Zhang Yi (Tang Dynasty)
Encyclopedia
Zhang Yi (died November 8, 783), courtesy names Jiquan (季權) and Gongdu (公度), was an official of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
, briefly serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Dezong
.
, Jiangsu
). His family traced its ancestry to officials of the Spring and Autumn Period state Jin, the Warring States Period
state Han
, Han Dynasty
, Southern Qi
, Liang Dynasty
, Sui Dynasty
, and Tang Dynasty
. His great-great-grandfather Zhang Houyin (張後胤) was a principal of the imperial university early in Tang and carried the title of Duke of Xinye. His grandfather Zhang Lüshi (張律師) served as an advisor to an imperial prince. His grandfather Zhang Yifang (張義方) served as a prefectural prefect. His father Zhang Qiqiu (張齊丘) was a military governor (Jiedushi
) of Shuofang
Circuit (朔方, headquartered in modern Yinchuan, Ningxia
).
served as the deputy supreme commander of armed forces in the Guannei Region (關內, i.e., the region around the capital Chang'an
), because Guo had previously served under Zhang Qiqiu, he invited Zhang Yi to serve as his secretary. He later served as Dali Pingshi (大理評事), a judge at the supreme court, and then as Dianzhong Shiyushi (殿中侍御史), an imperial censor. During Emperor Suzong
's Qianyuan era (758
-760
), there was an incident when a county magistrate, Lu Cong (盧樅), rebuked his subordinate Qi Lingshen (齊令詵), and Qi, as payback, made false accusations against Lu. Zhang was put in charge of the investigation against Lu, and he suggested that Lu be demoted — but after he made his reports to his superiors, they decided that Lu should be executed by caning. Zhang, believing this to be unjust, put on his official uniform and told his mother:
Zhang's mother responded: "If you are doing the right thing, then I will not worry." Zhang thus submitted a petition in Lu's defense, and Lu was not executed but exiled. Zhang himself was demoted to be the census officer of Fu Prefecture (撫州, in modern Fuzhou, Jiangxi
). He was later made the magistrate of Jinling County (晉陵, in modern Changzhou
, Jiangsu
), but before he could report to Jinling, Zhang Gao
, the governor of Jiangnan West Circuit (江南西道, headquartered in modern Nanchang
, Jiangxi
), invited him to serve as a secretary. Zhang Yi later was recalled to Chang'an, and he successively served as Tuntian Yuanwailang (屯田員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of public works (工部, Gongbu); Cibu Yuanwailang (祠部員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of rites (禮部, Lǐbu); and Yousi Yuanwailang (右司員外郎), an assistant to one of the secretaries general of the executive bureau of government (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng). When his mother died, he observed a period of mourning for her, and after the mourning period was over, he was made Sixun Yuanwailang (司勳員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of civil service affairs (吏部, Lìbu, note different tone than the ministry of rites). It was said that he chose his friends carefully and did not associate with many people, and was particularly friendly with Yang Guan and Cui Youfu
.
In 770
, during the reign of Emperor Suzong's son Emperor Daizong
, Zhang Yi was made the prefect of Bo Prefecture (濠州, in modern Chuzhou
, Anhui
). It was said that he ruled the prefecture effectively, and he invited scholars to teach the students of the prefecture. During his term of service, as a result, over 40 people from the prefecture passed the imperial examination
s. He also authored a number of commentaries on the Three Rites (i.e., the Classic of Rites
, the Rites of Zhou
, and the Yili "Etiquette and Rites"), the Five Classics, and the Mencius
. When the army officer Li Lingyao (李靈曜) rebelled at Biansong Circuit (汴宋, headquartered in modern Kaifeng
, Henan
) in 776
, Zhang trained the militia and defended the prefecture carefully, drawing Emperor Daizong's praise. He was given the defender of the Huai River
region (沿淮鎮守使, Yanhuai Zhenshoushi). He was soon made the prefect of Shou Prefecture (壽州, in modern Lu'an
, Anhui
), and continued to carry the title of defender of the Huai River Region.
