Early life and career in Cao Wei

Jia Chong's father, Jia Kui, was a military general in Wei and was considered an epitome of faithfulness to the state. He did not have a son until late in his life; when Jia Chong was born, he was very pleased. Jia Chong's mother was Lady Liu (柳氏). Jia Chong inherited his father's marquis title after the latter's death. He later served under the regent Sima Shi, and then under Sima Shi's younger brother and successor, Sima Zhao. In 257, Sima Zhao sent him to probe the general Zhuge Dan's intentions should he decided to usurp the Wei throne. Zhuge Dan rebuked Jia Chong when the latter incessantly praised Sima Zhao in front of him. After Jia Chong returned to the capital Luoyang, he warned Sima Zhao that Zhuge Dan would most likely be unwilling to submit to his regency. Sima Zhao therefore summoned Zhuge Dan back to the capital, forcing him to start a rebellion that was quickly crushed. After the incident, Jia Chong became even more highly regarded by Sima Zhao.

In 260, the Wei emperor Cao Mao, unable to contain his anger about Sima Zhao's monopolisation of power, attempted a coup d'état to try to take back power from the regent. When forces led by Sima Zhao's brother Sima Zhou quickly collapsed against Cao Mao's forces, it was Jia Chong who was willing to stand against the emperor and who further ordered his subordinate, Cheng Ji (成濟), to take any measure to defeat the emperor and his loyalists. Cheng Ji killed Cao Mao by spearing him to death. In the aftermath of the incident, the people demanded for Cheng Ji and Jia Chong to be executed. Sima Zhao considered the matter for more than 10 days, eventually resolving to kill Cheng Ji (and his clan) but sparing Jia Chong, not wanting to execute someone who had been so loyal to him. From that point on, however, Jia Chong's reputation among the people was one of regicide.

Jia Chong also played a key role in Sima Zhao's suppression of Zhong Hui's rebellion in 264. Before the rebellion, Sima Zhao had foreseen that Zhong Hui was likely to rebel against Wei and had made preparations beforehand, including putting Jia Chong in charge of an army to counter any possible attack from Zhong Hui. Zhong Hui was killed by his soldiers who, unwilling to join his rebellion, mutinied against him.

Career under the Jin dynasty

After Sima Zhao's death in September 265, his son Sima Yan forced the last Wei emperor Cao Huan to abdicate the throne to him in February 266, thus ending Wei's existence and replacing it with the Jin dynasty; Sima Yan himself ascended the throne as Emperor Wu of Jin. Jia Chong, as a loyal subject of the Sima family, continued to be an important figure in the Jin government. Emperor Wu commissioned him to draft the laws of the Jin dynasty, initially considered to be far more merciful than the strict laws under the Wei regime. However, uneven enforcement of these laws meant that the main beneficiaries were nobles. The emperor also enfeoffed Jia Chong as the "Duke of Lu".

For years, Jia Chong had engaged his political rivalry with Ren Kai (任愷) and Yu Chun (庾純). In 271, Ren Kai and Yu Chun were able to persuade Emperor Wu to send Jia Chong to lead Jin forces to attack Xianbei rebels led by Tufa Shujineng (禿髮樹機能). Jia Chong did not want to fight the rebels at all. He was able to avoid being sent into battle by getting his wife to flatter and convince Emperor Wu's wife, Empress Yang, to recommend his daughter, Jia Nanfeng, to marry Emperor Wu's developmentally disabled crown prince, Sima Zhong. In 272, Jia Chong retaliated against Ren Kai and Yu Chun and succeeded in forcing them out of politics.

In 279, Emperor Wu wanted to launch a major invasion against Eastern Wu, the last of the Three Kingdoms, as part of his grand plan to reunify China under the Jin dynasty. Jia Chong opposed the emperor's idea and argued that Wu was too difficult to conquer. Emperor Wu not only ignored his advice, but also appointed him as the coordinator of a six-pronged attack on Wu. When Jia Chong declined, Emperor Wu told him to coordinate anyway, or else the emperor himself would personally coordinate. Jia Chong relented, but continued to oppose military action. In early 280, despite some military successes against Wu, Jia Chong continued to press for the invasion to be stopped after Jin forces had conquered the western half of Wu. Soon after he wrote a memorial to Emperor Wu arguing against the campaign, the Wu emperor Sun Hao surrendered to the Jin dynasty, thus ending Wu's existence. Jia Chong felt so ashamed that he offered to resign. However, Emperor Wu did not accept the resignation and even rewarded him for what he perceived to be Jia's contributions during the campaign.

