Three Kingdoms and Six Dynasties · Diviner and Mathematician

Zhao Da 趙達

First attested AD 200; died AD 230 to AD 250

Passages: 30
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Zhao Da was a Diviner and Mathematician.

Life and dates

Death

AD 230 to AD 250 自算訖盡某年月日
died on self-predicted date 後如期死
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 63, passages 122, 125

Attested activity

AD 200 to AD 250 Sun Quan campaigns
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Three Kingdoms 63, passage 116
AD 200 to AD 222 孫權起於東南
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Three Kingdoms 63, passage 74
AD 229 权即尊号
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 63, passage 118

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Kin of Son-in-law of Zhao Da
son-in-law 女婿 · Through Daughter of Zhao Da
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 63, passage 114
Parent of Daughter of Zhao Da
daughter 女
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 63, passage 126
Spouse of Wife of Zhao Da
wife 妻
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 63, passage 123

Kinship Role ancestors · Count 3 · three generations held only Clerk Astrologer posts
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 63, passage 108

Places and affiliations

Polity Eastern Wu 吳 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 63, passage 116
At Henan 河南
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 63, passage 92
At southeast / Jiangdong 東南 · Relation Migrated to
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 63, passage 94
Organization Eight Wonders / Eight Marvels 八绝 · Relation Member of
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 63, passage 135

Learning and skills

Relation Student of · Person Shan Fu (單甫)
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 63, passage 93
Skill nine-palace reckoning 九宮一算之術 · Level master
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 63, passage 95

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · With Sun Quan (孫權)
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 63, passage 119

Events and relationships

Forecast for campaigns
Divination · Diviner · With Sun Quan (孫權)
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 63, passage 116
Predicted reign length
AD 229 权即尊号 · Divination · Diviner · With Sun Quan (孫權)
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 63, passages 118-119, 121
Relation Teacher of · Person Gongsun Teng (公孫滕)
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 63, passage 106
Relation Refused to teach · Person Kan Ze (闞澤)
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 63, passage 106
Relation Refused to teach · Person Yin Li (殷禮)
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 63, passage 106

Assessments and attributes

Assessment slighted for withholding secrets; salary and rank stalled · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 63, passage 117
Assessment technically subtle but not the gentleman's great aim · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 63, passage 138
Item secret books / plain scrolls 素書 · Relation Possessed
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 63, passages 111, 126

References in the histories

Search passages

History

30 passages

Records of the Three Kingdoms, Chapter 63Volume 63: Book of Wu 18: Biographies of Wu Fan, Liu Dun, and Zhao Da · 30 passages

權追思之，募三州有能舉知術數如吳范、趙達者，封千戶侯，卒無所得。 Sun Quan mourned him and promised a thousand-household marquisate to anyone who matched Wu Fan or Zhao Da’s skill—no one qualified.

以明天官達占數顯於南土。 Southern patrons esteemed him for astrology and divination math.

趙達，河南人也。 Zhao Da came from Henan.

或難達曰：飛者固不可校，誰知其然，此殆妄耳。 Skeptics said airborne swarms cannot be tallied—his claims had to be fraud.

"達使其人取小豆數鬥，播之席上，立處其數，驗覆果信。 Zhao Da poured beans across a mat, announced the total at once, and a recount proved him right.

食畢，謂曰："倉卒乏酒，又無佳看，無以敘意，如何?"達因取盤中只箸，再三從橫之，乃言："卿東壁下有美酒一斛，又有鹿肉三斤，何以辭無?"時坐有他賓，內得主人情。 After the meal the host said they suddenly lacked wine and fine dishes with which to show goodwill—Zhao Da then took the single chopsticks from the dish, crossed them repeatedly, and declared that east of the east wall lay a hu of fine wine and three jin of venison; other guests present inwardly grasped the host's embarrassment.

又有書簡上作千萬數，著空倉中封之，令達算之。 Another test wrote a huge figure on a slip, locked it in an empty granary, and told Zhao Da to divine the number.

達處如數，云："但有名無實。 Zhao Da named the total and added, “The tally exists on paper—the granary stays empty.”

