Zhang Yanze () (died January 27, 947
['']Zizhi Tongjian
''Zizhi Tongjian'' () is a pioneering reference work in Chinese historiography, published in 1084 AD during the Northern Song (960–1127), Northern Song dynasty in the form of a chronicle recording Chinese history from 403 BC to 959&n ...
'', vol. 286.[ Academia Sinicabr>Chinese-Western Calendar Converter]
) was an ethnic
Göktürk general of the
Later Tang
Tang, known in historiography as the Later Tang, was a short-lived imperial dynasty of China and the second of the Five Dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period in Chinese history.
The first three of the Later Tang's four ...
,
Later Jin, and
Liao dynasties of China. He was reviled in traditional sources for his cruelty, avarice, and lack of faithfulness to the Later Jin.
Background
It is not known when Zhang Yanze was born. He was said to be of
Tujue ancestry, but whose ancestors had settled in
Taiyuan. Both his grandfather and father served as officers at the special Yinshan Command ()
['' Old History of the Five Dynasties'', vol. 98.] — a special command of non-
Han Chinese
The Han Chinese () or Han people (), are an East Asian ethnic group native to China. They constitute the world's largest ethnic group, making up about 18% of the global population and consisting of various subgroups speaking distinctiv ...
soldiers of the north, traditionally commanded by the
Shatuo chieftains of the Zhuye (朱邪, later Li () clan, subordinate to the military governor (''
Jiedushi
The ''jiedushi'' (), or jiedu, was a title for regional military governors in China which was established in the Tang dynasty and abolished in the Yuan dynasty. The post of ''jiedushi'' has been translated as "military commissioner", " legate" ...
'') of
Tang
Tang or TANG most often refers to:
* Tang dynasty
* Tang (drink mix)
Tang or TANG may also refer to:
Chinese states and dynasties
* Jin (Chinese state) (11th century – 376 BC), a state during the Spring and Autumn period, called Tang (唐) b ...
's Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern
Taiyuan,
Shanxi). In Zhang Yanze's youth, he was described to be strong and brave, with yellow-tinted eyes that glowed in the dark, making him look animalistic.
[
]
During Later Tang
During the reigns of Later Tang
Tang, known in historiography as the Later Tang, was a short-lived imperial dynasty of China and the second of the Five Dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period in Chinese history.
The first three of the Later Tang's four ...
's first two emperors, Li Cunxu
Emperor Zhuangzong of Later Tang (), personal name Li Cunxu (), nickname Yazi (), stage name Li Tianxia (), was the ruling prince of the Former Jin dynasty (r. 908–923) and later became the founding emperor of the Later Tang dynasty (r. 923 ...
and Li Siyuan
Li Siyuan (李嗣源, later changed to Li Dan (李亶)) (10 October 867 – 15 December 933), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Mingzong of Later Tang (後唐明宗), was the second emperor of the Later Tang dynasty of China, reigni ...
, Zhang Yanze served as a cavalry officer. (It is possible, although not clearly stated in historical accounts, that he might have already been serving under Li Cunxu prior to the founding of Later Tang, when Li Cunxu was the prince of Later Tang's predecessor state Jin.) Due to his accomplishments, he was given terms as prefects for several prefectures.[ (During this time, his family might have entered into a political alliance by marriage with that of Li Siyuan's son-in-law Shi Jingtang, as suggested by the '']New History of the Five Dynasties
The ''Historical Records of the Five Dynasties'' (''Wudai Shiji'') is a Chinese history book on the Five Dynasties period (907–960), written by the Song dynasty official Ouyang Xiu in private. It was drafted during Ouyang's exile from 1036 to ...
'';['']New History of the Five Dynasties
The ''Historical Records of the Five Dynasties'' (''Wudai Shiji'') is a Chinese history book on the Five Dynasties period (907–960), written by the Song dynasty official Ouyang Xiu in private. It was drafted during Ouyang's exile from 1036 to ...