Death

When Jia Chong became critically ill in 282, Emperor Wu bestowed upon him a special honour by ordering the crown prince Sima Zhong to pay a special visit to Jia. After Jia Chong died, his second wife Guo Huai (郭槐) wanted Jia Chong's maternal grandson, Han Mi (韓謐), to inherit his ducal title. Emperor Wu approved, even though it was considered inappropriate for a maternal grandson to inherit his maternal grandfather's title. Because of this, the official Qin Xiu (秦秀), who was responsible for selecting important officials' posthumous names, initially wanted to select "Huang" (荒; literally "performer of illegal acts") as Jia's posthumous name, but Emperor Wu overrode Qin Xiu's recommendation and chose "Wu" (武; literally "martial") as Jia's posthumous name.

Family

Jia Chong had a younger brother, Jia Hun (賈混), who held the title "Marquis of Yongping" (永平侯). Jia Hun had three sons, Jia Yi (賈彝), Jia Zun (賈遵) and Jia Mo (賈模), who served as officials under the Jin dynasty.

Jia Chong's first wife, Li Wan (李婉), was a daughter of Li Feng, who was executed by Sima Shi in 254 for allegedly conspiring with the Wei emperor Cao Fang to unseat Sima Shi from power. At the point in time, Li Wan had already bore Jia Chong two daughters: Jia Bao (賈褒) and Jia Yu (賈裕). As Jia Chong wanted to pledge his loyalty to Sima Shi, he divorced Li Wan, who was sent into exile.

Jia Chong then married Guo Huai (郭槐), a niece of the Wei general Guo Huai (郭淮). Guo Huai bore Jia Chong two daughters as well: Jia Nanfeng and Jia Wu (賈午). She also bore him a son, Jia Limin (賈黎民), but her unusual jealousy and cruelty doomed her son. One day, when Jia Limin was still a toddler, Jia Chong returned home and caressed his son, who was being carried by his wet nurse. Guo Huai saw this and misinterpreted it as her husband having an affair with the wet nurse, so she killed the wet nurse. Jia Limin was so distressed by his wet nurse's death that he fell sick and died. Guo Huai bore Jia Chong another (unnamed) son later, but the entire tragedy repeated itself when Guo Huai suspected her son's wet nurse of having an affair with her husband. Jia Chong had no son left to succeed him when he died.

Among Jia Chong's daughters, Jia Nanfeng married Emperor Wu's crown prince Sima Zhong and eventually became empress after Sima Zhong was enthroned as Emperor Hui. Jia Bao, one of Jia Chong's daughters born to his first wife, married Emperor Wu's younger brother, Sima You (the Prince of Qi). At one point, when Emperor Wu was ill, Sima You was touted as a possible candidate to be the next emperor if Emperor Wu died – instead of Emperor Wu's developmentally disabled son Sima Zhong. One official, Xiahou He, tried to persuade Jia Chong to support Sima You and pointed out that both the crown prince and Sima You were Jia's sons-in-law. However, Jia Chong declined to express support for Sima You. Another of Jia Chong's daughters born to Guo Huai, Jia Wu, married Han Shou (韓壽), and had a son, Han Mi (韓謐). Han Mi inherited his maternal grandfather's ducal title.

