Zhang Xiong
Encyclopedia
Zhang Xiong (d. 893) was a warlord late in the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
, who, from 886
and on, controlled an army that initially roved in the lower Yangtze River
region and became a key player in the power struggles between various warlords for the control of Huainan (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou
, Jiangsu
) and Zhenhai (鎮海, headquartered in modern Zhenjiang
, Jiangsu
) Circuits. Zhang eventually settled in at Shangyuan (上元, in modern Nanjing
, Jiangsu
) in 887
and controlled the area until his death in 893
.
, Jiangsu
), and he served as an officer at Ganhua Circuit (感化, headquartered in modern Xuzhou
, Jiangsu
), which Lianshui belonged to. Once, when fellow officer Feng Hongduo
, who was also from Lianshui, was accused of impropriety by circuit administrators, Zhang spoke on his behalf, and Zhang's doing so caused Ganhua's military governor (Jiedushi
) Shi Pu
to suspect both of them. In 886
, knowing that Shi suspected them, Zhang and Feng gathered 300 men and left Ganhua with them, crossing the Yangtze River
to attack Su Prefecture (蘇州, in modern Suzhou
, Jiangsu
), which then belonged to Zhenhai Circuit. They captured it, and Zhang claimed the title of prefect. Eventually, he was able to gather an army reaching the size of 50,000, with 1,000 ships, and called his army Tiancheng Army (天成軍).
. As Zhou had heard that Xu Yue (徐約), an officer under Zhou's rival Gao Pian
the military governor of Huainan, had a strong army, he induced Xu to attack Su Prefecture, promising to give the prefecture to him if Xu were successful. In summer 887
, Xu attacked Zhang; Zhang was unable to withstand the attack, and he took his army east out to the East China Sea
. He sent his officer Zhao Hui (趙暉) with part of the army and part of the fleet west on the Yangtze to take over Shangyuan, and Zhao was able to do so.
Meanwhile, Huainan's capital Yang Prefecture (揚州) had become embroiled in internecine warfare, as the officer Bi Shiduo
, fearful that Gao's trusted sorcerer Lü Yongzhi
was about to kill him, mutinied and captured Yang Prefecture, taking Gao under his control. Zhang used this opportunity to approach it, stopping his army at Dongtang (東塘, in modern Yangzhou), near Yang Prefecture. Subsequently, war again erupted between Bi and his ally Qin Yan
the governor (觀察使, Guanchashi) of Xuanshe Circuit (宣歙, headquartered in modern Xuancheng
, Anhui
) (whom Bi offered the military governorship of Huainan to) and Yang Xingmi
the prefect of Lu Prefecture (廬州, in modern Hefei
, Anhui
), who put Yang Prefecture under siege. Qin and Bi wanted Zhang's aid, as they were running low on food supplies, and they exchanged the wealths of the city for food supplies from Zhang. However, Zhang's army, after they received the wealths of the city, refused to engage in battle on Qin's and Bi's behalf. Thereafter, Yang Xingmi captured the city, and Qin and Bi fled. They initially tried to join Zhang, but Zhang refused to receive them, and they instead joined forces with Qin Zongheng (秦宗衡), the brother of Qin Zongquan, who had proclaimed himself emperor at Fengguo Circuit (奉國, headquartered in modern Zhumadian
, Henan
). (Qin Zongheng was subsequently assassinated by his lieutenant Sun Ru
, who then executed Qin Yan and Bi, defeated Yang Xingmi, and took over Yang Prefecture.)
Meanwhile, with Zhou having himself lost control of Zhenhai Circuit in a mutiny, many of Zhou's soldiers fled to Zhao. Zhao thus became arrogant, and he rebuilt Tai Castle (臺城), a major defense mechanism for Jiankang
, the ancient capital of the Southern Dynasties
, as his residence, and began to live luxuriously. He also stopped communicating with Zhang. When Zhang left Dongtang and advanced west on the Yangtze, Zhao further tried to stop him. In anger, Zhang attacked Shangyuan and captured it. Zhao fled but was killed by his own subordinates. Zhang killed all of Zhao's soldiers who surrendered, and settled in at Shangyuan.
the governor of Xuanshe (whom Qin Yan had left in charge of Xuanshe when he left to contend for control of Huainan). Yang persuaded Zhang Xiong and Sun Duan (孫端) the prefect of He Prefecture (和州, in modern Chaohu, Anhui
) to first attack Zhao, forcing Zhao to engage them. While Zhao was able to defeat Zhang and Sun, Yang then himself attacked Zhao and defeated him, eventually capturing his capital Xuan Prefecture (宣州) and taking over Xuanshe as its governor.
In 890
, then-reigning Emperor Zhaozong
established a new Sheng Prefecture (昇州) at Shangyuan and made Zhang its prefect. Zhang died in 893
, and Feng Hongduo succeeded him as prefect. It was said that Zhang's soldiers missed him for his leadership skills, and they built a temple to worship him.
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...
