Zhang Jiafu
Encyclopedia
Zhang Jiafu (died July 25, 710) was an official of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
and Wu Zetian
's Zhou Dynasty, briefly serving as chancellor during the reign of Emperor Shang
.
Despite Zhang's high status, little is firmly established about his career except for the time that he served as chancellor -- as, unusual for a chancellor, he did not have a biography in either the Book of Tang
or the New Book of Tang
. He was not even included among the chancellors of the Zhang clan in the table of the chancellors' family trees in the New Book of Tang.
As of 691, during Wu Zetian's reign, Zhang Jiafu was serving as Fengge Sheren (鳳閣舍人), a mid-level official at the legislative bureau of government (鳳閣, Fengge), when he was involved in instigating a petition drive led by Wang Qingzhi (王慶之) to persuade Wu Zetian to make her nephew Wu Chengsi
the Prince of Wei crown prince
to displace her son Li Dan
, who was emperor from 684 to 690 until Wu Zetian took the throne herself. The petition drive initially got Wu Zetian's attention, and the chancellors Cen Changqian
and Ge Fuyuan
were executed for vehemently opposing it. However, she never made Wu Chengsi crown prince, and after Wang was killed by the official Li Zhaode
later in the year, the petition drive dissipated.
Zhang's activities for the next two decades are lost to history. As of 710, another son of Wu Zetian's, Li Xian
, was emperor (as Emperor Zhongzong). That year, however, Emperor Zhongzong died suddenly -- a death that traditional historians believed to be a poisoning carried out by Emperor Zhongzong's wife Empress Wei
and daughter Li Guo'er the Princess Anle
, so that Empress Wei could become "emperor" like Wu Zetian, and Princess Anle could become crown princess. Empress Wei did not immediately announce Emperor Zhongzong's death, and she carried out a number of moves intended to consolidate her power over the government. As a part of these moves, Zhang, who was then the minister of civil service affairs (吏部尚書, Libu Shangshu), was given the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事), making him a chancellor de facto. Soon, Emperor Zhongzong's son by a concubine, Li Chongmao the Prince of Wen, was named emperor (as Emperor Shang), but Empress Wei retained power as empress dowager
and regent
. She sent a number of her associates to survey the circuits to make sure that no one would dare rise against her, and Zhang was sent to survey Hebei Circuit (河北道, roughly modern Hebei
, Beijing
, and Tianjin
). After Zhang left the capital Chang'an
, a coup led by Emperor Zhongzong's sister Princess Taiping
and nephew Li Longji
the Prince of Linzi killed Empress Wei and Li Guo'er, along with a number of their associates. At that time, Zhang had reached Huai Prefecture (懷州, roughly modern Jiaozuo
, Henan
), and was arrested and executed.
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...
dynasty Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
and Wu Zetian
Wu Zetian
Wu Zetian , personal name Wu Zhao , often referred to as Tian Hou during the Tang Dynasty and Empress Consort Wu in later times, was the only woman in the history of China to assume the title of Empress Regnant...
's Zhou Dynasty, briefly serving as chancellor during the reign of Emperor Shang
Emperor Shang of Tang
Emperor Shang , also known as Emperor Shao , personal name Li Chongmao , was an emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling briefly in 710....
.
Despite Zhang's high status, little is firmly established about his career except for the time that he served as chancellor -- as, unusual for a chancellor, he did not have a biography in either the Book of Tang
Book of Tang
The Book of Tang , Jiu Tangshu or the Old Book of Tang is the first classic work about the Tang Dynasty. The book began when Gaozu of Later Jin ordered its commencement in 941...
or the New Book of Tang
New Book of Tang
The New Book of Tang , is a classic work of history about the Tang Dynasty edited by Ouyang Xiu and Song Qi and other official scholars of the Song Dynasty. The emperor called for a revision of the former Book of Tang in 1044. The New Book was presented to the throne in 1060. It was given its...
. He was not even included among the chancellors of the Zhang clan in the table of the chancellors' family trees in the New Book of Tang.
As of 691, during Wu Zetian's reign, Zhang Jiafu was serving as Fengge Sheren (鳳閣舍人), a mid-level official at the legislative bureau of government (鳳閣, Fengge), when he was involved in instigating a petition drive led by Wang Qingzhi (王慶之) to persuade Wu Zetian to make her nephew Wu Chengsi
Wu Chengsi
Wu Chengsi , formally Prince Xuan of Wei , was a nephew of Chinese sovereign Wu Zetian and an imperial prince during her Zhou Dynasty...
the Prince of Wei crown prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
to displace her son Li Dan
Emperor Ruizong of Tang
Emperor Ruizong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Dàn , known at times during his life as Li Xulun , Li Lun , Wu Lun , and Wu Dan , was the fifth and ninth emperor of Tang Dynasty...