In 266, when Emperor Wu ended the Cao Wei state and established the Jin dynasty, he declared a general amnesty for political prisoners under the former regime. Jia Chong's first wife, Li Wan, was thus allowed to return from exile. As Emperor Wu believed that Jia Chong wanted to have his first wife back, he offered to approve of Jia Chong having two formal spouses (both Li Wan and Guo Huai). However, Jia Chong never accepted Li Wan again despite pleas from his two daughters born to Li Wan. Instead, he had a separate residence built for Li Wan but never visited her. Guo Huai, who was jealous of Li Wan, secretly sent spies to carry out surveillance at Li Wan's house for any signs of visit from Jia Chong. Guo Huai herself then went to visit Li Wan once with the intention of humiliating her, but she ended up being humiliated herself when she tripped and landed at Li Wan's feet; she never visited Li Wan again. After Li Wan's death, Jia Nanfeng, who had become Emperor Hui's empress by then, did not allow Li Wan to be buried with Jia Chong. Li Wan was only interred together with Jia Chong in 300 CE after Jia Nanfeng was deposed from her position as empress.

In popular culture

Jia Chong is first introduced as a playable character in the eighth installment of Koei's Dynasty Warriors video game series.

生平

立助司馬

賈逵晚年生下賈充，至太和二年（228年）賈逵病死時，賈充尚未成年，而在居喪時已得孝名。賈充承襲父親陽里亭侯爵位。後入仕曹魏，任尚書郎，典定法律法令，兼任度支考課。再遷任黃門侍郎、汲郡典農中郎將。後參大將軍（司馬師）軍事，於正元二年（252年）隨司馬師前往討伐據壽春發動叛亂的毌丘儉和文欽。司馬師病勢嚴重，返回許昌，留賈充督諸軍。戰後司馬師即因病逝世，司馬昭在傅嘏的安排下回洛陽接掌權力，賈充留在許昌監諸軍事，增邑三百五十戶。

計剋敵陷

司馬昭接掌權力後，任賈充為大將軍司馬，轉右長史。當時司馬昭新掌朝政，怕方鎮的將領有異議，賈充就建議他派僚屬慰勞四征將軍《三國志·諸葛誕傳》裴注《世語》：司馬文王旣秉朝政，長史賈充以為宜遣參佐慰勞四征，於是遣充至壽春。充還啟文王：「誕再在揚州，有威名，民望所歸。今徵，必不來，禍小事淺；不徵，事遲禍大。」乃以為司空。。建議實行時賈充本人就獲指派負責往征東大將軍諸葛誕那裡，他在與諸葛誕談論時事時故意試探說：「洛陽的賢人們，都同意皇帝禪讓，這您知道的。您認為如何？」但遭到諸葛誕厲聲指責：「你不是賈逵的兒子！你世代受曹魏的恩惠，怎可以辜負國家，欲將曹魏江山給了人？這話我根本聽不下去。如果洛陽皇帝有難，我會力搏一死。」賈充沉默不言，回去後對司馬昭說：「諸葛誕在揚州，早有威名，能得人死力。看他略顯規模，必然反叛。如今征討反而是小事，若事情遲了必大禍。」司馬昭在甘露二年（257年）徵諸葛誕為司空，諸葛誕果然反叛。賈充遂跟隨司馬昭征討，並獻計以深溝高壘攻城以遏制諸葛誕麾下銳兵，得司馬昭聽從。壽春被攻陷後，司馬昭登壘獎勞賈充，然後先行回洛陽，留賈充處理南方的事務。賈充因功進封宜陽鄉侯。後遷廷尉。

悖逆弒君

後轉任中護軍。甘露五年（260年），魏帝曹髦忿恨司馬昭獨專朝政，領兵衝擊司馬昭，賈充率眾在南闕抵抗，曹髦拔劍攻擊，眾人不敢傷害皇帝，並要退避；賈充命太子舍人成濟刺殺曹髦，成濟即以戈刺死曹髦。曹髦死20日後，司馬昭在輿論激憤下召會群臣商討如何交代事件，陳泰建議誅殺主謀行刺的賈充，司馬昭不願意幹寶的《晉記》中陳泰時任太常，但其他文獻都未有記載他曾任太常，裴松之因而懷疑記載的真確性。，改誅殺成濟三族。賈充母親不知道賈充也有參與，大罵逆賊弒君，聞者笑之。曹奐隨後被立為皇帝，賈充進封安陽鄉侯，統領城外諸軍，加散騎常侍。景元五年（264年），滅蜀後的鍾會在成都謀反，賈充以中護軍假節、都督關中、隴右諸軍事，到漢中駐守，未到成都鍾會就因士兵叛變而敗死。