, who, from 886
886
Year 886 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :...
and on, controlled an army that initially roved in the lower Yangtze River
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
region and became a key player in the power struggles between various warlords for the control of Huainan (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou
Yangzhou
Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yancheng to the northeast, Taizhou to the east, and Zhenjiang across...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
) and Zhenhai (鎮海, headquartered in modern Zhenjiang
Zhenjiang
Zhenjiang is a prefecture-level city in the southwest of Jiangsu province in the eastern People's Republic of China . Sitting on the southern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the west, Changzhou to the east, and Yangzhou across the river to the north.Once...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
) Circuits. Zhang eventually settled in at Shangyuan (上元, in modern Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
) in 887
887
Year 887 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The city of Toledo rises against the Umayyad leader....
and controlled the area until his death in 893
893
Year 893 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Council of Preslav: Simeon I succeeds Vladimir as prince of Bulgaria; the capital is moved from Pliska to Preslav....
.
Background
Zhang Xiong was originally from Lianshui (漣水, in modern Huai'anHuai'an
Huai'an , known as Huaiyin before 2001, is a prefecture-level city in northern Jiangsu province of Eastern China. It borders Suqian to the northwest, Lianyungang to the north, Yancheng to the east, Yangzhou to the southeast, and the province of Anhui to the southwest.The municipality has 4,799,889...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
), and he served as an officer at Ganhua Circuit (感化, headquartered in modern Xuzhou
Xuzhou
Xuzhou , otherwise known as Pengcheng in ancient times, is a major city in and the fourth largest prefecture-level city of Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
), which Lianshui belonged to. Once, when fellow officer Feng Hongduo
Feng Hongduo
Feng Hongduo was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who controlled the Sheng Prefecture region from 893 to 902.- Background :...
, who was also from Lianshui, was accused of impropriety by circuit administrators, Zhang spoke on his behalf, and Zhang's doing so caused Ganhua's military governor (Jiedushi
Jiedushi
The Jiedushi were regional military governors in China during the Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. Originally set up to counter external threats, the jiedushi were given enormous power, including the ability to maintain their own armies, collect taxes, and pass their...
) Shi Pu
Shi Pu
Shi Pu , formally the Prince of Julu , was a warlord of the late Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who controlled Ganhua Circuit as its military governor...
to suspect both of them. In 886
886
Year 886 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :...
, knowing that Shi suspected them, Zhang and Feng gathered 300 men and left Ganhua with them, crossing the Yangtze River
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
to attack Su Prefecture (蘇州, in modern Suzhou
Suzhou
Suzhou , previously transliterated as Su-chou, Suchow, and Soochow, is a major city located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province in Eastern China, located adjacent to Shanghai Municipality. The city is situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Taihu Lake and is a part...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
), which then belonged to Zhenhai Circuit. They captured it, and Zhang claimed the title of prefect. Eventually, he was able to gather an army reaching the size of 50,000, with 1,000 ships, and called his army Tiancheng Army (天成軍).
Roving campaigns
Zhang Xiong's occupation of Su Prefecture drew the displeasure and apprehension of Zhenhai's military governor Zhou BaoZhou Bao
Zhou Bao , courtesy name Shanggui , formally the Prince of Ru'nan , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who, for two years, controlled Zhenhai Circuit as its military governor .- Background and early career :Zhou Bao was born in 807, during the reign of Emperor...
. As Zhou had heard that Xu Yue (徐約), an officer under Zhou's rival Gao Pian
Gao Pian
Gao Pian , courtesy name Qianli , formally the Prince of Bohai , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty...
the military governor of Huainan, had a strong army, he induced Xu to attack Su Prefecture, promising to give the prefecture to him if Xu were successful. In summer 887
887
Year 887 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The city of Toledo rises against the Umayyad leader....
, Xu attacked Zhang; Zhang was unable to withstand the attack, and he took his army east out to the East China Sea
East China Sea
The East China Sea is a marginal sea east of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean and covers an area of 1,249,000 km² or 750,000 square miles.-Geography:...
. He sent his officer Zhao Hui (趙暉) with part of the army and part of the fleet west on the Yangtze to take over Shangyuan, and Zhao was able to do so.
Meanwhile, Huainan's capital Yang Prefecture (揚州) had become embroiled in internecine warfare, as the officer Bi Shiduo
Bi Shiduo
Bi Shiduo was an army officer of the late Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. He initially was part of the agrarian rebellions of Wang Xianzhi and Huang Chao, but later became a Tang officer...
