Zhang Yang (warlord)

Zhang Yang (pronunciationⓘ) (died 198), courtesy name Zhishu, was a Chinese politician and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. Originally from Yunzhong Commandery (雲中郡; in today northern Shanxi) in the north, he eventually became the de facto ruler of Henei Commandery (河內郡; in modern northern Henan). A brave and lenient man, Zhang Yang would provide refuge for Emperor Xian of Han and be involved in court politics, eventually attaining the rank of Grand Marshal (大司馬). Seeking to help an old friend, he would be assassinated by a subordinate. [1][2]

Zhang Yang
張楊
Grand Marshal (大司馬)
In office
196 (196)–198 (198)
MonarchEmperor Xian of Han
General Who Pacifies the State (安國將軍)
In office
195 (195)–196 (196)
MonarchEmperor Xian of Han
Administrator of Henei (河內太守)
In office
191 (191)–196 (196)
MonarchEmperor Xian of Han
Personal details
BornUnknown
Shanxi
Died198
Henan
OccupationPolitician, warlord
Courtesy nameZhishu (稚叔)
PeerageMarquis of Jinyang (晉陽侯)
In this Chinese name, the family name is Zhang.

Early life

Zhang Yang was known for his bravery and fighting skill so served as Assistant Officer for Military Affairs in his native Bing Province (present-day Shanxi).[3] When Emperor Ling created his private Western Garden army, the Bing inspector Ding Yuan sent Zhang Yang to serve as a Major on the staff of the eunuch commander Jian Shuo.[4][1] Following the Emperor's death, Jian Shuo lost a political struggle with imperial-in-law and General in Chief He Jin and was killed. Zhang Yang was then sent by He Jin back to his home to raise troops, as part of He Jin's failed efforts to pressure his eunuch opponents into resigning. Zhang Yang raised over a thousand men then focused on fighting bandits in Shangdang Commandery (上黨郡; in modern southwestern Hebei),[5] perhaps hoping to recruit them.[1]

As a warlord

With He Jin's death and the rise of Dong Zhuo plunging the land into civil war, Zhang Yang attempted to seize Shangdang Commandery for himself but failed, so he plundered the surrounding counties with his army growing into the several thousands.[6] When Yuan Shao led his forces to Henei for the camapign against Dong Zhuo, Zhang Yang and the Xiongnu Shanyu claimant Yufuluo joined him, camping at the Zhang river,[7] though there were doubts about their loyalty with Yuan Shao, Han Fu’s officer Zhao Fu using that distrust and failure to use them has part of his urging Han Fu to hold on against Yuan Shao.[8]

In 191 Yufuluo revolted and sought Zhang Yang's support; Zhang Yang's refusal resulted in his kidnapping and his forces absorbed in Yufuluo's. Yuan Shao dispatched Qu Yi after them and to the south of Ye they were defeated.[9] Yufuluo and Zhang Yang went to Liyang (黎阳) where they defeated General on the Liao Geng Zhi[10] and established a base at the important salient.[11] Dong Zhuo appointed Zhang Yang as the Administrator of Henei Commandery and General Who Establishes Righteousness[12] with Zhang Yang soon escaping from Yufuluo's grasp and establishing himself at Yewang, north-east across the Yellow River.[1]

In 192, Zhang Yang harbored friend and Dong Zhuo's assassin Lü Bu, who was wanted by Dong Zhuo's successor Li Jue. Lü Bu left for Yuan Shao, putting further distance from Li Jue and the rewards offered, not long after, only to return in 193.[13] With Li Jue still pressing for his death, Lü Bu suggested it would be wrong for Zhang Yang to kill a fellow man of Bing Province, but Zhang Yang could get reward by seeming to offer Lü Bu to Li Jue. Zhang Yang feigned to betray Lü Bu in public but remained friendly and secretly protected him.[14] Nevertheless, Lü Bu's position of refuge was uncertain so he left for Zhang Miao not long after.[1]

Han Court

In 194, Cao Cao sought to reach out to the Han court to legitimize his position in Yan province, but Zhang Yang was between Cao Cao and the court in Chang'an. Zhang Yang's adviser Dong Zhao persuaded Zhang Yang it would be wiser to earn favour with Cao Cao and not only let the envoy Wang Bi through to the court, but also to wrote in backing Cao Cao.[15] Sending an envoy to Cao Cao, in exchange Cao Cao sent gifts of dogs, horses, silk and gold.[16]

In 195, Emperor Xian escaped the forces of Li Jue and Guo Si and came to Dayang in the camp of Li Le with intent to go onto Anyi which put him in Zhang Yang's territory, Zhang Yang sent sacks of grains on the backs of thousands of men to feed the refugee court. Zhang Yang's hospitality earned him the appointment of General Who Pacifies the State (安國將軍) and the peerage "Marquis of Jinyang". Zhang Yang soon came to Anyi to pay tribute and homage and offered to provide refuge at the old capital of Luoyang, perhaps a bid to take control of the Emperor[17] but this was rejected by the emperor's entourage and Zhang Yang left to Yewang. In 196, Zhang Yang sided with Dong Cheng in arguing the Emperor should return to the former capital of Luoyang and would send supplies to help Dong Cheng with the reconstruction of the imperial palace (which was burnt down by Dong Zhuo in 191), naming the Imperial apartments Yang'an. With Dong Cheng, Yang Feng and Han Xian running out of supplies on the road, he also helped feed the imperial escort.[18] Having failed in the past to take in the Emperor and still on the outside of court,[1] Zhang Yang told the court it was best he guard the outside and he returned to Henei.[19] For his deeds he was promoted to Grand Marshal and when Cao Cao later made accusations, Emperor Xian ordered no more to be said due to Zhang Yang's past help.

