Zhang Cheng (Han dynasty)

Last updated
Zhang Cheng
張承
Army Adviser (參軍)
(under Cao Cao)
In office
? (?) –c. 215 (c. 215)
ChildrenZhang Jian
Parent
  • Zhang Yan (father)
OccupationOfficial
Courtesy name Gongxian (公先)

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]

Contents

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), [lower-alpha 1] 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, [lower-alpha 2] 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).

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zhang Liao</span> Chinese general serving warlord Cao Cao (169–222)

Zhang Liao, courtesy name Wenyuan, was a Chinese military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao in the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He served briefly in the state of Cao Wei, founded by Cao Cao's successor Cao Pi, in the early Three Kingdoms period before his death. Formerly a subordinate of other warlords such as Ding Yuan, Dong Zhuo and Lü Bu, Zhang Liao joined Cao Cao around 198 after Lü Bu's downfall at the Battle of Xiapi. Since then, he participated in many of Cao Cao's military campaigns, including those against Yuan Shao's heirs and the Wuhuan tribes from 201 to 207. He is best known for his pivotal role in the Battle of Xiaoyao Ford in 214–215, in which he successfully defended Hefei from the forces of the warlord Sun Quan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zhang He</span> General serving warlord Cao Cao (died 231)

Zhang He, courtesy name Junyi, was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao in the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He continued serving in the state of Cao Wei under its first two rulers, Cao Pi and Cao Rui, during the Three Kingdoms period until his death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xu Huang</span> Chinese general serving warlord Cao Cao (died 227)

Xu Huang, courtesy name Gongming, was a Chinese military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao in the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He later served in the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period under the first two rulers, Cao Pi and Cao Rui, before his death at the start of Cao Rui's reign. Xu Huang is best noted for breaking the siege at the Battle of Fancheng in 219 by routing the enemy commander Guan Yu on the field.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lü Bu</span> Chinese warlord and general (died 199)

Lü Bu, courtesy name Fengxian, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of Imperial China. Originally a subordinate of a minor warlord Ding Yuan, he betrayed and murdered Ding Yuan and defected to Dong Zhuo, the warlord who controlled the Han central government in the early 190s. In 192, he turned against Dong Zhuo and killed him after being instigated by Wang Yun and Shisun Rui, but was later defeated and driven away by Dong Zhuo's followers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cao Ren</span> Chinese Han dynasty general (168–223)

Cao Ren, courtesy name Zixiao, was a military general serving during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China under the warlord Cao Cao, who was also his older second cousin. He continued serving in the state of Cao Wei – founded by Cao Cao's son and successor, Cao Pi – during the Three Kingdoms period. He played a significant part in assisting Cao Cao in the civil wars leading to the end of the Han dynasty. He was appointed as the Grand Marshal (大司馬) when Cao Pi ascended the throne, and was also credited by the latter for the establishment of Wei. However, Cao Ren was also once derided as a mediocre commander by Zhu Huan, a general from Wei's rival state Eastern Wu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zhang Zhao (Eastern Wu)</span> Chinese calligrapher, essayist and general (156–236)

Zhang Zhao (156–236), courtesy name Zibu, was a Chinese calligrapher, essayist, military general, and politician. He served as an official of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of China. Born in the late Eastern Han dynasty, Zhang Zhao started his career as a scholar in his native Xu Province before the chaos towards the end of the Eastern Han dynasty forced him to flee south to the Jiangdong region for shelter. In Jiangdong, Zhang Zhao became an adviser to the rising warlord Sun Ce. After Sun Ce's death in the year 200, Zhang Zhao played a key supporting role to Sun Ce's younger brother and successor, Sun Quan, as he consolidated power and his control over the Jiangdong territories. In 208, Zhang Zhao strongly urged Sun Quan to surrender to Cao Cao, a rival warlord, because he believed that they stood no chance against an impending invasion by Cao Cao. However, Sun Quan refused to listen to Zhang Zhao and instead heeded the advice of Lu Su and Zhou Yu. Sun Quan's forces ultimately scored a decisive victory over Cao Cao at the Battle of Red Cliffs in the winter of 208. From 200 until his death in 236, Zhang Zhao served under Sun Quan through the collapse of the Eastern Han dynasty and into the Three Kingdoms period after Sun Quan became the founding emperor of the Eastern Wu state. Throughout his career, Zhang Zhao was known for being a stern, uncompromising and intimidating figure who commanded respect from both his colleagues and Sun Quan. Despite Zhang Zhao's seniority and experience, Sun Quan passed him over twice as a candidate for the position of Imperial Chancellor in 222 and 225 as he believed that Zhang Zhao was so headstrong and stubborn that he would not be able to effectively lead the administration. Nevertheless, Sun Quan paid his due respects to Zhang Zhao as a mentor-like figure who saw him through his formative years to his accession to the throne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yu Jin</span> General serving warlord Cao Cao (died 221)

