Zhang Cheng (Han dynasty)

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Zhang Cheng
張承
Army Adviser (參軍)
(under Cao Cao)
In office
? (?) – c. 215 (c. 215)
Administrator of Zhao Commandery
(趙郡太守)
In office
213 (213) – c. 215 (c. 215)
Army Adviser and Libationer (參軍祭酒)
(under Cao Cao)
In office
213 (213) – c. 215 (c. 215)
Counsellor Remonstrant (諫議大夫)
In office
208 (208)–213 (213)
MonarchEmperor Xian of Han
ChancellorCao Cao
Commandant of Yique (伊闕都尉)
In office
? (?)–190 (190)
MonarchEmperor Ling of Han /
Emperor Xian of Han
Consultant (議郎)
In office
? (?)–? (?)
MonarchEmperor Ling of Han
Personal details
BornUnknown
Huojia County, Henan
Diedc. 215[1]
Xi'an, Shaanxi
Relations
  • Zhang Xin (grandfather)
  • Zhang Fan (brother)
  • Zhang Zhao (brother)
ChildrenZhang Jian
Parent(s)
  • Zhang Yan (father)
OccupationOfficial
Courtesy nameGongxian (公先)
In this Chinese name, the family name is Zhang.

Zhang Cheng (died c. 215), courtesy name Gongxian, was an official serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China.[1]

Life[]

Zhang Cheng was born in the Eastern Han dynasty in Xiuwu County (脩武縣), Henei Commandery (河內郡), which is present-day Huojia County, Henan. His grandfather, Zhang Xin (張歆), served as Minister over the Masses (司徒) in the Han imperial court, while his father, Zhang Yan (張延), served as Grand Commandant (太尉).[2] He had an elder brother, Zhang Fan, who was as equally well-known as him. Unlike Zhang Fan, who turned down invitations to serve in the Han government,[3] Zhang Cheng accepted an offer to become a government official after he was nominated on grounds of virtuous conduct. He started out as a Consultant (議郎) and was later promoted to Commandant of Yique (伊闕都尉).[4]

In 189,[5] after the warlord Dong Zhuo seized control of the Han central government and held the figurehead Emperor Xian hostage, Zhang Cheng wanted to gather like-minded people to rise up against Dong Zhuo's tyranny and overthrow him. At the time, Zhang Zhao (張昭),[a] another younger brother of Zhang Fan and Zhang Cheng, was also serving as a Consultant (議郎) under the Han government. Zhang Zhao came from Chang'an to meet Zhang Cheng and tell him, "We can't defeat Dong Zhuo now because we aren't as powerful as him. Besides, it'll take time for us to set your plan into motion. We'll need to draft civilians into military service, train them to be soldiers, gain support from the political elites, and so on. It's impossible to achieve all these at the moment. Dong Zhuo won't last long because he lacks legitimacy and relies solely on military power. Why don't we find someone to take shelter under, pledge allegiance to him, and wait for an opportunity to take action, and fulfil our ambitions."[7] Zhang Cheng agreed with his brother. He then resigned from government service, returned home, gathered his family members and moved to Yang Province.[8]

In the 190s,[9] the warlord Yuan Shu controlled the lands around the Huai River in Yang Province. He had heard of Zhang Cheng's elder brother, Zhang Fan, and wanted to recruit him as an adviser. However, Zhang Fan claimed that he was ill and sent Zhang Cheng to meet Yuan Shu instead. Yuan Shu asked Zhang Cheng, "In the past, when the kings of the Zhou dynasty were weak, warlords such as Duke Huan of Qi and Duke Wen of Jin rose up and became the dominant powers; when the Qin dynasty was collapsing, the Han dynasty rose up and replaced it. Now, as I rule over many territories and its people, I hope to enjoy the same glory as Duke Huan of Qi and Duke Wen of Jin did, and follow in the footsteps of Emperor Gaozu of Han. What do you think?"[10] Zhang Cheng replied, "It depends on virtue rather than power. If a man can embody everyone's hopes for a benevolent and virtuous ruler, even if he has nothing to his name, it won't be hard for him to achieve what you described. However, if a man doesn't know his place and decides to do something against the people's will, everyone will abandon him instead of helping him."[11] Yuan Shu was displeased by what Zhang Cheng said.[12]

When the warlord Cao Cao, who controlled the Han central government and the figurehead Emperor Xian from 196 onwards, wanted to launch a military campaign in Ji Province, Yuan Shu summoned Zhang Cheng and asked him, "Lord Cao, with his few thousand weary and tired soldiers, wants to fight an army of 100,000. He doesn't know where he stands! What do you think?"[13] Zhang Cheng replied, "The Han Empire may have declined in virtue, but its legitimacy still stands. Now, as Lord Cao has the Emperor on his side, he will still be able to prevail against an enemy with a 100,000 strong army."[14] Yuan Shu was extremely unhappy but did not say anything. Zhang Cheng then left.[15]

Around 207,[16] after Cao Cao had defeated his rivals in northern China and unified the region under his control, he sent a messenger to invite Zhang Cheng's elder brother, Zhang Fan, to serve in the government. However, Zhang Fan claimed that he was ill and remained behind in Pengcheng (彭城; around present-day Xuzhou, Jiangsu). He sent Zhang Cheng to meet Cao Cao instead. Cao Cao appointed Zhang Cheng as a Counsellor Remonstrant (諫議大夫).[17]

