生平

諸葛融生於尊榮顯貴之門，年少驕傲放縱和享樂，喜好學習章句但好而不精通，性格寬容且技藝多。多次以平民身份參加朝會，後來拜騎都尉。赤烏年間，新都都尉陳表、吳郡都尉顧承等率領部隊在毗陵耕作，男女人數各有數萬。陳表病死後，孫權以諸葛融代替他的職務，後代理父親兼管。

241年（赤烏四年），父親諸葛瑾逝世，諸葛恪自己已被封侯，因此由諸葛融繼承宛陵侯爵位，並且代為帶領父親的部隊，駐守公安。

250年，曹魏將領王昶率軍攻打江陵，不克而撤退。朱績與諸葛融書信道：「昶遠來疲睏，馬無所食，力屈而走，此天助也。今追之力少，可引兵相繼，吾欲破之於前，足下乘之於後，豈一人之功哉，宜同斷金之義。（王昶遠道而來感到疲睏，馬無糧可食，沒有辦法而撤走，此實在是天助我們。現今追弱少的他們，可率兵追殺，我想在前攻破他們，你可在後乘勢追擊，豈會是一人之功呢，宜一起有斷金之義。）」諸葛融答應朱績。朱績率兵追殺王昶至紀南，此地離城三十里，朱績先到與敵戰得勝，諸葛融卻沒有推進，朱績最後也因而失利，被王昶用計大敗，鐘離茂、許旻被斬。孫權對朱績大為嘉許，責怒諸葛融，但因諸葛融之兄大將軍諸葛恪身為貴冑，所以諸葛融未被廢棄。起初，朱績與諸葛恪、諸葛融已不太喜歡對方，直至今次事件，仇怨更深。

孫權死後，諸葛融任奮威將軍。

諸葛恪要攻擊淮南，先要求朱績一起合力，後又要他留置半州，而代以諸葛融假節領軍入沔水，準備迎擊曹魏從西方來的軍隊。但是在此時，孫峻發動政變誅殺諸葛恪，並派無難督施寬領朱績、將軍孫壹和全煕等追捕諸葛融。諸葛融聽到有軍隊將至，驚懼猶豫，不能下決定。兵到圍城，諸葛恪已經被誅殺，諸葛融飲毒藥而死。江表傳記載，先前公安有一隻靈鼉叫，童謠說：「白鼉叫，龜背平，南郡城中的人就可以長生，為了守護性命而不死就不會成義」。諸葛融果然刮下金龜印服下而死，三個兒子也被誅殺。

性格

• 部曲的吏士親近依附諸葛融，當時疆外沒有戰事，秋冬兩季就打獵或討論武技，春夏兩季則宴請賓客參加盛大宴會，有的休假兵卒也會不惜遠途到訪。每次盛大宴會都要歷問賓客，各人說出自己的才能，並一起合床坐席靠近，互相打量找到適合的對手，其中有奕棋、樗蒲、投壺弓彈等類別的遊戲；帶著甘果在宴會前進，清酒伴隨慢行，諸葛融在四周瀏覽，整天觀看也不會厭倦。

• 父親諸葛瑾和兄長諸葛恪即使在軍旅但衣著樸素，而諸葛融則則穿「錦罽文繡」，獨顯奢侈華貴。

Family background

Zhuge Rong was the third son of Zhuge Jin, a military general who served under Wu's founding emperor, Sun Quan. He had two elder brothers: Zhuge Ke and Zhuge Qiao. His second uncle, Zhuge Liang, served as the Imperial Chancellor of Wu's ally state, Shu. As Zhuge Liang initially had no son, he adopted Zhuge Qiao. Like their father, both Zhuge Ke and Zhuge Rong served as generals in Wu. Zhuge Rong also had a sister who married Zhang Cheng, a Wu general. Zhang Cheng and Zhuge Rong's sister had a daughter who married Sun Quan's third son, Sun He.

Early life

In his younger days, Zhuge Rong was known for being spoiled, brash and thrill-seeking, largely because of his elite family background. Although he enjoyed reading and had a wide breadth of knowledge, he did not specialise in any particular field. He was also known for being understanding and tolerant, and for being skilful in a range of arts and crafts. Before he reached adulthood, he had already been invited on numerous occasions to attend Sun Quan's imperial court as a civilian observer. After he came of age, he was commissioned as a Cavalry Commandant (騎都尉) in the Wu military.

