Zhang Guan
Encyclopedia
Zhang Guan (died 359) was a general and regent
of the Chinese
state Former Liang
, during the early reign of the young prince Zhang Xuanjing
.
Zhang Guan was a distant relative of the ruling family of Former Liang. He was serving as the governor of He Province (河州, modern southwestern Gansu
and eastern Qinghai
) under Zhang Xuanjing's uncle Zhang Zuo
, who had seized the throne from Zhang Xuanjing's older brother Zhang Yaoling
in 354. Zhang Zuo, whose reign was marked by violence and extravagance, was fearful of Zhang Guan's military power, so he sent his subordinate Suo Fu (索孚) to replace Zhang Guan while ordering Zhang Guan to attack Xiongnu
tribes which had rebelled. He then set up an ambush against Zhang Guan, ready to seize him and/or kill him. However, news leaked, and Zhang Guan executed Suo and then proceeded against the capital, announcing that he was going to restore Zhang Yaoling. He won victories over Zhang Zuo's forces and approached the capital Guzang (姑臧, in modern Wuwei, Gansu
). He was joined in his cause by the general Song Hun
, who also marched on Guzang. In response, Zhang Zuo executed Zhang Yaoling by beating him to death.
That move, however, did not save Zhang Zuo. As Song arrived at the capital, Zhang Zuo ordered that Zhang Guan's brother Zhang Ju (張琚) and son Zhang Song (張嵩) be arrested and killed, but Zhang Ju and Zhang Song instead started an uprising within Guzang and opened the city gates to allow Song Hun's forces to enter. Zhang Zuo's own forces turned on him and killed him. Song Hun and Zhang Ju then declared the six-year-old Zhang Xuanjing the Duke of Xiping—a hereditary Jin Dynasty (265-420)
-created title that his family had held for generations. Upon Zhang Guan's subsequent arrival at Guzang, he became the regent, and he instead had Zhang Xuanjing claim the title of Prince of Liang, a title that Jin did not confer, but continued to claim to be a Jin vassal. He had himself made the governor of Liang Province (涼州, modern central and western Gansu
) and the Duke of Zhangyi. In early 356, in response to diplomatic and implicit military pressure that Former Qin
put on the state, Zhang Guan submitted Former Liang to formal Former Qin
authority.
Once Zhang Guan became regent, he became dictatorial and suspicious, making awards and punishments based on his own personal whim. He became apprehensive of Song Hun, and considered killing Song Hun and his brother Song Cheng (宋澄), and further considered deposing Zhang Xuanjing and making himself prince. Once Song Hun heard this news, he gathered his troops and declared Zhang Guan to be treasonous, claiming to have authorization from Zhang Xuanjing's grandmother Princess Dowager Ma
to kill him. A battle soon developed within Guzang, but Song prevailed, and Zhang Guan and his brother Zhang Ju both committed suicide, and their clan was slaughtered. Song Hun became the regent.
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
of the Chinese
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
state Former Liang
Former Liang
The Former Liang was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms during the Jin dynasty in China. It was founded by the Zhang family of the Han Chinese...
, during the early reign of the young prince Zhang Xuanjing
Zhang Xuanjing
Zhang Xuanjing , courtesy name Yuan'an , formally Duke Jingdao of Xiping or Duke Chong of Xiping was a ruler of the Chinese state Former Liang...
.
Zhang Guan was a distant relative of the ruling family of Former Liang. He was serving as the governor of He Province (河州, modern southwestern Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
and eastern Qinghai
Qinghai
Qinghai ; Oirat Mongolian: ; ; Salar:) is a province of the People's Republic of China, named after Qinghai Lake...
) under Zhang Xuanjing's uncle Zhang Zuo
Zhang Zuo
Zhang Zuo , courtesy name Taibo , formally Prince Wei of Liang was a ruler of the Chinese state Former Liang...