'', vol. 52. the ''Zizhi Tongjian
''Zizhi Tongjian'' () is a pioneering reference work in Chinese historiography, published in 1084 AD during the Northern Song (960–1127), Northern Song dynasty in the form of a chronicle recording Chinese history from 403 BC to 959&n ...
'' suggested, instead, that the political alliance by marriage was with the family of another general, Yang Guangyuan Yang Guangyuan () (died January 21, 945''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 284.Academia Sinicabr>Chinese-Western Calendar Converter), né Atan (), later known as Yang Tang () before changing his name to Guangyuan, courtesy name Deming (), formally the Prince ...
.[''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 283.])
During Later Jin
During Shi Jingtang's reign
In 936, Shi Jingtang, with military support from Khitan Empire
The Liao dynasty (; Khitan: ''Mos Jælud''; ), also known as the Khitan Empire (Khitan: ''Mos diau-d kitai huldʒi gur''), officially the Great Liao (), was an imperial dynasty of China that existed between 916 and 1125, ruled by the Yelü ...
's Emperor Taizong, overthrew then-ruling Later Tang emperor Li Congke
Li Congke () (11 February 885 – 11 January 937), also known in historiography as the Last Emperor of Later Tang (), Deposed Emperor of Later Tang (), Wang Congke () (particularly during the succeeding Later Jin dynasty, which did not recogni ...
and established his own state of Later Jin.[''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 280.] Shi made Zhang Yanze the prefect of Cao Prefecture (曹州, in modern Heze
Heze, formerly known as Caozhou, is the westernmost prefecture-level city in Shandong province, China, it borders Jining to the east and the provinces of Henan and Anhui to the west and south respectively.
History
Caozhou was at the center ...
, Shandong). Zhang later served under Yang Guangyuan against Fan Yanguang when Fan rebelled against Shi, and, for Zhang's accomplishments during the campaign against Fan, he was made the military governor of Zhenguo Circuit (鎮國, headquartered in modern Weinan
Weinan () is a prefecture-level city in the east central Shaanxi province, China. The city lies on the lower section of the Wei River confluence into the Yellow River, about east of the provincial capital Xi'an, and borders the provinces of S ...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi (alternatively Shensi, see § Name) is a landlocked province of China. Officially part of Northwest China, it borders the province-level divisions of Shanxi (NE, E), Henan (E), Hubei (SE), Chongqing (S), Sichuan (SW), Gansu (W), N ...
), and later was moved to Zhangyi Circuit (彰義, headquartered in modern Pingliang
Pingliang () is a prefecture-level city in eastern Gansu province, China, bordering Shaanxi province to the south and east and the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region to the north. The city was established in 376 AD. It has a residential population of 2 ...
, Gansu).[
While Zhang governed Zhangyi, one of his close associates was his secretary Zhang Shi (), who was a clansman of his. At that time, one of Zhang Yanze's sons also served on his staff, but often displeased his father Zhang Yanze, and was often physically punished by whipping and battering. In or shortly before 941, as the son feared continuous physical punishments, he decided to flee, but was captured when he fled to Qi Prefecture (齊州, in modern Jinan, Shandong) and delivered to the imperial court. Shi ordered that he be sent back to his father Zhang Yanze, believing that Zhang Yanze would not punish his son harshly. Instead, Zhang Yanze wanted to put his son to death.][ Zhang Shi, finding this to be overly cruel, urged against it repeatedly, such that Zhang Yanze got angry at him and shot at him with arrows. As other close associates of Zhang Yanze's disliked Zhang Shi, they then falsely accused him. In fear, Zhang Shi fled. Zhang Yanze launched soldiers to try to chase Zhang Shi down, but was unable to catch Zhang Shi before Zhang Shi fled to nearby Jingnan Circuit (靜難, headquartered in modern ]Xianyang
Xianyang () is a prefecture-level city in central Shaanxi province, situated on the Wei River a few kilometers upstream (west) from the provincial capital of Xi'an. Once the capital of the Qin dynasty, it is now integrated into the Xi'an metrop ...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi (alternatively Shensi, see § Name) is a landlocked province of China. Officially part of Northwest China, it borders the province-level divisions of Shanxi (NE, E), Henan (E), Hubei (SE), Chongqing (S), Sichuan (SW), Gansu (W), N ...
