Zhang Yi

Zhang Yi (; died November 8, 783 ), courtesy names Jiquan (季權) and Gongdu (公度), was a Chinese historian, military general, and politician of the Tang dynasty, briefly serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Dezong.

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 Suzhou, 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 was a principal of the imperial university early in Tang and carried the title of Duke of Xinye. His grandfather Zhang Lüshi served as an advisor to an imperial prince. His grandfather Zhang Yifang served as a prefectural prefect. His father Zhang Qiqiu was a military governor (Jiedushi) of Shuofang Circuit (朔方, headquartered in modern Yinchuan, Ningxia).

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 Ziyi 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 , a judge at the supreme court, and then as Dianzhong Shiyushi , an imperial censor. During Emperor Suzong's Qianyuan era (758-760), there was an incident when a county magistrate, Lu Cong , rebuked his subordinate Qi Lingshen , 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 , a low-level official at the ministry of public works (工部, Gongbu); Cibu Yuanwailang , a low-level official at the ministry of rites (禮部, Lǐbu); and Yousi Yuanwailang , 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 , 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 780, when the chancellor Yang Yan was removed from his post, Emperor Dezong made Zhang Zhongshu Shilang , the deputy head of the legislative bureau (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng), and gave him the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi , 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 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 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 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 , 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.

Notes and references

Old Book of Tang, vol. 125 . New Book of Tang, vol. 152 . Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 227, 228.