「觀其眸子，足以知人。」會年五歲，繇遣見濟，濟甚異之，曰：「非常人也。」及壯，有才數技藝，而愽學精練名理，以夜續晝，由是獲聲譽。正始中，以為秘書郎，遷尚書中書侍郎。高貴鄉公即尊位，賜爵關內侯。) Sanguozhi vol. 28.
Zhong Hui studied the Yijing. After his death, a 20-volume book titled Dao Lun () was discovered in his house. The book, which was believed to be written by Zhong Hui, discussed either Legalist or Logician philosophy even though its title suggests it was about Taoism. When he reached adulthood, his fame placed him on par with the philosopher Wang Bi,(會常論易無玄體、才性同異。及會死後，於會家得書二十篇，名曰道論，而實刑名家也，其文似會。初，會弱冠與山陽王弼並知名。弼好論儒道，辭才逸辯，注易及老子，為尚書郎，年二十餘卒。) Sanguozhi vol. 28. who was about the same age as him.
Gaining the attention of Sima Shi The Shiyu recorded an incident about how Zhong Hui came to the attention of the Wei regent Sima Shi. Sima Shi instructed Yu Song (), the Prefect of the Palace Writers (), to draft a memorandum. He was not satisfied after reading Yu Song's draft and ordered him to rewrite. Yu Song was unable to think of a better way to write the memorandum after racking his brains and felt gloomy. Zhong Hui noticed Yu Song looked troubled, so he offered to help him and changed five words in the memorandum. Yu Song was pleased after looking through Zhong Hui's edits and he presented the revised draft to Sima Shi later. After reading it, Sima Shi asked him, "You didn't make these changes. Who edited it?" Yu Song replied, "Zhong Hui. I've been wanting to recommend him to you, my lord. Now that you asked, I shan't keep him to myself anymore." Sima Shi said, "He's capable of shouldering greater responsibilities. Summon him." When Yu Song informed Zhong Hui that Sima Shi wanted to meet him, Zhong asked him about Sima's abilities, to which Yu replied, "He's learned, wise and multi-talented." Zhong Hui stayed at home for about ten days, during which he refused to meet any visitors and carefully thought about what he would say to Sima Shi. On the day he met Sima Shi, he entered Sima's residence early in the morning and left only at midnight. After Zhong Hui left, Sima Shi remarked, "He's truly a great talent capable of assisting rulers."(世語曰：司馬景王命中書令虞松作表，再呈輒不可意，命松更定。以經時，松思竭不能改，心苦之，形於顏色。會察其有憂，問松，松以實荅。會取視，為定五字。松恱服，以呈景王，王曰：「不當爾邪，誰所定也？」松曰：「鍾會。向亦欲啟之，會公見問，不敢饕其能。」王曰：「如此，可大用，可令來。」會問松王所能，松曰：「博學明識，無所不貫。」會乃絕賔客，精思十日，平旦入見，至鼓二乃出。出後，王獨拊手歎息曰：「此真王佐材也！」) Wei Jin Shiyu annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 28.
Pei Songzhi cast doubts on the Shiyu account. He felt that it was unlikely that Yu Song had to recommend Zhong Hui to Sima Shi, because Sima would most probably have already at least heard of Zhong due to the following reasons. First, Zhong Hui came from an elite family background. Second, he was already famous when he was still a youth. Third, he started serving in the Wei government as soon as he reached the age of adulthood. Pei also believed that it was impossible for anyone to be able to tell, simply by reading a piece of writing, that a person who edited a few words in it is capable of shouldering greater responsibilities.(臣松之以為鍾會名公之子，聲譽夙著，弱冠登朝，已歷顯仕，景王為相，何容不悉，而方於定虞松表然後乃蒙接引乎？設使先不相識，但見五字而便知可大用，雖聖人其猶病諸，而況景王哉？) Pei Songzhi's annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 28.
Role in the Shouchun rebellions Sima Zhao's rise to power
In 255,Zizhi Tongjian vol. 76. when the Wei generals Guanqiu Jian and Wen Qin started a rebellion in Shouchun (壽春; present-day Shou County, Anhui), Sima Shi led Wei imperial forces to suppress the revolt, with Zhong Hui accompanying him as an assistant officer. Sima Shi's younger brother, Sima Zhao, followed behind with another army to support them. Sima Shi died in Xuchang after the rebellion was suppressed. He was succeeded by Sima Zhao, who took over command of his troops. At the time, the Wei emperor Cao Mao ordered Sima Zhao to remain in Xuchang and Fu Jia to lead the armies back to the imperial capital, Luoyang. Zhong Hui conspired with Fu Jia to urge Sima Zhao to disregard the emperor's order and lead the troops to a garrison at the south of the Luo River () near Luoyang. Sima Zhao became the new regent and continued to remain in control of the Wei government as his brother did before him. Zhong Hui was appointed as a Gentleman of the Yellow Gate () and awarded the title "Marquis of Dongwu Village" () with 300 taxable households in his marquisate.(毌丘儉作亂，大將軍司馬景王東征，會從，典知密事，衞將軍司馬文王為大軍後繼。景王薨於許昌，文王緫統六軍，會謀謨帷幄。時中詔勑尚書傅嘏，以東南新定，權留衞將軍屯許昌為內外之援，令嘏率諸軍還。會與嘏謀，使嘏表上，輒與衞將軍俱發，還到雒水南屯住。於是朝廷拜文王為大將軍、輔政，會遷黃門侍郎，封東武亭侯，邑三百戶。) Sanguozhi vol. 28.