). Jingnan's military governor Li Zhou () reported this to Shi. Shi, not wanting to offend Zhang Yanze, ordered that Zhang Shi be exiled to Shang Prefecture (商州, in modern Shangluo
Shangluo () is a prefecture-level city in southeastern Shaanxi province, People's Republic of China, bordering Henan to the northeast and Hubei to the southeast. Part of the Shannan region of the province, it is located in the eastern part of the ...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi (alternatively Shensi, see § Name) is a landlocked province of China. Officially part of Northwest China, it borders the province-level divisions of Shanxi (NE, E), Henan (E), Hubei (SE), Chongqing (S), Sichuan (SW), Gansu (W), N ...
). Zhang Yanze, however, was not satisfied, and sent the commander of his army, Zheng Yuanzhao () to the imperial court to demand that Zhang Shi be returned to Zhangyi; Zheng went as far as stating at the imperial court, "If Zhang Yanze were not given Zhang Shi back, there would be unforeseeable consequences." Shi felt compelled to return Zhang Shi to Zhangyi. Upon Zhang Shi's arrival in Zhangyi, Zhang Yanze executed him by cutting open his mouth and his chest, and also cutting off his limbs.[''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 282.]
Hearing of his son's cruel death, Zhang Shi's father Zhang Duo () went to the imperial court to claim his son's innocence. In 942, as a result, Shi ordered that Zhang Yanze be replaced with Wang Zhou (). Once Wang took office, he submitted a report listing 26 unlawful deeds that Zhang Yanze had carried out as military governor of Zhangyi and reporting that, as a result, over 5,000 households had fled or been displaced. Among these additional misdeeds that Wang reported were allegations that he, without imperial order, had attacked non-Han tribes but suffered a crushing defeat; that he, after that defeat, seized over 1,000 horses from the people to replace the lost military horses; and that he had put the officer Yang Hong (), who had escaped the defeat, in cruel fashion similar to Zhang Shi's death — Yang's limbs were broken before he was decapitated. Despite many imperial officials' urging, including petitions by the consultant Zheng Shouyi () and the deputy minister of justice Li Tao () that Zhang Yanze be put to death, however, Shi resolved to pardon Zhang due to his past accomplishments and his connections with Yang Guangyuan. He kept Zhang in his imperial guards as a general, only demoting him one rank each in military rank and in noble title, while Zhang Shi's father, brothers, and sons were given commissions, and the people of Zhangyi who fled and returned were given tax relief.[
]
During Shi Chonggui's reign
Shi Jingtang died later in 942, and was succeeded by his adoptive son (biological nephew) Shi Chonggui
Shi Chonggui () (914–974), known in traditional Chinese historical sources as Emperor Chu of Later Jin (後晉出帝, "the exiled emperor") or Emperor Shao of Later Jin (後晉少帝, "the young emperor"), posthumously known in the Liao dynasty a ...
. Instead of the submissive attitude that Shi Jingtang showed toward the Khitan (whose state had been renamed Liao by this point), Shi Chonggui took a confrontational attitude, leading to a breakdown in relationship and frequent Liao incursions thereafter.[ Apparently at the behest of Shi Chonggui's chief of staff ('']Shumishi
Shumishi (), or shumi, was an official title in history of China, imperial China important in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, the Liao dynasty, the Song dynasty and the Jin dynasty (1115–1234). ''Shumishi'' managed the Bureau of Mili ...