Death and Legacy

In 198, as Cao Cao attacked Zhang Yang's old friend Lü Bu in Xu province, Zhang Yang lacked the resources to come to his aid and was some distance away but made a show of force and as a diversion at Dongshi village in Yewang.[20][21][22] However, after he was assassinated by his subordinate Yang Chou (楊醜), who then attempted to surrender to Cao Cao only to be killed by Sui Gu (眭固), who then turned to Yuan Shao before being killed in battle with Cao Cao forces under Shi Huan and Cao Ren.[23]

The Yingxiong Ji (英雄記) by contemporary Wang Can states that Zhang Yang was "of mild and merciful temperament, and under him there were no harsh punishments." It remarks he would pardon plots against him and weep, making no further inquiries into the matter. [24]

See also

References
  1. De Crespigny, Rafe (2007). A Biographical Dictionary of Later Han to the Three Kingdoms 23–220 AD. Boston: Brill. p. 1084. ISBN 978-90-04-15605-0.
  2. Sanguozhi vol.8
  3. 張楊字稚叔，雲中人也。以武勇給并州，為武猛從事。 Sanguozhi vol.8.
  4. 靈帝末，天下亂，帝以所寵小黃門蹇碩為西園上軍校尉，軍京都，欲以御四方，徵天下豪傑以為偏裨。太祖及袁紹等皆為校尉，屬之。〔一〕并州刺史丁原遣楊將兵詣碩，為假司馬。 Sanguozhi vol 8
  5. 靈帝崩，碩為何進所殺。楊復為進所遣，歸本州募兵，得千餘人，因留上黨，擊山賊。進敗，董卓作亂 Sanguozhi vol.8.
  6. 靈帝崩，碩為何進所殺。楊復為進所遣，歸本州募兵，得千餘人，因留上黨，擊山賊。進敗，董卓作亂。楊遂以所將攻上黨太守于壺關，不下，略諸縣，眾至數千人 Sanguozhi vol.8.
  7. 山東兵起，欲誅卓。袁紹至河內，楊與紹合，復與匈奴單于於夫羅屯漳水 Sanguozhi vol.8.
  8. 浮等到，謂馥曰：「袁本初軍無斗糧，各己離散，雖有張楊、於扶羅新附，未肯為用，不足敵也 Jiǔzhōu Chūnqiū in Sanguozhi vol.6.
  9. 袁紹至河內，楊與紹合，復與匈奴單于於夫羅屯漳水。單于欲叛，紹、楊不從。單于執楊與俱去，紹使將麴義追擊於鄴南，破之 Sanguozhi vol.8.
  10. 單于執楊至黎陽，攻破度遼將軍耿祉軍，眾復振 Sanguozhi vol.8.
  11. De Crespigny, Rafe (1996). To Establish Peace: Being the Chronicle of Later Han for the years 189 to 220 AD as recorded in Chapters 59 to 69 of the Zizhi tongjian of Sima Guang (Internet Edition 2020 ed.). Melbourne: Australian National University. p. 78. ISBN 0 7315 2536 1.
  12. 單于執楊至黎陽，攻破度遼將軍耿祉軍，眾復振。卓以楊為建義將軍、河內太守 Sanguozhi vol.8.
  13. 事露，布走河內，〔二〕與張楊合。 Sanguozhi vol. 6.
  14. 英雄記曰：楊及部曲諸將，皆受傕、汜購募，共圖布。布聞之，謂楊曰：「布，卿州里也。卿殺布，於卿弱。不如賣布，可極得汜、傕爵寵。」楊於是外許汜、傕，內實保護布。汜、傕患之，更下大封詔書，以布為潁川太守 Yingxiongji in Sanguozhi vol.7.
  15. 時太祖領兗州，遣使詣楊，欲令假塗西至長安，楊不聽。昭說楊曰：「袁、曹雖為一家，勢不久群。曹今雖弱，然實天下之英雄也，當故結之。況今有緣，宜通其上事，并表薦之；若事有成，永為深分。」楊於是通太祖上事，表薦太祖。 Sanguozhi vol. 13.
  16. 楊亦遣使詣太祖。太祖遺楊犬馬金帛，遂與西方往來. Sanguozhi vol.13.
  17. Leban, Carl (1971). Ts’ao Ts’ao and the Rise of Wei: The Early Years. Columbia University. p. 251.
  18. 建安元年，楊奉、董承、韓暹挾天子還舊京，糧乏。楊以糧迎道路，遂至洛陽 Sanguozhi volume 8.
  19. 謂諸將曰：「天子當與天下共之，幸有公卿大臣，楊當捍外難，何事京都？」遂還野王。即拜為大司馬 Sanguozhi vol.8.
  20. 楊素與呂布善。太祖之圍布，楊欲救之，不能 Sanguozhi vol.8.
  21. De Crespigny, Rafe (1996). To Establish Peace Being the Chronicle of Later Han for the years 189 to 220 AD as recorded in Chapters 59 to 69 of the Zizhi tongjian of Sima Guang (Internet Edition 2020 ed.). Canberra: Australian National University. p. 240. ISBN 0 7315 2536 1.
  22. Leban, Carl (1971). T'sao T'sao and the Rise of Wei: The Early Years. Columbia University. p. 303.
  23. 乃出兵東市，遙為之勢。其將楊醜，殺楊以應太祖。楊將眭固殺醜，將其眾，欲北合袁紹。太祖遣史渙邀擊，破之於犬城，斬固，盡收其眾也 Sanguozhi vol.8.
  24. 英雄記曰：楊性仁和，無威刑。下人謀反，發覺，對之涕泣，輒原不問 Yingxiong Ji in Sanguozhi vol.8.
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