and was succeeded by his son Emperor Dezong
. He made Zhang Yi the governor of Jiangnan West Circuit and the prefect of its capital Hong Prefecture (洪州). Later, he recalled Zhang to serve as the deputy minister of civil services affairs (吏部侍郎, Libu Shilang). He later made Zhang the governor of Hezhong Circuit (河中, headquartered in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi), but after just a few days made Zhang the military governor of Yongping Circuit (永平, headquartered in modern Kaifeng) instead. Claiming an illness, Zhang never reported to Yongping Circuit. He was allowed to return to Chang'an to recover from illness at his mansion. In 780
, when the chancellor Yang Yan
was removed from his post, Emperor Dezong made Zhang Zhongshu Shilang (中書侍郎), the deputy head of the legislative bureau (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng), and gave him the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事), making him a chancellor de facto.
Zhang Yi's chancellor colleague Lu Qi
, however, was trusted by Emperor Dezong and was far more powerful than Zhang himself was. For example, later in the year, when Li Wei (李洧) the prefect of Xu Prefecture (徐州, in modern Xuzhou
, Jiangsu
), was ready to submit to imperial authority and turn against his relative, Li Na
, who was resisting imperial authority and ruling Pinglu Circuit (平盧, headquartered in modern Tai'an
, Shandong
) independently after Emperor Dezong denied him permission to succeed his father Li Zhengji
. Li Wei sent his assistant Cui Cheng (崔程) to Chang'an to report on Li Wei's submission and suggested that if Emperor Dezong publicly made him the governor of, in addition to Xu, two other prefectures nearby, that those prefectures would also follow his call to return to imperial authority. When Cui arrived at Chang'an, however, not understanding the power balance between the chancellors, he reported to Zhang rather than Lu. Even though Zhang relayed the report to Lu, Lu was still angered, and Li Wei's proposal was rejected. Subsequently, the imperial government was only able to recover Xu Prefecture.
In 782
, Zhao Zong (趙縱), the minister of husbandry and a son-in-law to Guo Ziyi (who had died in 781), was accused by his own eunuch Dangqian (當千) of improprieties. Zhao was arrested and detained at the bureau of censors, while Emperor Dezong kept Dangqian as an imperial servant at the bureau of eunuchs. Zhang submitted a lengthy petition, pointing out that it was troubling that Zhang was being arrested based on accusation of a servant and that he was the third son-in-law of Guo's to be accused of crimes within a short period after Guo's death. As a result, Emperor Dezong only demoted Zhao and put Dangqian to death for betraying his master. Zhang took Dangqian's body and displayed it to all of the servants of the Guo household as a warning.
Zhang was respected by Emperor Dezong, and Lu became jealous of this, and he wanted to remove Zhang from his chancellor position. Later in 782
, when Emperor Dezong removed Zhu Ci
the military governor of Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji
, Shaanxi
) from his post because Zhu Ci's brother Zhu Tao
the acting military governor of Lulong Circuit (盧龍, headquartered in modern Beijing
), had rebelled against imperial authority, Lu stated that due to Fengxiang's importance, Zhu Ci needed to be succeeded by a chancellor, and offered to take the position himself. When Emperor Dezong hesitated, Lu, who was ugly in appearance, immediately stated that he understood Emperor Dezong's hesitation that because of his ugliness he might not be able to gain the respect of the army, and requested that someone else be sent. Emperor Dezong thus made Zhang the military governor of Fengxiang Circuit and the mayor of Fengxiang Municipality, and Zhang continued to carry a chancellor designation as an honorary designation.
In 783
, by Emperor Dezong's orders, Zhang and the Tufan chancellor Shang Jiezan (尚結贊) swore an oath of friendship between the two states. In the solemn ceremony, Zhang and six of his staff members — among whom were future chancellors Qi Ying
, Qi Kang
, and Yu Di
— served as administrators of the oath on the Tang side, while Shang and six of key Tufan officials and generals served as administrators of the oath on the Tufan side. Zhang was, however, ashamed of having to swear an oath with someone that he saw as a barbarian, and he wanted to reduce the solemnity of the oath. Originally, the oath was to be accompanied by sacrifices of horses and cattle. Zhang requested that sheep, pigs, and dogs be substituted, but as pigs could not be found in the locale, at Shang's suggestion, goats were substituted instead.