, fearful that Gao's trusted sorcerer Lü Yongzhi
Lü Yongzhi
Lü Yongzhi was a sorcerer late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who became trusted by Gao Pian the military governor of Huainan Circuit and became very powerful at Huainan, at one point becoming more powerful than Gao himself...
was about to kill him, mutinied and captured Yang Prefecture, taking Gao under his control. Zhang used this opportunity to approach it, stopping his army at Dongtang (東塘, in modern Yangzhou), near Yang Prefecture. Subsequently, war again erupted between Bi and his ally Qin Yan
Qin Yan
Qin Yan , né Qin Li , was a warlord of the late Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who seized control of Xuanshe Circuit , and thereafter briefly seized control of Yang Prefecture , the capital of Huainan Circuit , before being defeated by Yang Xingmi...
the governor (觀察使, Guanchashi) of Xuanshe Circuit (宣歙, headquartered in modern Xuancheng
Xuancheng
Xuancheng is a prefecture-level city in southeastern Anhui province of Eastern China. It borders Wuhu to the northwest, Chizhou to the west, Huangshan to the southwest, and the provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangsu to the southeast and northeast respectively....
, Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
) (whom Bi offered the military governorship of Huainan to) and Yang Xingmi
Yang Xingmi
Yang Xingmi , né Yang Xingmin , courtesy name Huayuan , formally Prince Wuzhong of Wu , later posthumously honored King Xiaowu of Wu then Emperor Wu of Wu with the temple name of Taizu , was a military governor of...
the prefect of Lu Prefecture (廬州, in modern Hefei
Hefei
Hefei is the capital and largest city of Anhui Province in Eastern China. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, and cultural centre of Anhui...
, Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
), who put Yang Prefecture under siege. Qin and Bi wanted Zhang's aid, as they were running low on food supplies, and they exchanged the wealths of the city for food supplies from Zhang. However, Zhang's army, after they received the wealths of the city, refused to engage in battle on Qin's and Bi's behalf. Thereafter, Yang Xingmi captured the city, and Qin and Bi fled. They initially tried to join Zhang, but Zhang refused to receive them, and they instead joined forces with Qin Zongheng (秦宗衡), the brother of Qin Zongquan, who had proclaimed himself emperor at Fengguo Circuit (奉國, headquartered in modern Zhumadian
Zhumadian
Zhumadian is a prefecture-level city in southern Henan province, People's Republic of China. It borders Xinyang to the south, Nanyang to the west, Pingdingshan to the northwest, Luohe to the north, Zhoukou to the northeast, and the province of Anhui to the east.Its population is 7,230,744 at the...
, 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...
). (Qin Zongheng was subsequently assassinated by his lieutenant Sun Ru
Sun Ru
Sun Ru , formally the Prince of Le'an , was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who initially served as a general under the pretender emperor Qin Zongquan...
, who then executed Qin Yan and Bi, defeated Yang Xingmi, and took over Yang Prefecture.)
Meanwhile, with Zhou having himself lost control of Zhenhai Circuit in a mutiny, many of Zhou's soldiers fled to Zhao. Zhao thus became arrogant, and he rebuilt Tai Castle (臺城), a major defense mechanism for Jiankang
Jiankang
Jiankang was the capital city of the Eastern Jin Dynasty and Southern Dynasties. Its walls are extant ruins in the modern municipal region of Nanjing.-History:...
, the ancient capital of the Southern Dynasties
Southern dynasties
The Southern dynasties comprise the Liu Song, Southern Qi, Liang Dynasty and Chen Dynasty, whose capital were at Jiankang , and Emperor Yuan of Liang, as well as the later Western Liang emperors , also set their...
, as his residence, and began to live luxuriously. He also stopped communicating with Zhang. When Zhang left Dongtang and advanced west on the Yangtze, Zhao further tried to stop him. In anger, Zhang attacked Shangyuan and captured it. Zhao fled but was killed by his own subordinates. Zhang killed all of Zhao's soldiers who surrendered, and settled in at Shangyuan.
Control of Shangyuan
Meanwhile, Yang Xingmi had returned to Lu Prefecture and was plotting to attack Zhao HuangZhao Huang
Zhao Huang was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who ruled Xuanshe Circuit as its governor from 887 to his death at the hands of rival Yang Xingmi in 889....
the governor of Xuanshe (whom Qin Yan had left in charge of Xuanshe when he left to contend for control of Huainan). Yang persuaded Zhang Xiong and Sun Duan (孫端) the prefect of He Prefecture (和州, in modern Chaohu, Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
) to first attack Zhao, forcing Zhao to engage them. While Zhao was able to defeat Zhang and Sun, Yang then himself attacked Zhao and defeated him, eventually capturing his capital Xuan Prefecture (宣州) and taking over Xuanshe as its governor.
In 890
890
Year 890 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The sovereignty of Great Moravian king Svatopluk I in Bohemia is confirmed.* Lusatia becomes a part of Great Moravia....
, then-reigning Emperor Zhaozong
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang , né Li Jie , name later changed to Li Min , yet later name changed to Li Ye , was the penultimate emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China. He reigned from 888 to 904...
established a new Sheng Prefecture (昇州) at Shangyuan and made Zhang its prefect. Zhang died in 893
893
Year 893 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Council of Preslav: Simeon I succeeds Vladimir as prince of Bulgaria; the capital is moved from Pliska to Preslav....
, and Feng Hongduo succeeded him as prefect. It was said that Zhang's soldiers missed him for his leadership skills, and they built a temple to worship him.