後賈充回朝參與朝廷機密，與裴秀、王沈、羊祜、荀勖等都被司馬昭重用。賈充又被指命制定新法律。後假金章，又獲賜一座豪華大宅。建五等爵後，封為臨沂侯。咸熙二年（265年），司馬昭病重，臨死前向世子司馬炎指明賈充可輔助他。司馬炎繼位晉王後，任命賈充為晉國衛將軍、儀同三司、給事中，改封臨潁侯。同年司馬炎稱帝，拜賈充車騎將軍、散騎常侍、尚書僕射，封魯郡公。賈充所制定的新律《泰始律》頒布後，百姓都讚揚新法便利，司馬炎下詔讚賞，賜賈充子弟一人關內侯。及後賈充又替代裴秀，加領尚書令。後解任散騎常侍，改任侍中。至賈充母親逝世，賈充治喪離職後，司馬炎派黃門侍郎前去慰問，及後以東吳邊境有事，派典軍將軍楊囂宣告諭旨，命他六十日內復職。後東吳將領孫秀來降，任驃騎大將軍，司馬炎以賈充是舊臣，打算將車騎將軍與驃騎將軍地位對調，因賈充辭讓而未成。咸寧三年（277年），司馬炎將沛國公丘縣撥入其封地中，寵幸大得連朝臣都側目。

諂諛陋質

當時侍中任愷、中書令庾純等剛直守正的官員厭惡賈充的為人。賈充的女兒賈褒成了齊王司馬攸的王妃，朝中亦多結黨羽，二人害怕賈充勢力日後會更盛。賈充後來不欲任愷繼續親近皇帝，推舉任愷任東宮官屬，意圖削去他侍中一職，但司馬炎讓任愷加任太子少傅，仍留侍中。泰始七年（271年），任愷趁鮮卑禿髮樹機能侵擾秦州和雍州，向司馬炎建議讓一個有威望和智謀的重臣前去鎮撫邊族，首推賈充。在庾純支持下，司馬炎任命賈充加都督秦涼二州諸軍事，出鎮長安。賈充深恨任愷。後荀勖獻計，要賈充以其女賈南風為太子司馬衷完婚，賈充才得以留居洛陽。賈充後遷任司空，繼續任侍中、尚書令、車騎將軍領兵。後轉任太尉、行太子太保、錄尚書事。

賈充得到人獻計，故意稱讚任愷，推薦任愷處理選舉事。司馬炎任命任愷為吏部尚書，任愷事務繁忙，與司馬炎見面機會減少。賈充和他的黨羽多番誣陷和中傷任愷，令他多次被免官，再也上不到高位。

疾懼進滅

咸寧五年（279年）冬，司馬炎發動晉滅吳之戰，命賈充使持節、假黃鉞、大都督，總統六軍。賈充怕會失敗，反對出兵，但司馬炎堅持，更威脅若賈充不肯，他便要御駕親征。賈充被逼接受任命，領中軍南屯襄陽，為諸軍節度。次年，東吳在荊州的諸將皆已投降，賈充被指命移駐項縣。此時，賈充又上表要求罷兵，認為東吳不能一舉覆滅，而戰事一旦延續下去會有疫病在軍中流行的危機。其時朝內的荀勖亦上奏與賈充相類的奏表，但不為司馬炎所納。賈充使者持表至轘轅關時，吳末帝孫皓經已投降，最終賈充的上表與建業速遞的捷報竟同時傳回洛陽。因為賈充原本就反對攻吳，而期間又曾進諫退兵，可是結果卻是東吳覆亡，賈充於是十分害怕，打算請罪，但司馬炎只作安撫而不問罪；可是朝野卻認為賈充表現得智謀低下《晉書·秦秀傳》：及孫皓降於王濬，充未之知，方以吳未可平，抗表請班師。充表與告捷同至，朝野以充位居人上，智出人下，僉以秀為知言。。