On one occasion, Zhang Cheng's son Zhang Jian (張戩) and nephew Zhang Ling (張陵; Zhang Fan's son) were kidnapped by bandits in Shandong. When Zhang Fan asked them to release the boys, they freed only Zhang Ling. Zhang Fan then asked them if he could trade his son for his nephew instead because his nephew was younger. The bandits were so impressed by his act of sacrifice that they released both Zhang Ling and Zhang Jian.[18]

In 213,[19] after Emperor Xian enfeoffed Cao Cao as the Duke of Wei (魏公), Zhang Cheng was appointed as an Army Adviser and Libationer (參軍祭酒) under Cao Cao and concurrently as the Administrator (太守) of Zhao Commandery (趙郡; around present-day Neiqiu County, Hebei). He governed Zhao Commandery well during his tenure. Around 215,[20] when Cao Cao was on a campaign in western China, he summoned Zhang Cheng to accompany him as an adviser in his army. Zhang Cheng died of illness in Chang'an along the way.[21]

Family[]

Apart from Zhang Jian (張戩),[18] Zhang Cheng probably had at least one other child. Zhang Shao (張邵), a grandson of Zhang Cheng,[b] served as a military officer under the Jin dynasty (266–420). He was executed along with his maternal uncle, Yang Jun, in 291.[22][23]

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ This Zhang Zhao (張昭) was not the same person as the similarly named but better known Zhang Zhao (張昭).[6]
  2. ^ It is not known whether or not Zhang Shao's father was Zhang Jian (張戩).

References[]

  1. ^ a b de Crespigny (2007), p. 1037.
  2. ^ (張範，字公儀，河內脩武人也。祖父歆，為漢司徒。父延，為太尉。) Sanguozhi vol. 11.
  3. ^ (性恬靜樂道，忽於榮利，徵命無所就。) Sanguozhi vol. 11.
  4. ^ (弟承，字公先，亦知名，以方正徵，拜議郎，遷伊闕都尉。) Sanguozhi vol. 11.
  5. ^ Sima (1084), vol. 59.
  6. ^ de Crespigny (2007), p. 1090.
  7. ^ (董卓作亂，承欲合徒衆與天下共誅卓。承弟昭時為議郎，適從長安來，謂承曰：「今欲誅卓，衆寡不敵，且起一朝之謀，戰阡陌之民，士不素撫，兵不練習，難以成功。卓阻兵而無義，固不能乆；不若擇所歸附，待時而動，然後可以如志。」) Sanguozhi vol. 11.
  8. ^ (承然之，乃解印綬間行歸家，與範避地揚州。) Sanguozhi vol. 11.
  9. ^ Sima (1084), vols. 59-63.
  10. ^ (袁術備禮招請，範稱疾不往，術不彊屈也。遣承與相見，術問曰：「昔周室陵遲，則有桓、文之霸；秦失其政，漢接而用之。今孤以土地之廣，士民之衆，欲徼福齊桓，擬迹高祖，何如？」) Sanguozhi vol. 11.
  11. ^ (承對曰：「在德不在彊。夫能用德以同天下之欲，雖由匹夫之資，而興霸王之功，不足為難。若苟僭擬，干時而動，衆之所棄，誰能興之？」) Sanguozhi vol. 11.
  12. ^ (術不恱。) Sanguozhi vol. 11.
  13. ^ (是時，太祖將征兾州，術復問曰：「今曹公欲以弊兵數千，敵十萬之衆，可謂不量力矣！子以為何如？」) Sanguozhi vol. 11.
  14. ^ (承乃曰：「漢德雖衰，天命未改，今曹公挾天子以令天下，雖敵百萬之衆可也。」) Sanguozhi vol. 11.
  15. ^ (術作色不懌，承去之。) Sanguozhi vol. 11.
  16. ^ Sima (1084), vol. 65.
  17. ^ (太祖平兾州，遣使迎範。範以疾留彭城，遣承詣太祖，太祖表以為諫議大夫。) Sanguozhi vol. 11.
  18. ^ a b (範子陵及承子戩為山東賊所得，範直詣賊請二子，賊以陵還範。範謝曰：「諸君相還兒厚矣。夫人情雖愛其子，然吾憐戩之小，請以陵易之。」賊義其言，悉以還範。) Sanguozhi vol. 11.
  19. ^ Sima (1084), vol. 66.
  20. ^ Sima (1084), vol. 67.
  21. ^ (魏國初建，承以丞相參軍祭酒領趙郡太守，政化大行。太祖將西征，徵承參軍事，至長安，病卒。) Sanguozhi vol. 11.
  22. ^ Sima (1084), vol. 82.
  23. ^ (承孫邵，晉中護軍，與舅楊駿俱被誅。) Wei Shu annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 11.
  • Chen, Shou (3rd century). Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi).
  • de Crespigny, Rafe (2007). A Biographical Dictionary of Later Han to the Three Kingdoms 23-220 AD. Leiden: Brill. ISBN 9789004156050.
  • Pei, Songzhi (5th century). Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi zhu).
  • Sima, Guang (1084). Zizhi Tongjian.
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