Deng Zhi

Deng Zhi (onyomi: Tō Shi) is an officer of Shu. Although well-liked by his own men, the other ministers found him too boastful and obstinate to get along with.

Roles in Games
In the Dynasty Warriors series, Deng Zhi is a generic officer whose appearance is limited to Shu's later battles with Wei.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms gives him excellent stats in every field except war which averages in the low 50s. He is usually found as a free officer within Xinye prior to his service under Liu Zhang.

Historical Information
Born in Xinye, Deng Zhi was a descendant of the Han official Deng Yu. He moved to Yi Province in order to avoid the chaos that had been plaguing the nation. Worried for his future, he turned to a local fortune teller named Zhang Yu who told him he would become a great figure at the age of 70. While this did little to placate him, the young man later heard of the administrator Pang Xi's hospitality and came to him for work.

After Liu Bei took over Yi and founded Shu Han, Pang Xi and Deng Zhi surrendered with the latter being made a low-ranked official. Deng Zhi's talents were soon noticed by Liu Bei who appointed him as chief of Pi Prefecture and eventually grand administrator of Guanghan. He worked hard to maintain his assigned area and was later transferred to the kingdom's capital of Chengdu as an imperial secretary.

Some time after the events that unfolded in Yiling, the regent Zhuge Liang worried that their former ally Wu would jeopardize Shu's future now that Liu Bei had passed on. Deng Zhi walked up to him and proposed that they renew the alliance for the greater good. Although Sun Quan's refusal to see him made his mission a difficult task, he was able to arrange a meeting by personally presenting the Wu leader with a memorial which said, "Your humble servant comes on this mission not just for the sake of Shu, but also for the sake of Wu."

By glossing over Liu Shan and highlighting the advantages of cooperating with Shu over Wei, Deng Zhi gradually convinced Sun Quan who had Zhang Wen join the former on his way home. His second visit to Wu was received more easily with Sun Quan praising the envoy's conduct to Zhuge Liang with the following words, "Ding Gong is fully of flowery words and there is no end to his equivocality; only Deng Zhi can bring about peace and cooperation among our two countries."

Later on, Shu began its Northern Campaign to invade Wei's lands. Deng Zhi was made to assist Zhao Yun as central commissioner for the expedition. They went through Mt. Qi and encountered Cao Zhen who pushed them back due to their inferior numbers. When Zhuge Liang died, Deng Zhi received the titles of general and marquis, just as Zhang Yu had foretold years ago. His positive relations with Sun Quan made him the perfect choice for overseeing Jiangzhou which bordered alongside Wu. In 253, he suppressed a rebellion in Fu County, executing those who had instigated it while pacifying the people. After his passing, his son Deng Liang took over his position until Shu's collapse.

Deng Zhi was known for living a frugal lifestyle; he refused to own any form of property and did not leave behind additional wealth for his own family. While he was good to his men and handed out fair judgments, his blunt personality made him somewhat of a pariah to scholars. Jin Zhong held contemptuous feelings towards the general whereas Fei Yi simply chose to ignore him. Only Jiang Wei appreciated his positive traits.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms
The novel dramatizes Deng Zhi's initial visit to Sun Quan in chapter 86. Zhang Zhao, who correctly deduces Zhuge Liang's intentions, convinces his lord to threaten the envoy with armed soldiers and a cauldron filled with boiling oil. Deng Zhi, however, remains calm and convinces him of the danger in befriending Wei. His attempt to throw himself into the cauldron as an act of sincerity earns him Sun Quan's trust, resulting in the renewal of Shu's alliance with Wu.