達寶惜其術，自闞澤、殷禮皆名儒善士，親屈節就學，達秘而不告，太史丞公孫滕少師事達，勤勞累年，達許教之者有年數矣，臨當喻語而輒復止。 Zhao Da hoarded his methods: Kan Ze and Yin Li came as humble pupils yet learned nothing; Gongsun Teng toiled years as his disciple—each time Zhao Da neared disclosure he pulled back.

滕他日□酒具，侯顏色，拜跪而請。 Another day Gongsun Teng laid out food and wine, read Zhao Da’s temper, and begged on his knees.

達曰："吾先人得此術，欲圖為帝王師，至仕來三世，不過太史郎，誠不欲復傳之。 Zhao Da answered, “Our ancestors meant this lore for dynastic tutors—three generations stalled at petty astrology posts—I hate passing it down.”

"飲酒數行，達起取素書兩眷，大如手指，達曰："當寫讀此，由自解也。 He rose after a few cups and produced two finger-sized booklets: “Copy these out—understanding will follow.”

"滕如期往，至乃陽求索書，驚言失之，云："女婿昨來，必是渠所竊。 When Gongsun Teng returned, Zhao Da feigned panic—the manuals were gone—blaming the son-in-law.

初，孫權行師征伐，每令達有所推步，皆如其言。 Whenever Sun Quan marched he made Zhao Da cast ahead—and each forecast hit.

權問其法，達終不語，由此見薄，祿位不至。 Sun Quan demanded the technique; Zhao Da stayed mute—so courtiers snubbed him and promotions stopped.

〈吴书曰：初，权即尊号，令达算作天子之后，当复几年？〈The Book of Wu adds that after Sun Quan took the throne he asked Zhao Da how long his mandate would run.

达曰：“高祖建元十二年，陛下倍之。” Zhao Da answered, “Gaozu's reign-era ran twelve years—Your Majesty will double that.”

果如达言。〉 Events matched Zhao Da’s reckoning.〉

達常笑謂諸星氣風術者曰："當回算帷幕，不出戶牖以知天道，而反晝夜暴露以望氣樣，不亦難乎!"閒居無為，引算自校，乃歎曰："吾算訖盡某年月日，其終矣。 Zhao Da mocked outdoor astrologers—true skill needed no sky-gazing—then computed his own death date and sighed it aloud.

"達妻數見達效，聞而哭泣。 His wife had seen his arts work—she wept at the sentence.

達欲弭妻意，乃更步算，言："向者謬誤耳，尚未也。 To calm her he recast the figures: “I miscalculated—the hour has not come.”

權聞達有書，求之不得，乃錄問其女，及發棺無所得，法術絕焉。 Sun Quan hunted Zhao Da’s manuscripts—questioned his daughter—opened the tomb—found nothing—the lineage of lore died.

孤城郑妪能相人，及范、惇、达八人，世皆称妙，谓之八绝云。 Physiognomist Mother Zheng of lone-walled Gucheng joined Wu Fan, Liu Dun, Zhao Da, and five talents hailed as the Eight Wonders.

《晋阳秋曰：吴有葛衡字思真，明达天官，能为几巧，作浑天，使地居于中，以机动之，天转而地止，以上应晷度。〉 The Jin Yang Qiu credits Ge Heng with a geared cosmos-model matching celestial arcs.〉

吴史书达知东南当有王气，故轻举济江。 Wu records say Zhao Da crossed south chasing imperial vapors.

魏承汉绪，受命中畿，达不能豫睹兆萌，而流窜吴越。 Wei held the Central Plain—yet Zhao Da missed Wei’s rise and wandered eastern marshes.

江左虽有兵革，不能如中国之甚也，焉知达不算其安危，知祸有多少，利在东南，以全其身乎？ The south suffered less—Zhao Da may simply have sought safer ground.

而责不知魏氏将兴，流播吴越，在京房之筹，犹不能自免刑戮，况达但以秘术见薄，在悔吝之间乎！ Pinning prophets for politics ignores worse failures—even masters died under suspicion.

达之推算，穷其要妙以知幽测隐，何愧于古！ Zhao Da plumbed secrets as well as ancients.

而以裨、梓限之，谓达为妄，非笃论也。 Equating him with Pi Zao sells Zhao Da short.