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Su Ze 蘇則

Jan 21, 2016 © Ulrich Theobald

Su Ze 蘇則 (d. 223), courtesy name Wenshi 文師, was an official of the early Wei period 曹魏 (220-265).

He hailed from Wugong 武功 in the commandery of Fufeng 扶風 (today's Fufeng, Shanxi) and was famous in this town for his education in the Confucian Classics. Recommended as a filial and uncorrupt person (xiaolian 孝廉) he was offered a post in the local administration, yet he refused, and was then appointed governor (taishou 太守) of the commandery of Jiuquan 酒泉, then of Anding 安定, and finally of Wudu 武都. He participated in the warlord Cao Cao's 曹操 campaign against the Daoist rebel leader Zhang Lu 張魯 and was thereupon transferred to the commandery of Jincheng 金城, a border region where he pacified the Qiang 羌 tribes and settled down refugees.

In 200 he put down the rebellion of Qu Yan 麴演. Emperor Wen 魏文帝 (r. 220-226) of the Wei dynasty rewarded him with the title of commander protecting the Qiang barbarians (hu Qiang xiaowei 護羌校尉) and the nobility title of Marquis within the Passes (guanneihou 關內侯). Su Ze continued to bring peace to the northwestern region and put down unruly barbarians as well as rebels like Zhang Jin 張進 or Huang Hua 黃華. He was therefore given the title of Neighbourhood Marquis of Duting 都亭侯 and appointed palace attendant (shizhong 侍中).

In 223 Su Ze was appointed administrator (xiang 相) of the princedom of Dongping 東平, but he died soon. His posthumous title was Marquis Gang 都亭剛侯.

Sources:
Huang Huixian 黃惠賢, ed. (1997). Ershiwushi renming da cidian 二十五史人名大辭典 (Zhengzhou: Zhongzhou guji chubanshe), Vol. 1, 114.
Zhang Huizhi 張撝之, Shen Qiwei 沈起煒, Liu Dezhong 劉德重, eds. (1999). Zhongguo lidai renming cidian 中國歷代人名大辭典 (Shanghai: Shanghai guji chubanshe), Vol. 1, 801.
Zhang Shunhui 張舜徽, ed. (1992). Sanguozhi cidian 三國志辭典 (Jinan: Shandong jiaoyu chubanshe), 688.
Zhou Weizhou 周偉洲, Ding Jingtai 丁景泰, eds. (2006). Sichou zhi lu da cidian 絲綢之路大辭典 (Xi'an: Shaanxi remin chubanshe), 643.