'') Sang Weihan,[ Zhang Yanze was often sent out to defend against these incursions as a commanding general of the imperial guards in response, including in 944][ and 945. It was said that in the major Later Jin victory over the Liao army commanded by Emperor Taizong himself in 945 at Yangcheng (陽城, in modern ]Baoding
Baoding (), formerly known as Baozhou and Qingyuan, is a prefecture-level city in central Hebei province, approximately southwest of Beijing. As of the 2010 census, Baoding City had 11,194,382 inhabitants out of which 2,176,857 lived in the b ...
, Hebei
Hebei or , (; alternately Hopeh) is a northern province of China. Hebei is China's sixth most populous province, with over 75 million people. Shijiazhuang is the capital city. The province is 96% Han Chinese, 3% Manchu, 0.8% Hui, and 0 ...
), while it was Shi Chonggui's uncle by marriage (Shi Jingtang's brother-in-law) Du Wei who commanded the army overall,[''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 284.] none had greater contribution than Zhang, leading to the popular belief at the time that he was giving his entire strength in the effort in appreciation to Shi Jingtang's having spared him from death.[
By fall 945, Zhang had apparently been given a new military governorship — that of Zhangde Circuit (彰德, headquartered in modern Anyang, ]Henan
Henan (; or ; ; alternatively Honan) is a landlocked province of China, in the central part of the country. Henan is often referred to as Zhongyuan or Zhongzhou (), which literally means "central plain" or "midland", although the name is al ...
) — for it was by that title he was referred when he was sent to take up position at Heng Prefecture (恆州, in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei
Hebei or , (; alternately Hopeh) is a northern province of China. Hebei is China's sixth most populous province, with over 75 million people. Shijiazhuang is the capital city. The province is 96% Han Chinese, 3% Manchu, 0.8% Hui, and 0 ...
) to defend against a possible Liao incursion.[''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 285.] It was said that while serving as the military governor of Zhangde, Zhang was much more respectful of the intelligentsia than he did before and governed the circuit well. While he was stationed at Heng, there were orders that the people of Xing (邢州, in modern Xingtai
Xingtai (), formerly known as Xingzhou and Shunde, is a prefecture-level city in southern Hebei province, People's Republic of China. It has a total area of and administers 4 districts, 2 county-level cities and 12 counties. At the 2020 censu ...
, Hebei
Hebei or , (; alternately Hopeh) is a northern province of China. Hebei is China's sixth most populous province, with over 75 million people. Shijiazhuang is the capital city. The province is 96% Han Chinese, 3% Manchu, 0.8% Hui, and 0 ...
), Wei (魏州, in modern Handan, Hebei
Hebei or , (; alternately Hopeh) is a northern province of China. Hebei is China's sixth most populous province, with over 75 million people. Shijiazhuang is the capital city. The province is 96% Han Chinese, 3% Manchu, 0.8% Hui, and 0 ...
), Xiang (相州, Zhangde's capital), and Wei (衛州, in modern Xinxiang
Xinxiang ( ; postal: Sinsiang) is a prefecture-level city in northern Henan province, China.
It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to its southwest, Kaifeng to its southeast, Hebi and Anyang to its north, Jiaozuo to its west, and the ...
, Henan
Henan (; or ; ; alternatively Honan) is a landlocked province of China, in the central part of the country. Henan is often referred to as Zhongyuan or Zhongzhou (), which literally means "central plain" or "midland", although the name is al ...
, note different location than the other Wei Prefecture) Prefectures be responsible for delivering military supplies to the front, creating much burden for the commoners, who had to conduct this themselves. Zhang did what he could to reduce the people's burdens, by having the soldiers meet the commoners on the way, receive the supplies from them, and deliver them back to the front, and was praised for this — which also reduced the dangers of the commoners' falling prey to raids by the Liao army or by bandits.[
In 946, there were rumors that the major Liao general ]Zhao Yanshou Zhao Yanshou () (died November 10, 948'' History of Liao'', vol. 5.Academia Sinicabr>Chinese-Western Calendar Converter), né Liu Yanshou (), formally the Prince of Wei (), was a Chinese military general, monarch, poet, and politician. He served as ...