, who had seized the throne from Zhang Xuanjing's older brother Zhang Yaoling
Zhang Yaoling
Zhang Yaoling , courtesy name Yuanshu , formally Duke Ai of Xiping, was briefly the ruler of the Chinese state Former Liang in 353 and early 354....
in 354. Zhang Zuo, whose reign was marked by violence and extravagance, was fearful of Zhang Guan's military power, so he sent his subordinate Suo Fu (索孚) to replace Zhang Guan while ordering Zhang Guan to attack Xiongnu
Xiongnu
The Xiongnu were ancient nomadic-based people that formed a state or confederation north of the agriculture-based empire of the Han Dynasty. Most of the information on the Xiongnu comes from Chinese sources...
tribes which had rebelled. He then set up an ambush against Zhang Guan, ready to seize him and/or kill him. However, news leaked, and Zhang Guan executed Suo and then proceeded against the capital, announcing that he was going to restore Zhang Yaoling. He won victories over Zhang Zuo's forces and approached the capital Guzang (姑臧, in modern Wuwei, Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
). He was joined in his cause by the general Song Hun
Song Hun
Song Hun was a regent of the Chinese state Former Liang.During the reign of the violent and capricious Zhang Zuo, Song Hun served as a general, even though he constantly feared Zhang Zuo, because his older brother Song Xiu had previously had a conflict with Zhang Zuo...
, who also marched on Guzang. In response, Zhang Zuo executed Zhang Yaoling by beating him to death.
That move, however, did not save Zhang Zuo. As Song arrived at the capital, Zhang Zuo ordered that Zhang Guan's brother Zhang Ju (張琚) and son Zhang Song (張嵩) be arrested and killed, but Zhang Ju and Zhang Song instead started an uprising within Guzang and opened the city gates to allow Song Hun's forces to enter. Zhang Zuo's own forces turned on him and killed him. Song Hun and Zhang Ju then declared the six-year-old Zhang Xuanjing the Duke of Xiping—a hereditary Jin Dynasty (265-420)
Jìn Dynasty (265-420)
The Jìn Dynasty , was a dynasty in Chinese history, lasting between the years 265 and 420 AD. There are two main divisions in the history of the Dynasty, the first being Western Jin and the second Eastern Jin...
-created title that his family had held for generations. Upon Zhang Guan's subsequent arrival at Guzang, he became the regent, and he instead had Zhang Xuanjing claim the title of Prince of Liang, a title that Jin did not confer, but continued to claim to be a Jin vassal. He had himself made the governor of Liang Province (涼州, modern central and western Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
) and the Duke of Zhangyi. In early 356, in response to diplomatic and implicit military pressure that Former Qin
Former Qin
The Former Qin was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms in China. Founded by the Fu family of the Di ethnicity, it completed the unification of North China in 376. Its capital had been Xi'an up to the death of the ruler Fu Jiān. Despite its name, the Former Qin was much later and less powerful than...
put on the state, Zhang Guan submitted Former Liang to formal Former Qin
Former Qin
The Former Qin was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms in China. Founded by the Fu family of the Di ethnicity, it completed the unification of North China in 376. Its capital had been Xi'an up to the death of the ruler Fu Jiān. Despite its name, the Former Qin was much later and less powerful than...
authority.
Once Zhang Guan became regent, he became dictatorial and suspicious, making awards and punishments based on his own personal whim. He became apprehensive of Song Hun, and considered killing Song Hun and his brother Song Cheng (宋澄), and further considered deposing Zhang Xuanjing and making himself prince. Once Song Hun heard this news, he gathered his troops and declared Zhang Guan to be treasonous, claiming to have authorization from Zhang Xuanjing's grandmother Princess Dowager Ma
Princess Dowager Ma
Princess Dowager Ma was the mother of the Chinese state Former Liang's ruler Zhang Chonghua. She was a concubine of Zhang Chonghua's father Zhang Jun....
to kill him. A battle soon developed within Guzang, but Song prevailed, and Zhang Guan and his brother Zhang Ju both committed suicide, and their clan was slaughtered. Song Hun became the regent.