It was said that while Zhang was serving as the military governor of Fengxiang, he was not well-acquainted with military matters, and spent much time on personal appearance. On November 2, 783, soldiers from Jingyuan Circuit (涇原, headquartered in modern Pingliang
, Gansu
), at Chang'an to await deployment to the east against warlords, mutinied when they did not receive rewards they felt they deserved. Emperor Dezong fled to Fengtian (奉天, in modern Xianyang
, Shaanxi
), but as Fengtian was a small city, considered further heading to Fengxiang. The soldiers supported Zhu Ci as their leader, and Zhu Ci initially postured that he would calm the people of Chang'an and then welcome Emperor Dezong back to Chang'an. Meanwhile, Zhang, hearing of the mutiny and of Emperor Dezong's considering visiting Fengxiang, began undertaking preparations for the emperor's arrival. Qi Ying and Qi Kang pointed out that one of the military officers, Li Chulin (李楚琳), was previously a subordinate of Zhu Ci's and would be difficult to control. Zhang thus issued an order that Li Chulin report to Long Prefecture (隴州, in modern Baoji). Li Chulin, giving excuses, did not report immediately, and Zhang, concentrating on welcoming the emperor, never followed up on whether Li Chulin left for Long Prefecture. The night of November 8, Li Chulin and his associates mutinied and attacked Zhang's headquarters. Zhang and two of his sons climbed over the city walls and tried to flee, but were captured by the mutineers and killed. He was posthumously honored by Emperor Dezong.
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...
, briefly serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Dezong
Emperor Dezong of Tang
Emperor Dezong of Tang , personally name Li Kuo , was an emperor of the Chinese Tang Dynasty and the oldest son of his father Emperor Daizong. His reign of 26 years was the third longest in the Tang dynasty...
.
Background
It is not known when Zhang Yi was born, but it is known that his family was from Su Prefecture (蘇州, in modern SuzhouSuzhou
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...
). His family traced its ancestry to officials of the Spring and Autumn Period state Jin, the Warring States Period
Warring States Period
The Warring States Period , also known as the Era of Warring States, or the Warring Kingdoms period, covers the Iron Age period from about 475 BC to the reunification of China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC...
state Han
Han (state)
Han was a kingdom during the Warring States Period in China, located in modern-day Shanxi and Henan. Not to be confused with South Korea which shares the same character....
, Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
, Southern Qi
Southern Qi
The Southern Qi Dynasty was the second of the Southern dynasties in China, followed by the Liang Dynasty. During its 23-year history, the dynasty was largely filled with instability, as after the death of the capable Emperor Gao and Emperor Wu, Emperor Wu's grandson Xiao Zhaoye was assassinated...
, Liang Dynasty
Liang Dynasty
The Liang Dynasty , also known as the Southern Liang Dynasty , was the third of the Southern dynasties in China and was followed by the Chen Dynasty...
, Sui Dynasty
Sui Dynasty
The Sui Dynasty was a powerful, but short-lived Imperial Chinese dynasty. Preceded by the Southern and Northern Dynasties, it ended nearly four centuries of division between rival regimes. It was followed by the Tang Dynasty....
, and 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...
. His great-great-grandfather Zhang Houyin (張後胤) was a principal of the imperial university early in Tang and carried the title of Duke of Xinye. His grandfather Zhang Lüshi (張律師) served as an advisor to an imperial prince. His grandfather Zhang Yifang (張義方) served as a prefectural prefect. His father Zhang Qiqiu (張齊丘) was a 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...
) of Shuofang
Shuofang
Shuofang was a fort built in the land of nomadic horse hasbandry tribes at the dawn of the Chinese written history. According to Bamboo Annals, Shuofang was built by the Emperor Di Yi of Shang state on the third year of his reign in 1098 BC in the midst of the Kun Barbarians territory in the...