Helping to suppress Zhuge Dan's rebellion
In 257, the Wei imperial court summoned the general Zhuge Dan, who was stationed in Shouchun, to return to Luoyang to serve as the Excellency of Works (). At the time, Zhong Hui was practising filial mourning because his mother recently died. However, he immediately stopped mourning and went to warn Sima Zhao when he foresaw that Zhuge Dan would disobey the order. Sima Zhao felt that it was troublesome to change the order since it had already been sent out so he did not take any action. Zhuge Dan started a rebellion in Shouchun later. Zhong Hui accompanied Sima Zhao as he led imperial forces to attack the rebels.(甘露二年，徵諸葛誕為司空，時會喪寧在家，策誕必不從命，馳白文王。文王以事已施行，不復追改。及誕反，車駕住項，文王至壽春，會復從行。) Sanguozhi vol. 28.
When Zhuge Dan rebelled in Shouchun, Sun Chen, the regent of Wei's rival state Eastern Wu, ordered the general Quan Yì () and others to lead Wu forces to support Zhuge Dan. Quan Yì had disagreements with his relatives Quan Hui () and Quan Yí (), who were in the Wu capital, Jianye (建業; present-day Nanjing, Jiangsu). Quan Hui and Quan Yí brought along their families and followers and defected to Wei. When Zhong Hui received news about their defection, he suggested to Sima Zhao to ask Quan Hui and Quan Yí to write a secret letter to Quan Yì and lie to him that Sun Chen was displeased by Quan Yì's failure to conquer Shouchun and wanted to execute Quan Yì's family, hence they decided to defect to Wei. Quan Yì became fearful so he brought along his troops and surrendered to Sima Zhao. Without support from Wu, Zhuge Dan's rebels were defeated by Sima Zhao's forces and Shouchun was taken back by Wei. Zhong Hui was more highly regarded than before by Sima Zhao due to the success of his plan. His contemporaries also compared him to Zhang Liang, a strategist who served under the Han dynasty's founder, Emperor Gao.(初，吳大將全琮，孫權之婚親重臣也，琮子懌、孫靜、從子端、翩、緝等，皆將兵來救誕。懌兄子輝、儀留建業，與其家內爭訟，携其母，將部曲數十家渡江，自歸文王。會建策，密為輝、儀作書，使輝、儀所親信齎入城告懌等，說吳中怒懌等不能拔壽春，欲盡誅諸將家，故逃來歸命。懌等恐懼，遂將所領開東城門出降，皆蒙封寵，城中由是乖離。壽春之破，會謀居多，親待日隆，時人謂之子房。) Sanguozhi vol. 28.
After Zhong Hui returned to Luoyang, the Wei imperial court offered him the position of Minister Coachman (), but he turned down the offer and chose to be a clerk in Sima Zhao's office. He was one of Sima Zhao's close aides. Later, the imperial court wanted to enfeoff him as the "Marquis of Chen" () to honour him for his contributions in suppressing Zhuge Dan's rebellion, but he declined to accept the marquis title. The court respected his decision and appointed him as the Colonel-Director of Retainers () instead. Zhong Hui was still heavily involved in politics in the imperial court even though he did not serve in the court. He also played a major role in instigating Sima Zhao to execute Ji Kang.(軍還，遷為太僕，固辭不就。以中郎在大將軍府管記室事，為腹心之任。以討諸葛誕功，進爵陳侯，屢讓不受。詔曰：「會典綜軍事，參同計策，料敵制勝，有謀謨之勳，而推寵固讓，辭指款實，前後累重，志不可奪。夫成功不處，古人所重，其聽會所執，以成其美。」遷司隷校尉。雖在外司，時政損益，當世與奪，無不綜與。嵇康等見誅，皆會謀也。) Sanguozhi vol. 28.
Conquest of Shu
Strategic planning and opening moves Between 247 and 262, Jiang Wei, a general from Wei's rival state Shu Han, led a series of military campaigns to attack Wei's western borders, but failed to make any significant territorial gains. Sima Zhao felt that Shu was growing weak and lacking in resources after all the campaigns, hence he wanted to launch a large-scale invasion of Shu to eliminate it. Among those he consulted, only Zhong Hui agreed that Shu could be conquered. Zhong Hui assisted Sima Zhao in formulating a strategy for the conquest of Shu.(文王以蜀大將姜維屢擾邊陲，料蜀國小民疲，資力單竭，欲大舉圖蜀。惟會亦以為蜀可取，豫共籌度地形，考論事勢。) Sanguozhi vol. 28.
In the winter of 262–263, Zhong Hui was appointed General Who Guards the West () and granted imperial authority to manage military affairs in the Guanzhong region. Sima Zhao also mobilised military forces from the various provinces in Wei and ordered Tang Zi to oversee the construction of warships in preparation for an invasion on Wei's other rival state, Eastern Wu.(景元三年冬，以會為鎮西將軍、假節都督關中諸軍事。文王勑青、徐、兖、豫、荊、揚諸州，並使作船，又令唐咨作浮海大船，外為將伐吳者。) Sanguozhi vol. 28.