Yu Jin, courtesy name Wenze, was a Chinese military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao in the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He joined Cao Cao in 192 around the start of the civil wars leading to the collapse of the dynasty, and fought in many of the campaigns which established the warlord's position as a central figure in that period. In 219, Yu Jin was tasked with leading forces to relief Cao Cao's general Cao Ren, who was being besieged in Fancheng by Liu Bei's general Guan Yu, but his armies were destroyed in a flood due to heavy rains. Yu Jin surrendered to Guan Yu and became a prisoner-of-war, but was transferred to the custody of another warlord, Sun Quan, after Sun Quan's forces captured Guan Yu's bases in late 219. Sun Quan treated Yu Jin like a guest and in 221 sent him back to the state of Cao Wei, which was founded in late 220 by Cao Cao's successor, Cao Pi, who ended the Eastern Han dynasty. Cao Pi pardoned Yu Jin and restored him to the position of a general. However, Yu Jin died later that year in regret after visiting Cao Cao's tomb, where he saw illustrations of the Battle of Fancheng depicting his surrender to Guan Yu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cao Zhen</span> State of Cao Wei general (died 231)

Cao Zhen, courtesy name Zidan, was a military general of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was an adopted son of Cao Cao, a warlord who rose to power in the late Eastern Han dynasty and laid the foundation for Wei. After Cao Cao's death and the end of the Eastern Han dynasty, Cao Zhen served under Cao Pi and Cao Rui, the first two emperors of Wei. He is best known for leading a successful defence of Wei from the first two of a series of invasions by Wei's rival state, Shu Han, between 228 and 229.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cao Hong</span> Chinese military general (died 232)

Cao Hong, courtesy name Zilian, was a Chinese military general of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He started his career in the late Eastern Han dynasty under the warlord Cao Cao, who was his older second cousin.

Huan Jie, courtesy name Boxu, was a Chinese official who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty and served under the warlord Cao Cao. After the fall of the Eastern Han dynasty, he briefly served in the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period.

Chen Gui, courtesy name Hanyu, was a Chinese politician who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty of China.

Zhang Miao, courtesy name Mengzhuo, was a Chinese politician and warlord who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty of China.

The war between Cao Cao and Zhang Xiu was fought between the warlords Cao Cao and Zhang Xiu between 197 and 199 in the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. It concluded with Zhang Xiu's surrender to Cao Cao.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zhang Yi (Bogong)</span> General of the state of Shu Han (died 264)

Zhang Yi, courtesy name Bogong, was a Chinese military general and politician of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of China. Born in the late Eastern Han dynasty, Zhang Yi was a 10th-generation descendant of Zhang Liang. He started his career as a scribe under the warlord Liu Bei, who founded Shu later, and gradually rose to the positions of a county prefect and commandery administrator. In the early 230s, he served as an area commander tasked with maintaining the peace in Shu's southern commanderies. In 234, he led the Shu vanguard during the Battle of Wuzhang Plains against Shu's rival state Wei. From 238 to 259, Zhang Yi steadily rose through the ranks to become one of Shu's top generals. During this time, although he strongly opposed the Shu general Jiang Wei's aggressive stance towards Wei, he still accompanied Jiang Wei on his military campaigns against Wei. In 263, he surrendered to Wei forces along with the Shu emperor Liu Shan when Wei launched a large-scale invasion of Shu. In the following year, Zhang Yi was killed by mutineers during a rebellion by the Wei general Zhong Hui. Like Liao Hua and Zong Yu, Zhang was one of few officials who served the Shu-Han state throughout its entire existence.

The Incident at the Gaoping Tombs was a coup d'état that took place on 5 February 249 in the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period (220–280) of China. The parties involved were Sima Yi and Cao Shuang, who were both regents for the Cao Wei emperor Cao Fang, who was then about 17 years old. On that day, while Cao Shuang and his brothers accompanied the emperor on a visit to the Gaoping tombs, Sima Yi staged a coup d'état; taking control of the capital city of Luoyang and issuing a memorial which listed out the various crimes Cao Shuang had committed. Cao Shuang surrendered and gave up his powers after further receiving reassurance that he and his family would be spared, thinking that he could still live a life in luxury. Shortly thereafter, Cao Shuang, his brothers, and his supporters were charged with treason and executed along with their families on 9 February. The coup d'état increased the Sima family's influence and paved the way for the eventual replacement of the Cao Wei regime by the Sima family's Jin dynasty in 266.

The following is the order of battle for the Battle of Red Cliffs.

The Hanzhong Campaign was a military campaign launched by the warlord Liu Bei to seize control of Hanzhong Commandery from his rival, Cao Cao. The campaign took place between December 217 and August 219 during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period. Although Cao Cao's forces had settled in Hanzhong Commandery two years prior after the Battle of Yangping, they were worn out by an overall Fabian strategy employed by Liu Bei's forces, who used targeted attacks to capture strategic locations from the enemy. One of these attacks resulted in the death of Xiahou Yuan, one of Cao Cao's top generals, delivering a huge blow to the morale of Cao Cao's forces. Due to logistical and other issues, Cao Cao was eventually forced to abandon Hanzhong Commandery and order a retreat in June 219. Liu Bei emerged victorious in the campaign and occupied Hanzhong Commandery, after which he declared himself "King of Hanzhong" in August of that year.

The Battle of Quebei was a military offensive launched in 241 by the state of Eastern Wu against its rival state, Cao Wei, during the Three Kingdoms period of China. The campaign was initiated by Wu's founding emperor, Sun Quan, two years after the death of the second Wei emperor, Cao Rui. The campaign ended with an overall failure. Despite its name, Quebei being the location where most of the fighting took place, the campaign was actually a two-front attack and covered a wide area in Anhui and Hubei.

Zhang Fan, courtesy name Gongyi, was an official serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China.

Zhao Yan, courtesy name Boran, was a government official and military general of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He previously served under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han dynasty.

References

  1. 1 2 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. 1 2 (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.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.