Circuit (朔方, headquartered in modern Yinchuan, Ningxia
Ningxia
Ningxia, formerly transliterated as Ningsia, is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. Located in Northwest China, on the Loess Plateau, the Yellow River flows through this vast area of land. The Great Wall of China runs along its northeastern boundary...
).
During Emperors Suzong's and Daizong's reigns
Due to Zhang Yi's father Zhang Qiqiu's status, he was made an officer of the imperial guards early in his career. When the major general Guo ZiyiGuo Ziyi
Guo Ziyi , formally Prince Zhongwu of Fenyang , was a general during the Tang Dynasty who ended the An Shi Rebellion, and participated in expeditions against the peoples of Huihe and Tubo...
served as the deputy supreme commander of armed forces in the Guannei Region (關內, i.e., the region around 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...
), because Guo had previously served under Zhang Qiqiu, he invited Zhang Yi to serve as his secretary. He later served as Dali Pingshi (大理評事), a judge at the supreme court, and then as Dianzhong Shiyushi (殿中侍御史), an imperial censor. During Emperor Suzong
Emperor Suzong of Tang
Emperor Suzong of Tang , personal name Li Heng , né Li Sisheng , known as Li Jun from 725 to 736, known as Li Yu from 736 to 738, known briefly as Li Shao in 738, was an emperor of the Tang Dynasty and the son of Emperor Xuanzong...
's Qianyuan era (758
758
Year 758 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 758 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* Emperor Junnin succeeds Empress Kōken on the...
-760
760
Year 760 was a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 760 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- China :* Emperor Xuanzong is placed under house arrest...
), there was an incident when a county magistrate, Lu Cong (盧樅), rebuked his subordinate Qi Lingshen (齊令詵), and Qi, as payback, made false accusations against Lu. Zhang was put in charge of the investigation against Lu, and he suggested that Lu be demoted — but after he made his reports to his superiors, they decided that Lu should be executed by caning. Zhang, believing this to be unjust, put on his official uniform and told his mother:
Zhang's mother responded: "If you are doing the right thing, then I will not worry." Zhang thus submitted a petition in Lu's defense, and Lu was not executed but exiled. Zhang himself was demoted to be the census officer of Fu Prefecture (撫州, in modern Fuzhou, Jiangxi
Fuzhou, Jiangxi
Fuzhou is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Jiangxi province, People's Republic of China.It is located to the south of the provincial capital Nanchang. Its total area is 18,800 km². Its population is 3,700,000 people...
). He was later made the magistrate of Jinling County (晉陵, in modern Changzhou
Changzhou
Changzhou is a prefecture-level city in southern Jiangsu province of the People's Republic of China. It was previously known as Yanling, Lanling, Jinling, and Wujin. Located on the southern bank of the Yangtze River, Changzhou borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the west, Zhenjiang to the...
, 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...
), but before he could report to Jinling, Zhang Gao
Zhang Gao
Zhang Gao , courtesy name Congzhou , formally the Duke of Pingyuan , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Suzong...
, the governor of Jiangnan West Circuit (江南西道, headquartered in modern Nanchang
Nanchang
Nanchang is the capital of Jiangxi Province in southeastern China. It is located in the north-central portion of the province. As it is bounded on the west by the Jiuling Mountains, and on the east by Poyang Lake, it is famous for its scenery, rich history and cultural sites...
, Jiangxi
Jiangxi
' is a southern province in the People's Republic of China. Spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River in the north into hillier areas in the south, it shares a border with Anhui to the north, Zhejiang to the northeast, Fujian to the east, Guangdong to the south, Hunan to the west, and Hubei to...
), invited him to serve as a secretary. Zhang Yi later was recalled to Chang'an, and he successively served as Tuntian Yuanwailang (屯田員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of public works (工部, Gongbu); Cibu Yuanwailang (祠部員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of rites (禮部, Lǐbu); and Yousi Yuanwailang (右司員外郎), an assistant to one of the secretaries general of the executive bureau of government (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng). When his mother died, he observed a period of mourning for her, and after the mourning period was over, he was made Sixun Yuanwailang (司勳員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of civil service affairs (吏部, Lìbu, note different tone than the ministry of rites). It was said that he chose his friends carefully and did not associate with many people, and was particularly friendly with Yang Guan and Cui Youfu
Cui Youfu
Cui Youfu , courtesy name Yisun , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor briefly early during the reign of Emperor Dezong...