遂階榮命

太康三年（282年），賈充病重，交出印綬退位。司馬炎派侍臣問候，又派太醫醫治，皇太子以至宗室都來探望賈充。同年四月庚午日（5月19日）賈充病逝，時年66。賈充病重時害怕死後會得壞的諡號，侄子賈模則說：「是非久自見，不可掩也。（是非功過自有評論，無法掩飾的。）」博士秦秀商議諡號時，認為賈充應諡荒公《諡法》：昏亂紀度曰荒，司馬炎不肯，聽從博士段暢的意見，諡為武公。賈充死後司馬炎十分傷心，追贈他太宰並大加賞賜，葬禮依從霍光和司馬孚的形式，更給一頃墓地。

性格特徵

• 賈充甚為喜好推薦士人，每舉薦一人都會好好關顧他，因而得到很多士人依附。賈充無為公的節操，不能以身作則地領導屬下，反而靠奉承別人來取得人支持，如司馬炎舅父王恂曾謗毀賈充，但賈充仍然推舉王恂。

• 賈充十分畏懼郭槐。當日李豐被誅而牽連妻子李婉被流放，西晉建立後獲赦回來。但當時賈充已另娶郭槐，司馬炎特地詔命他置左右夫人，互為平妻；但郭槐大怒，向賈充說不願李婉和她並列，於是賈充就向司馬炎謙讓辭謝，但實際上是怕郭槐而已。

逸事

• 賈充出生時，賈逵說賈充後當有充閭之慶（光大門楣），於是將他的名字改為賈充，表字為公閭。

• 孫皓投降後，遷移到洛陽。在宴會時，賈充打算以孫皓的暴政羞辱他，說：「聞君在南方鑿人目，剝人A|面皮，此何等刑也？（我聽說你在東吳時，有挖人眼珠和剝人臉皮的刑罰，這是甚麼樣的刑罰呀？）」孫皓於是答：「人臣有弒其君及奸回不忠者，則加此刑耳。（那些殺害君主，奸惡不忠的臣子就要受這種刑。）」反諷賈充弒殺曹髦之罪。

評論

• 諸葛誕：「卿非賈豫州子？世受魏恩，如何負國，欲以魏室輸人乎？」

• 孫皓：「人臣有弒其君及奸回不忠者。」（《資治通鑑·卷第七十七》）

• 司馬炎：「車騎將軍賈充，獎明聖意，諮詢善道。」「侍中、守尚書令、車騎將軍賈充，雅量弘高，達見明遠，武有折衝之威，文懷經國之慮，信結人心，名震域外。使權統方任，綏靜西境，則吾無西顧之念，而遠近獲安矣。」（《晉書·列傳第十 》）

• 潘岳：「年逾知命，位極人臣，家無餘祿，貴而食貧。」（《賈充誄 》）

• 秦秀：「充悖禮溺情，以亂大倫。鄫養外孫莒公子為後，《春秋》書『莒人滅鄫』。絕父祖之血食，開朝廷之亂源。」（《國學原典·史部·資治通鑑·卷第八十一》）

• 庾純：「賈充！天下兇兇，由爾一人！」（《晉書·列傳第二十》）

• 傅暢《晉諸公贊》：「高貴鄉公（指曹髦）之難，司馬文王（司馬昭）賴(賈)充以免。」（裴注《三國志·賈逵傳》）

• 房玄齡《晉書》：「賈充以諂諛陋質，刀筆常材，幸屬昌辰，濫叨非據。抽戈犯順，曾無猜憚之心，杖越推亡，遽有知難之請，非惟魏朝之悖逆，抑亦晉室之罪人者歟！然猶身極寵光，任兼文武，存荷台衡之寄，沒有從享之榮，可謂無德而禒，殃將及矣。逮乎貽厥，乃乞丐之徒，嗣惡稔之餘基，縱姦邪之凶德。煽戡哲婦，索彼惟家，雖及誅夷，曷雲塞責。昔當塗闕翦，公閭實肆其勞，典午分崩，南風亦盡其力，可謂『君以此始，必以此終』，信乎其然矣。」「公閭便佞，心乖雅正。邀遇時來，遂階榮命。乞丐承緒，凶家亂政。」