— who had previously been a major Later Tang general before being captured by the Khitan in the campaign that led to Later Tang's destruction — was planning on defecting to Later Jin. This rumor was believed by Shi's chiefs of staff Li Song and Feng Yu
Feng Yu () (died 952/953?), courtesy name Jingchen (), was a Chinese politician of the Later Tang, Later Jin, and the Liao dynasties of China. He was powerful during the reign of Later Jin's second emperor Shi Chonggui, as Shi's Empress Feng w ...
(the brother of Shi's wife Empress Feng). They had Du write a letter to Zhao, encouraging him to do so, with the officer Zhao Xingshi (), who had previously served under Zhao Yanshou, delivering the letter. Zhao Yanshou wrote back (to try to lead Later Jin forces into a trap), stating, "I have long been in a foreign land, and I want to return to China. Please launch a major army to support me, so that I can pull myself out and return with it." Subsequently, under Emperor Taizong's orders, Liao's prefect of Ying Prefecture (瀛州, in modern Cangzhou), Liu Yanzuo (), also offered to defect to Later Jin. Shi thus put Du and Li Shouzhen
Li Shouzhen (; died August 17, 949''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 288. Academia Sinicabr>Chinese-Western Calendar Converter) was a Chinese military general, monarch, and politician of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period states Later Jin ...
in command of an army to attack north, with the stated objectives being to first recapture the prefectures Shi Jingtang previously ceded to Liao (the Sixteen Prefectures), and then to destroy Liao. When Du and Li Shouzhen advanced, though, they were met by a large army that Emperor Taizong personally commanded. Du and Li initially intended to withdraw quickly, but Zhang joined forces with them and argued that the Liao army could be defeated, and so they remained in the region for some time. However, the Liao army eventually surrounded the Later Jin army at Zhongdu Bridge (中度橋, in modern Baoding). After Emperor Taizong made the promise to Du to make ''him'' emperor if he surrendered, Du and Li surrendered their army. Zhang surrendered to Liao as part of this surrender.[
]
After surrender to Liao
Emperor Taizong, after accepting Du Chongwei's and Li Shouzhen's surrender, took his army south, along with the now-surrendered Later Jin army, toward the Later Jin capital Daliang. He sent Zhang Yanze ahead of him to take control of Daliang, with 2,000 cavalry soldiers.[
As Zhang approached Daliang, he met some minimal Later Jin resistance but was able to defeat it and continue into the city. Seeing no hope of resisting, Shi Chonggui initially wanted to commit suicide, but was stopped by his officer Xue Chao (), and thereafter submitted petitions on his own behalf and that of his aunt/adoptive mother (Shi Jingtang's wife) Empress Dowager Li, surrendering to the Liao emperor. He also summoned Zhang, wanting to confer with Zhang what his appropriate response should be. Zhang declined, stating, "I, your subject, do not have the face to meet Your Imperial Majesty." Zhang forced Sang Weihan (who was no longer Shi's chief of staff but was serving as the mayor of Kaifeng Municipality (i.e., the Daliang region)) to meet him, and after Sang rebuked him, strangled Sang to death, while reporting to Emperor Taizong (who had no intent of killing Sang) that Sang had committed suicide. He also put Shi's close associate, the director of palace affairs, Meng Chenghui (), to death.][
Zhang had his soldiers pillage the city of its wealth, and the poor also took the opportunity to join in the pillaging of the rich households. Many of the rich died in the disturbance. This lasted for two days, and it was said that the city was effectively stripped of its wealth, while the treasures piled up like a hill in Zhang's headquarters. Believing that he has carried out a great contribution for Emperor Taizong, he paid no careful heed to his actions, spending days and nights in drinking and entertainment. Whenever he ventured out of his headquarters, he was accompanied by several hundred cavalry soldiers bearing the banner of, "Faithfulness to the Lord." He executed many people, often