, who was emperor from 684 to 690 until Wu Zetian took the throne herself. The petition drive initially got Wu Zetian's attention, and the chancellors Cen Changqian
Cen Changqian
Cen Changqian , briefly known as Wu Changqian during the reign of Wu Zetian, formally the Duke of Deng , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving as chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong, as well as Wu Zetian's reign and her earlier...
and Ge Fuyuan
Ge Fuyuan
Ge Fuyuan was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving briefly as a chancellor during Wu Zetian's reign....
were executed for vehemently opposing it. However, she never made Wu Chengsi crown prince, and after Wang was killed by the official Li Zhaode
Li Zhaode
Li Zhaode was an official of Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty and at one point served as chancellor. He was known for his abilities and strong will, which eventually led to a conflict with Wu Zetian's secret police official Lai Junchen...
later in the year, the petition drive dissipated.
Zhang's activities for the next two decades are lost to history. As of 710, another son of Wu Zetian's, Li Xian
Emperor Zhongzong of Tang
Emperor Zhongzong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Xiǎn , at times during his life Li Zhe and Wu Xian , was the fourth Emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling briefly in 684 and again from 705 to 710.Emperor Zhongzong was the son of Emperor Gaozong of Tang and Empress Wu...
, was emperor (as Emperor Zhongzong). That year, however, Emperor Zhongzong died suddenly -- a death that traditional historians believed to be a poisoning carried out by Emperor Zhongzong's wife Empress Wei
Empress Wei (Zhongzong)
Empress Wei was an empress of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. She was the second wife of Emperor Zhongzong, who reigned twice, and during his second reign, she tried to emulate the example of her mother-in-law Wu Zetian and seize power...
and daughter Li Guo'er the Princess Anle
Princess Anle
Princess Anle , personal name Li Guo'er , was a princess of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. She was the youngest daughter of Emperor Zhongzong and his wife Empress Wei who was greatly favored by her parents and therefore grew very powerful and corrupt during her father's second...
, so that Empress Wei could become "emperor" like Wu Zetian, and Princess Anle could become crown princess. Empress Wei did not immediately announce Emperor Zhongzong's death, and she carried out a number of moves intended to consolidate her power over the government. As a part of these moves, Zhang, who was then the minister of civil service affairs (吏部尚書, Libu Shangshu), was given the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事), making him a chancellor de facto. Soon, Emperor Zhongzong's son by a concubine, Li Chongmao the Prince of Wen, was named emperor (as Emperor Shang), but Empress Wei retained power as empress dowager
Empress Dowager
Empress Dowager was the title given to the mother of a Chinese, Korean, Japanese or Vietnamese emperor.The title was also given occasionally to another woman of the same generation, while a woman from the previous generation was sometimes given the title of Grand empress dowager. Numerous empress...
and 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...
. She sent a number of her associates to survey the circuits to make sure that no one would dare rise against her, and Zhang was sent to survey Hebei Circuit (河北道, roughly modern Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
, Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, and Tianjin
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
). After Zhang left the capital Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
, a coup led by Emperor Zhongzong's sister Princess Taiping
Princess Taiping
Princess Taiping was a princess of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and her mother Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty. She was the youngest daughter of Wu Zetian and Emperor Gaozong and was powerful during the reigns of her mother and her elder brothers Emperor Zhongzong and Emperor Ruizong , particularly...
and nephew Li Longji
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang , also commonly known as Emperor Ming of Tang , personal name Li Longji , known as Wu Longji from 690 to 705, was the seventh emperor of the Tang dynasty in China, reigning from 712 to 756. His reign of 43 years was the longest during the Tang Dynasty...
the Prince of Linzi killed Empress Wei and Li Guo'er, along with a number of their associates. At that time, Zhang had reached Huai Prefecture (懷州, roughly modern Jiaozuo
Jiaozuo
Jiaozuo is a prefecture-level city in northern Henan province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yellow River, it borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the south, Xinxiang to the east, Jiyuan to the west, Luoyang to the southwest, and the province of Shanxi...
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
), and was arrested and executed.