• 李世民：「故賈充凶豎，懷奸志以擁權；楊駿豺狼，包禍心以專輔。」（《晉書·帝紀第三》）

• 李德裕：「晉氏傾奪魏國，初有天下，其將相大臣，非魏之舊臣，即其子孫，所寄心腹，惟賈充而已。充亦非忠於君者，自以成濟之事，與晉室當同休戚，此羊祜所以願留也。」（《羊祜留賈充論》）

• 蘇軾：「昔賈充用事，天下憂恐，而庾純、任愷，戮力排之。及充出鎮秦涼，忠臣義士，莫不相慶，屈指數日，以望維新之化。而馮忱之徒，更相告語曰：『賈公遠放，吾等失勢矣。』于是相與獻謀而充複留。則晉氏之亂，成于此矣。自古惟小人為難去。何則？去一人而其黨莫不破壞。是以為之計謀遊說者眾也。」（《蘇軾文集》）

• 王應麟：「晉之篡魏以賈充，其亡亦以充。」（《困學紀聞·考史》）

• 郝經：「王沈、賈充皆世饗魏祿，朋扇簒竊親為弒逆，首倡禪代，校諸逆黨師昭之次也。……彼方屑屑于飲食起居之間，輒敢黨賊簒弒，自陷大逆。如充成濟之事，竟欺其母，不使之知，忍聞逆賊之罵，又焉得為孝乎？荀勖、馮紞諂附于充，夤緣勢位，沽銜小慧，協圖大奸，立賈后、出齊王，深樹禍本，宋邵雍有言：『晉室之禍不在于石勒長嘯上東門時，在荀勖夕陽亭之一語。』嗚呼！既亡魏又亡晉複亡中國，既覆賈氏，又覆荀氏，小人患失一至此哉。」（《續後漢書》）

• 王夫之：「充知吳之必亡，而欲留之以為己功，其蓄不軌之志已久，特畏難而未敢發耳。乃平吳之謀始于羊祜，祜卒，舉杜預以終其事，充既弗能先焉，承其後以分功而不足以逞，惟阻其行以俟武帝之沒，己秉國權，而後曰吳今日乃可圖矣，則諸將之功皆歸于己，而己為操、懿也無難。」「晉感充之弒君以戴己，而不早為之防，求其免于亂也難矣。所幸充死七年而武帝始崩，賈謐庸才，且非血胤，不足以為司馬昭耳。不然，高貴鄉公之刃，豈有憚而不施之司馬氏乎？女子猶足以亡晉，充而在，當何如也？」（《讀通鑑論》）

家庭

父母

• 賈逵，賈充父，曹魏豫州刺史。

• 柳氏，賈充母，賈充封魯郡公時獲封為魯國太夫人。

兄弟

• 賈混，賈充弟弟，封永平侯，歷任宗正卿、鎮軍將軍，領城門校尉，加侍中。

妻子

• 李婉，李豐之女。

• 郭槐，郭配之女，廣城君。性妒，曾先後以為賈充與賈充兩名兒子的乳娘有私情，都將她們殺害，間接令賈充兩名兒子因思念自小信賴的乳娘而夭折。又不許賈充迎歸來的李婉回來。

侄兒

• 賈彞，西晉黃門郎。

• 賈遵，西晉黃門郎。

• 賈模，西晉官至侍中、加光祿大夫。後被賈后逼害。

子女

子

• 賈黎民，三歲時因郭槐殺他信任的乳娘，思念過度而發病早死。

• 幼子，名不詳，滿一歲時也因乳母被殺，思念過度而死。

女

• 賈褒，賈充及李婉的長女，一名荃。嫁齊王司馬攸。

• 賈裕，賈充及李婉的次女，一名濬。

• 賈南風，賈充與郭槐的長女，嫁司馬衷，後被立為皇后。

• 賈午，賈充幼女，嫁韓壽。

孫兒

• 賈謐，賈充外孫，母賈午。因賈充無子嗣而入嗣。官至侍中。因與賈南風合謀而被趙王司馬倫殺害。

藝術形象

影視

• 1994年電視劇《三國演義》：韓新民

• 1998年電視劇《亂世妖后》：沈保平

• 2016年電視劇《一統三國》：趙毅

遊戲

• 真三國無雙系列（光榮公司開發，高橋廣樹配音）