.
In 770
770
Year 770 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 770 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* Emperor Kōnin ascends to the throne of Japan,...
, during the reign of Emperor Suzong's son Emperor Daizong
Emperor Daizong of Tang
Emperor Daizong of Tang , personal name Li Yu , né Li Chu , was an emperor of the Chinese Tang Dynasty....
, Zhang Yi was made the prefect of Bo Prefecture (濠州, in modern Chuzhou
Chuzhou
Chuzhou is a prefecture-level city in eastern Anhui Province, People's Republic of China. It borders the provincial capital of Hefei to the southwest, Huainan to the west, Bengbu to the northwest, Chaohu to the south, and the province of Jiangsu to the east...
, 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...
). It was said that he ruled the prefecture effectively, and he invited scholars to teach the students of the prefecture. During his term of service, as a result, over 40 people from the prefecture passed the imperial examination
Imperial examination
The Imperial examination was an examination system in Imperial China designed to select the best administrative officials for the state's bureaucracy. This system had a huge influence on both society and culture in Imperial China and was directly responsible for the creation of a class of...
s. He also authored a number of commentaries on the Three Rites (i.e., the Classic of Rites
Classic of Rites
The Classic of Rites , also known as the Book of Rites, Book of Customs, the Record of Rites, was one of the Chinese Five Classics of the Confucian canon. It described the social forms, governmental system, and ancient/ceremonial rites of the Zhou Dynasty...
, the Rites of Zhou
Rites of Zhou
The Rites of Zhou , also known as Zhouguan, is one of three ancient ritual texts listed among the classics of Confucianism. It was later renamed Zhouli by Liu Xin to differentiate it from a chapter in the Classic of History which was also known as Zhouguan.Though tradition ascribed the text of the...
, and the Yili "Etiquette and Rites"), the Five Classics, and the Mencius
Mencius
Mencius was a Chinese philosopher who was arguably the most famous Confucian after Confucius himself.-Life:Mencius, also known by his birth name Meng Ke or Ko, was born in the State of Zou, now forming the territory of the county-level city of Zoucheng , Shandong province, only thirty kilometres ...
. When the army officer Li Lingyao (李靈曜) rebelled at Biansong Circuit (汴宋, headquartered in modern Kaifeng
Kaifeng
Kaifeng , known previously by several names , is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, Central China. Nearly 5 million people live in the metropolitan area...
, 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...
) in 776
776
Year 776 was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 776 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* April 14 – Charlemagne spends Easter in...
, Zhang trained the militia and defended the prefecture carefully, drawing Emperor Daizong's praise. He was given the defender of the Huai River
Huai River
The Huai River is a major river in China. The Huai River is located about mid-way between the Yellow River and Yangtze River, the two largest rivers in China, and like them runs from west to east...
region (沿淮鎮守使, Yanhuai Zhenshoushi). He was soon made the prefect of Shou Prefecture (壽州, in modern Lu'an
Lu'an
Lu'an , is a prefecture-level city in western Anhui Province, People's Republic of China, with a population of 5,612,590 inhabitants at 2010 census. Its built up area is home to 1,482,729 inhabitants spread out on 2 urban districts...
, 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...
), and continued to carry the title of defender of the Huai River Region.
During Emperor Dezong's reign
Emperor Daizong died in 779779
Year 779 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 779 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Offa of Mercia defeats Cynewulf of Wessex...
and was succeeded by his son Emperor Dezong
Emperor Dezong of Tang
Emperor Dezong of Tang , personally name Li Kuo , was an emperor of the Chinese Tang Dynasty and the oldest son of his father Emperor Daizong. His reign of 26 years was the third longest in the Tang dynasty...