Service under Sun Quan

During the Chiwu era (238–251) of Sun Quan's reign, Chen Biao and Gu Cheng led the tens of thousands of residents in their respective commanderies to Piling County (毗陵縣; present-day Changzhou, Jiangsu) to work on an agricultural project. After Chen Biao died, Sun Quan ordered Zhuge Rong to replace Chen Biao as the Commandant of Xindu Commandery (新都郡; around present-day Yi County, Anhui).

Following Zhuge Jin's death in 241, Zhuge Rong inherited his father's peerage as the Marquis of Wanling (宛陵侯) and took control of the troops stationed at Gong'an County who used to be under his father's command. When Zhuge Rong assumed command at Gong'an County near Wu's western border, the area was rather peaceful. The troops also willingly submitted to his command. While he was at Gong'an County, Zhuge Rong spent his time hunting and training in combat during autumn and winter, and hosting parties during spring and summer. Some of his men even returned to camp to attend his parties when they were on leave. During the party, the guests chatted or played games such as chupu, weiqi, touhu and slingshot, while feasting on fruits, snacks and alcoholic drinks. Zhuge Rong would walk around and mingle with them; he never grew tired of such parties. When Zhuge Rong's father Zhuge Jin and brother Zhuge Ke served in the military, they wore simple and plain clothing with no decorations. Zhuge Rong, in contrast, enjoyed wearing lavishly designed clothes to highlight his "special" status.

In 250, Wang Chang, a senior general from Wu's rival state Wei, led the Wei forces to attack the Wu-controlled Jiangling County (江陵縣; in present-day Jingzhou, Hubei). When Wang Chang was withdrawing his troops after failing to breach Jiangling County's walls, the Wu general Shi Ji wrote to Zhuge Rong: "(Wang) Chang has come a long way; he and his men are weary and their horses have no more fodder. Heaven is on our side. I don't have enough men to attack them so I hope you can lead your troops to support me. I will attack them from the front while you can mop them up from the rear. The glory won't be only mine; this is an opportunity for us to work together." After Zhuge Rong promised to help him, Shi Ji then led his troops to attack Wang Chang and his men at Jinan (紀南), which was located about 30 li away from Jiangling County. Although Shi Ji initially had the upper hand, he ultimately lost the battle when Zhuge Rong broke his promise and did not show up to help him. After the battle, Sun Quan praised Shi Ji, but severely reprimanded Zhuge Rong and wanted to relieve him of his appointment. However, he eventually pardoned Zhuge Rong as he had to "give face" to Zhuge Rong's brother Zhuge Ke, whom he favoured and heavily relied on. As Shi Ji was initially already not on good terms with Zhuge Ke and Zhuge Rong, this incident further deepened the rift between him and the Zhuge brothers.

Service under Sun Liang

After Sun Quan died in 252, his youngest son Sun Liang succeeded him as the emperor of Wu, with Zhuge Rong's brother Zhuge Ke serving as regent for the young emperor. Zhuge Rong was promoted to General of Vehement Might (奮威將軍). In the spring of 253, when Zhuge Ke was away leading Wu forces to attack the Wei fortress of Xincheng at Hefei, he requested support from Shi Ji's units but did not bring Shi Ji along and instead ordered him to remain at Banzhou (半州). He then granted Zhuge Rong acting imperial authority and ordered him to take command of Shi Ji's units and lead them towards the Mian River to attack Wei reinforcements coming from the west to reinforce Xincheng.

Death

In late 253, Sun Jun, a distant cousin of Sun Quan, overthrew and assassinated Zhuge Ke in a coup d'état. He then ordered Shi Kuan (施寬), Shi Ji, Sun Yi (孫壹) and Quan Xi (全熈) to lead their troops to Gong'an County to arrest Zhuge Rong. When Zhuge Rong heard about it, he started panicking and could not decide what to do. While under siege by Sun Jun's forces, Zhuge Rong eventually took his own life by consuming poison. His three sons, along with Zhuge Ke's extended family, were rounded up and executed.

The Jiang Biao Zhuan recorded that there were sightings of a white alligator in Gong'an County, and that there was a children's rhyme which goes, "The white alligator growls, a turtle carries peace on its back; one can live long in Nan Commandery, but he won't be righteous if he holds on to his life and refuses to die." When Zhuge Rong heard about this, he had a golden seal carved in the image of a turtle, and then committed suicide by swallowing the seal.