Zhou Qi (Jin dynasty)

Zhou Qi was a member of the Zhou clan of Yangxian County in Wuxing Commandery (吳興, roughly modern Huzhou, Zhejiang) as the son of Zhou Chu. His father was a folk hero in their hometown during the Eastern Wu period, known for "eradicating the Three Scourges" (周處除三害), and later died in battle during Qi Wannian's rebellion while serving the Jin dynasty. Zhou Qi was described as possessing his father's strength and perseverance, but lacking his talent in literature. He often kept to himself and was careful in making friends, yet for this reason, he was well-respected among his friends and the scholar-officials in Jiangnan.

After reaching adulthood, Zhou Qi refused to accept offers to serve in a county or commandery office. It was not until when he met a newly-appointed Inspector of Yang province, who showed him proper humility and etiquette, that he accepted a position as an aide-de-camp. Eventually, he was recommended as xiucai and was promoted to a Counsellor.^[3]

In 303, the Man official, Zhang Chang led a major rebellion against Jin in Jing province, spilling over to neighbouring provinces in the south. Although he was defeated and forced into hiding later that year, his follower, Shi Bing was still at large and captured Yang province with his army. Under Shi Bing's occupation, Zhou Qi planned to defeat him, and so he conspired with the former Interior Minister of Nanping, Wang Ju (王矩). They recommended the Prefect of Wuxing, Gu Mi (顧秘; son of Gu Ti)^[b] to lead their forces as Chief Controller of Nine Commanderies in Yang, and sent calls to rally the local gentry. He Xun, Gan Zhuo, Ge Hong and others all joined forces with Zhou Qi, and he led them to attack Shi Bing's Administrator of Wuxing, Ou Shan (區山), killing him and his chief clerks. When Shi Bing heard that Zhou Qi had raised an army, he sent his general Qiang Du (羌毒) to intercept him, but he was routed.

In early 304, the Jin general, Chen Min was leading an army from Shouchun to support Zhou Qi. Chen Min and Zhou Qi were able to link up and besieged Shi Bing at Jianye. After a month of siege, Shi Bing fled to a fellow rebel leader Feng Yun (封雲) in Xu province, where they were both assassinated by a subordinate of the latter as Chen Min attacked them. With Yang province pacified, Zhou Qi returned to his hometown and disbanded his army, never reporting his achievements and refusing awards from the imperial court.^[4]

Meanwhile, Chen Min was rewarded, and in 305, he served as a general under the Prince of Donghai, Sima Yue against the Prince of Hejian, Sima Yong. However, as the princes were preoccupied with their war, Chen Min took the opportunity to occupy the Jiangnan with his forces. He gave out many titles to the local gentry to consolidate his rule, but Zhou Qi was one of the few who refused to serve him, claiming that he was ill.

In 307, two years since Chen Min's takeover, Sima Yue had won his civil war, prompting the Interior Minister of Lujiang, Hua Tan to send out stern letters to the Jiangnan gentry criticizing them for their inaction against Chen Min. Zhou Qi received the letter and felt shame, so he conspired with other Jin loyalists to overthrow Chen Min. They secretly informed the Jin general, Liu Zhun (劉準) in Shouchun regarding their plot and asked him to send his soldiers south of the Yangzi while they acted from within. The conspirators pledged their allegiance by cutting their hair, a taboo in Confucian filial piety, as Liu Zhun ordered Liu Ji (劉機), Heng Yan (衡彥) and others to campaign against Chen Min. Chen Min sent his brother, Chen Chang (陳昶) to repel the Jin army. One of Chen Chang's subordinates, Qian Guang (錢廣) was from the same commandery as Zhou Qi, so Zhou Qi persuaded and instigated him to betray and assassinate Chen Chang. Later, Zhou Qi and his ally, Gu Rong also persuaded Gan Zhuo to defect to Jin. Through the combined effort of the Jin forces, Chen Min was soon defeated and executed.^[5]

Zhou Qi's reputation caught the attention of Sima Yue, who wanted to recruit him as a military officer. He was given a promotion to Gentleman of the Masters of Writing and Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary, but he turned them both down. Following Chen Min's defeat, the Prince of Langya, Sima Rui was assigned to Jianye, and he assigned Zhou Qi as the Assistant Granary Manager.

In 310, Sima Yue summoned the general Qian Hui from Wuxing to the capital in Luoyang. At the time, the Jin was at war with the Xiongnu-led Han-Zhao dynasty in the north. Qian Hui marched up to Guangling before hearing that the capital was facing attacks by the Han general, Liu Cong. He was reluctant to go any further, and with the emperor pressuring him with the deadline, he planned to rebel. The Inspector of Yang province, Wang Dun was also summoned to the capital, so Qian Hui wanted to kill him to kick off his rebellion. However, Wang Dun escaped to Jianye, where he informed Sima Rui about the situation.

Qian Hui soon rebelled and invaded Yangxian County. Sima Rui sent Guo Yi (郭逸) and Song Dian (宋典)^[c] to attack him, but the two generals initially did not dare to engage him as they had very little troops. Zhou Qi personally gathered people from his hometown to join them in their campaign, killing Qian Hui and sending his head to Jianye. Zhou Qi had pacified Jiangnan for the third time.^[6]