. He made Zhang Yi the governor of Jiangnan West Circuit and the prefect of its capital Hong Prefecture (洪州). Later, he recalled Zhang to serve as the deputy minister of civil services affairs (吏部侍郎, Libu Shilang). He later made Zhang the governor of Hezhong Circuit (河中, headquartered in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi), but after just a few days made Zhang the military governor of Yongping Circuit (永平, headquartered in modern Kaifeng) instead. Claiming an illness, Zhang never reported to Yongping Circuit. He was allowed to return to Chang'an to recover from illness at his mansion. In 780
780
Year 780 was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 780 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Byzantine Empire :* Constantine VI becomes Byzantine...
, when the chancellor Yang Yan
Yang Yan
Yang Yan , courtesy name Gongnan , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor early in the reign of Emperor Dezong. He was credited with reforming the tax system to reduce burdens on the peasants and to bring merchants into the rank of taxpayers, but was blamed...
was removed from his post, Emperor Dezong made Zhang Zhongshu Shilang (中書侍郎), the deputy head of the legislative bureau (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng), and gave him the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事), making him a chancellor de facto.
Zhang Yi's chancellor colleague Lu Qi
Lu Qi
Lu Qi , courtesy name Ziliang , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Dezong...
, however, was trusted by Emperor Dezong and was far more powerful than Zhang himself was. For example, later in the year, when Li Wei (李洧) the prefect of Xu Prefecture (徐州, 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...
), was ready to submit to imperial authority and turn against his relative, Li Na
Li Na (Tang Dynasty)
Li Na , formally the Prince of Longxi , was a general of the Chinese Tang Dynasty. Inheriting the post from his father Li Zhengji, he served as the military governor of Pinglu Circuit semi-independently from the imperial government.- Background :Li Na was born in 758, during the reign of...
, who was resisting imperial authority and ruling Pinglu Circuit (平盧, headquartered in modern Tai'an
Tai'an
Tai'an is a prefecture-level city in western Shandong province, People's Republic of China.Centered around Mount Tai, the city borders the provincial capital of Jinan to the north, Laiwu to the northeast, Zibo to the east, Linyi to the southeast, Liaocheng to the extreme west and Jining to the south...
, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
) independently after Emperor Dezong denied him permission to succeed his father Li Zhengji
Li Zhengji
- Background :Li Huaiyu was born in 733, during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. He was born in Tang's Pinglu Circuit...
. Li Wei sent his assistant Cui Cheng (崔程) to Chang'an to report on Li Wei's submission and suggested that if Emperor Dezong publicly made him the governor of, in addition to Xu, two other prefectures nearby, that those prefectures would also follow his call to return to imperial authority. When Cui arrived at Chang'an, however, not understanding the power balance between the chancellors, he reported to Zhang rather than Lu. Even though Zhang relayed the report to Lu, Lu was still angered, and Li Wei's proposal was rejected. Subsequently, the imperial government was only able to recover Xu Prefecture.
In 782
782
Year 782 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 782 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Charlemagne summons the monk and scholar...
, Zhao Zong (趙縱), the minister of husbandry and a son-in-law to Guo Ziyi (who had died in 781), was accused by his own eunuch Dangqian (當千) of improprieties. Zhao was arrested and detained at the bureau of censors, while Emperor Dezong kept Dangqian as an imperial servant at the bureau of eunuchs. Zhang submitted a lengthy petition, pointing out that it was troubling that Zhang was being arrested based on accusation of a servant and that he was the third son-in-law of Guo's to be accused of crimes within a short period after Guo's death. As a result, Emperor Dezong only demoted Zhao and put Dangqian to death for betraying his master. Zhang took Dangqian's body and displayed it to all of the servants of the Guo household as a warning.
Zhang was respected by Emperor Dezong, and Lu became jealous of this, and he wanted to remove Zhang from his chancellor position. Later in 782
782
Year 782 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 782 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Charlemagne summons the monk and scholar...