by cutting them in halves at the waist. Bearing a grudge against the official Gao Xun (), he went to Gao's mansion and killed Gao's uncle(s) and younger brother(s). Li Tao, believing that he could not escape death if he tried to flee, instead decided to go see him, submitting a note stating, "Li Tao, a man who had petitioned for the death of the ''Taiwei'' 太尉, an honorary title that Zhang carried) comes to now to seek his death." Zhang met him happily, stating, "Are you fearful now, ''Sheren'' as Li Tao was then ''Zhongshu Sheren'' (中書舍人))" Li Tao responded, "Li Tao's fear today is the same as the fear that Your Excellency had back then. If Emperor Gaozu i.e., Shi Jingtang)had accepted my words, how would this have happened?" Zhang laughed, and after drinking with Li Tao, released him.][
Zhang then forced Shi Chonggui and his family to move out of the palace to temporary living quarters at the Kaifeng Municipal Government offices and surrender all their treasure. Some of the treasures were presented to Emperor Taizong, while Zhang kept the rest himself. He also seized the mother of Shi Chonggui's adoptive son (probably a grandson of Shi Jingtang's) Shi Yanxu (), Lady Ding the Lady of Chu, apparently to be his concubine.][
Emperor Taizong shortly after arrived at Daliang and took control of the city. Gao Xun (who was apparently in the group of Later Jin officials who accompanied Emperor Taizong) found out about his family members' deaths, and complained about it to Emperor Taizong. Emperor Taizong was also angry that Zhang had pillaged the city, so he ordered Zhang and the interpreter Fu Zhu'er (), who had accompanied Zhang to Daliang, arrested and locked in chains. Emperor Taizong presented a list of the charges against Zhang to the officials, asking them, "Does this call for death?" They all stated in the affirmative, and at that time, the general populace also submitted many petitions accusing Zhang of crimes. Emperor Taizong thus ordered Zhang and Fu put to death by beheading, with Gao overseeing the execution. As Zhang and Fu were taken to the northern market, where they would be executed publicly, the descendants of the officials that Zhang had killed stood by on the way in mourning clothes, crying, cursing at him, and hitting him with staffs. When they reached the execution field, Gao had Zhang removed from the shackles not by removing the shackles but by cutting off his hands at the wrist. After he was beheaded, his heart was cut out of his body to be sacrificed to those whom he had killed. The people rushed in to break his skull open and to eat his flesh.][
]
Notes and references
* '' Old History of the Five Dynasties'', vol. 98.
* ''New History of the Five Dynasties
The ''Historical Records of the Five Dynasties'' (''Wudai Shiji'') is a Chinese history book on the Five Dynasties period (907–960), written by the Song dynasty official Ouyang Xiu in private. It was drafted during Ouyang's exile from 1036 to ...
'', vol. 52.
* ''Zizhi Tongjian
''Zizhi Tongjian'' () is a pioneering reference work in Chinese historiography, published in 1084 AD during the Northern Song (960–1127), Northern Song dynasty in the form of a chronicle recording Chinese history from 403 BC to 959&n ...
'', vols. 282
Year 282 ( CCLXXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Probus and Victorinus (or, less frequently, year 1035 '' Ab urbe ...
, 283
Year 283 ( CCLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Carus and Carinus (or, less frequently, year 1036 ''Ab urbe cond ...
, 284
__NOTOC__
Year 284 ( CCLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Carinus and Numerianus (or, less frequently, year 1037 ...
, 285, 286.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zhang, Yanze
947 deaths
Politicians from Taiyuan
Jin (Later Tang precursor) people
Later Tang generals
Political office-holders in Shandong
Later Jin (Five Dynasties) jiedushi of Zhenguo Circuit
Later Jin (Five Dynasties) jiedushi of Zhangyi Circuit
Later Jin (Five Dynasties) jiedushi of Zhangde Circuit
Liao dynasty generals
Executed Liao dynasty people
People executed by the Liao dynasty by decapitation
Generals from Shanxi
Year of birth unknown
10th-century Turkic people