Xu Zhi's family is poor. He often cultivates his own land and doesn't eat what he earns. He is humble, thrifty and polite, and his neighbors admire his virtue. Xu Zhi was called up by the government many times, but he didn't go. At that time, Chen Fan served as the magistrate of Zhang Yu, and invited Xu Zhilai to serve as a county gongcao with a gift. Xu Zhi had to leave, waiting for an audience. Fan Chen never receives guests in the county seat. Only Xu Zhi came to build a couch and hung it up after Xu Zhi left. Later, he was elected as a virtuous man and was appointed as Taiyuan satrap in his family, but Xu Zhi did not take office.

In the second year of Emperor Gaozu's Yan Xi (159), his ministers ordered Chen Fan and his servant Hu Guang to recommend Xu Zhi, July and Wei Zhu. Emperor Huan used the car to prepare the gift and invited it. There was no official. Emperor Huan asked Chen Fan, "Who will come first, Xu Chu, July and Wei Yan?" Chen Fan replied: "Justin was born in a public family, and he gradually learned from his teaching. Wei Zhu is good at the custom of three auxiliary rites and righteousness. The so-called "bitter fleabane bitter fleabane grows in hemp, does not help himself straight", does not carve himself. As for Xu Zhi, he was born in an obscure place in the south of the Yangtze River. If he is outstanding, he should be the first. "

Xu Zhi was summoned by Qiu, but he didn't respond. Huang Qiong died and was buried in Jiangxia County. Xu Zhi went to Jiangxia with food on his back, set up a chicken wine festival, and left in tears without giving his name. When dozens of people, such as Guo Tai, a celebrity who came to pay homage at that time, heard about it, they all suspected that it was Xu Zhi, so they sent an eloquent Mao Rong to chase it. On the way, Mao Rong arranged meals for Xu Zhian and talked about crops together. Before leaving, Xu Zhi said to Mao Rong, "Thank Guo for me. The tree will fall, and it is not the rope that binds it. Why can't you live in a propaganda place? " Later, when Guo Tai's mother died, Xu Zhi went to offer condolences, put a pile of straw in front of Lu and left. Everyone was surprised and didn't know why. Guo Tai said, "This must be Gao Shi Xu Ruzi of Zhou Nan." The poem "Unspoken" says that a man is born a pile of straw just like jade. "I have no virtue to bear."

In the early years of Emperor Han Ling's reign, the court wanted to recruit Xu Chu with an ox cart, which coincided with Xu Chu's death at the age of 72.