, when Emperor Dezong removed Zhu Ci
Zhu Ci
Zhu Ci was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. He initially served as military governor of Lulong Circuit , but later became a general for the imperial government...
the military governor of Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji
Baoji
Baoji is a prefecture-level city in Shaanxi province, China.-Geography:The prefecture-level city of Baoji has a population of 3,716,731 according to the 2010 Chinese census, inhabiting an area of . The city itself has a population of approximately 800,000. Surrounded on three sides by hills,...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
) from his post because Zhu Ci's brother Zhu Tao
Zhu Tao
Zhu Tao , formally the Prince of Tongyi , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who initially served imperial causes during the reigns of Emperor Daizong and Emperor Dezong, but later turned against imperial rule in alliance with Wang Wujun, Tian Yue, and Li Na...
the acting military governor of Lulong Circuit (盧龍, headquartered in modern 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...
), had rebelled against imperial authority, Lu stated that due to Fengxiang's importance, Zhu Ci needed to be succeeded by a chancellor, and offered to take the position himself. When Emperor Dezong hesitated, Lu, who was ugly in appearance, immediately stated that he understood Emperor Dezong's hesitation that because of his ugliness he might not be able to gain the respect of the army, and requested that someone else be sent. Emperor Dezong thus made Zhang the military governor of Fengxiang Circuit and the mayor of Fengxiang Municipality, and Zhang continued to carry a chancellor designation as an honorary designation.
In 783
783
Year 783 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 783 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Byzantine Empire :* Campaigns of the Byzantine...
, by Emperor Dezong's orders, Zhang and the Tufan chancellor Shang Jiezan (尚結贊) swore an oath of friendship between the two states. In the solemn ceremony, Zhang and six of his staff members — among whom were future chancellors Qi Ying
Qi Ying
Qi Ying , formally Baron Zhong of Hejian , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Dezong.- Background :...
, Qi Kang
Qi Kang
Qi Kang , courtesy name Xiaju , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Dezong.- Background :...
, and Yu Di
Yu Di
Yu Di , courtesy name Yunyuan , formally initially Duke Li of Yan and later Duke Si of Yan , was a general and official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty...
— served as administrators of the oath on the Tang side, while Shang and six of key Tufan officials and generals served as administrators of the oath on the Tufan side. Zhang was, however, ashamed of having to swear an oath with someone that he saw as a barbarian, and he wanted to reduce the solemnity of the oath. Originally, the oath was to be accompanied by sacrifices of horses and cattle. Zhang requested that sheep, pigs, and dogs be substituted, but as pigs could not be found in the locale, at Shang's suggestion, goats were substituted instead.
It was said that while Zhang was serving as the military governor of Fengxiang, he was not well-acquainted with military matters, and spent much time on personal appearance. On November 2, 783, soldiers from Jingyuan Circuit (涇原, headquartered in modern Pingliang
Pingliang
Pingliang is a prefecture-level city in eastern Gansu Province in China. Pingliang is famous for a local mountain range that includes Kongtong Mountain, a site sacred to Taoism and mythical meeting place of the Yellow Emperor and Guangchengzi, an immortal....
, 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...
), at Chang'an to await deployment to the east against warlords, mutinied when they did not receive rewards they felt they deserved. Emperor Dezong fled to Fengtian (奉天, in modern Xianyang
Xianyang
Xianyang is a former capital of China in Shaanxi province, on the Wei River, a few kilometers upstream from Xi'an. It has an area of...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
), but as Fengtian was a small city, considered further heading to Fengxiang. The soldiers supported Zhu Ci as their leader, and Zhu Ci initially postured that he would calm the people of Chang'an and then welcome Emperor Dezong back to Chang'an. Meanwhile, Zhang, hearing of the mutiny and of Emperor Dezong's considering visiting Fengxiang, began undertaking preparations for the emperor's arrival. Qi Ying and Qi Kang pointed out that one of the military officers, Li Chulin (李楚琳), was previously a subordinate of Zhu Ci's and would be difficult to control. Zhang thus issued an order that Li Chulin report to Long Prefecture (隴州, in modern Baoji). Li Chulin, giving excuses, did not report immediately, and Zhang, concentrating on welcoming the emperor, never followed up on whether Li Chulin left for Long Prefecture. The night of November 8, Li Chulin and his associates mutinied and attacked Zhang's headquarters. Zhang and two of his sons climbed over the city walls and tried to flee, but were captured by the mutineers and killed. He was posthumously honored by Emperor Dezong.