Zhang Yanze facts for kids

Zhang Yanze (Chinese: 張彥澤) (died January 27, 947) was an ethnic Göktürk general of the Later Tang, Later Jin, and Liao dynasties of China.

Background

It is not known when Zhang Yanze was born. He was said to be of Tujue ancestry, but whose ancestors had settled in Taiyuan. Both his grandfather and father served as officers at the special Yinshan Command (陰山府) — a special command of non-Han Chinese soldiers of the north, traditionally commanded by the Shatuo chieftains of the Zhuye (朱邪, later Li (李)) clan, subordinate to the military governor (Jiedushi) of Tang's Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi). In Zhang Yanze's youth, he was described to be strong and brave, with yellow-tinted eyes that glowed in the dark, making him look animalistic.

During Later Tang

During the reigns of Later Tang's first two emperors, Li Cunxu and Li Siyuan, Zhang Yanze served as a cavalry officer. (It is possible, although not clearly stated in historical accounts, that he might have already been serving under Li Cunxu prior to the founding of Later Tang, when Li Cunxu was the prince of Later Tang's predecessor state Jin.) Due to his accomplishments, he was given terms as prefects for several prefectures. (During this time, his family might have entered into a political alliance by marriage with that of Li Siyuan's son-in-law Shi Jingtang, as suggested by the New History of the Five Dynasties; the Zizhi Tongjian suggested, instead, that the political alliance by marriage was with the family of another general, Yang Guangyuan.)

During Later Jin

During Shi Jingtang's reign

In 936, Shi Jingtang, with military support from Khitan Empire's Emperor Taizong, overthrew then-ruling Later Tang emperor Li Congke and established his own state of Later Jin. Shi made Zhang Yanze the prefect of Cao Prefecture (曹州, in modern Heze, Shandong). Zhang later served under Yang Guangyuan against Fan Yanguang when Fan rebelled against Shi, and, for Zhang's accomplishments during the campaign against Fan, he was made the military governor of Zhenguo Circuit (鎮國, headquartered in modern Weinan, Shaanxi), and later was moved to Zhangyi Circuit (彰義, headquartered in modern Pingliang, Gansu).

In 942, after the execution of Zhang Yanze's secretary had been reported in the imperial court, Shi ordered that Zhang Yanze be replaced with Wang Zhou (王周). Once Wang took office, he submitted a report listing 26 unlawful deeds that Zhang Yanze had carried out as military governor of Zhangyi and reporting that, as a result, over 5,000 households had fled or been displaced. Among these additional misdeeds that Wang reported were allegations that he, without imperial order, had attacked non-Han tribes but suffered a crushing defeat; and that he, after that defeat, seized over 1,000 horses from the people to replace the lost military horses. Despite many imperial officials' urging, including petitions by the consultant Zheng Shouyi (鄭受益) and the deputy minister of justice Li Tao (李濤) that Zhang Yanze be put to death, however, Shi resolved to pardon Zhang due to his past accomplishments and his connections with Yang Guangyuan. He kept Zhang in his imperial guards as a general, only demoting him one rank each in military rank and in noble title, while Zhang Shi's father, brothers, and sons were given commissions, and the people of Zhangyi who fled and returned were given tax relief.

During Shi Chonggui's reign

Shi Jingtang died later in 942, and was succeeded by his adoptive son (biological nephew) Shi Chonggui. Instead of the submissive attitude that Shi Jingtang showed toward the Khitan (whose state had been renamed Liao by this point), Shi Chonggui took a confrontational attitude, leading to a breakdown in relationship and frequent Liao incursions thereafter. Apparently at the behest of Shi Chonggui's chief of staff (Shumishi) Sang Weihan, Zhang Yanze was often sent out to defend against these incursions as a commanding general of the imperial guards in response, including in 944 and 945. It was said that in the major Later Jin victory over the Liao army commanded by Emperor Taizong himself in 945 at Yangcheng (陽城, in modern Baoding, Hebei), while it was Shi Chonggui's uncle by marriage (Shi Jingtang's brother-in-law) Du Wei who commanded the army overall, none had greater contribution than Zhang, leading to the popular belief at the time that he was giving his entire strength in the effort in appreciation to Shi Jingtang's having spared him from death.

By fall 945, Zhang had apparently been given a new military governorship — that of Zhangde Circuit (彰德, headquartered in modern Anyang, Henan) — for it was by that title he was referred when he was sent to take up position at Heng Prefecture (恆州, in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei) to defend against a possible Liao incursion. It was said that while serving as the military governor of Zhangde, Zhang was much more respectful of the intelligentsia than he did before and governed the circuit well. While he was stationed at Heng, there were orders that the people of Xing (邢州, in modern Xingtai, Hebei), Wei (魏州, in modern Handan, Hebei), Xiang (相州, Zhangde's capital), and Wei (衛州, in modern Xinxiang, Henan, note different location than the other Wei Prefecture) Prefectures be responsible for delivering military supplies to the front, creating much burden for the commoners, who had to conduct this themselves. Zhang did what he could to reduce the people's burdens, by having the soldiers meet the commoners on the way, receive the supplies from them, and deliver them back to the front, and was praised for this — which also reduced the dangers of the commoners' falling prey to raids by the Liao army or by bandits.

In 946, there were rumors that the major Liao general Zhao Yanshou — who had previously been a major Later Tang general before being captured by the Khitan in the campaign that led to Later Tang's destruction — was planning on defecting to Later Jin. This rumor was believed by Shi's chiefs of staff Li Song and Feng Yu (the brother of Shi's wife Empress Feng). They had Du write a letter to Zhao, encouraging him to do so, with the officer Zhao Xingshi (趙行實), who had previously served under Zhao Yanshou, delivering the letter. Zhao Yanshou wrote back (to try to lead Later Jin forces into a trap), stating, "I have long been in a foreign land, and I want to return to China. Please launch a major army to support me, so that I can pull myself out and return with it." Subsequently, under Emperor Taizong's orders, Liao's prefect of Ying Prefecture (瀛州, in modern Cangzhou), Liu Yanzuo (劉延祚), also offered to defect to Later Jin. Shi thus put Du and Li Shouzhen in command of an army to attack north, with the stated objectives being to first recapture the prefectures Shi Jingtang previously ceded to Liao (the Sixteen Prefectures), and then to destroy Liao. When Du and Li Shouzhen advanced, though, they were met by a large army that Emperor Taizong personally commanded. Du and Li initially intended to withdraw quickly, but Zhang joined forces with them and argued that the Liao army could be defeated, and so they remained in the region for some time. However, the Liao army eventually surrounded the Later Jin army at Zhongdu Bridge (中度橋, in modern Baoding). After Emperor Taizong made the promise to Du to make him emperor if he surrendered, Du and Li surrendered their army. Zhang surrendered to Liao as part of this surrender.

After surrender to Liao

Emperor Taizong, after accepting Du Chongwei's and Li Shouzhen's surrender, took his army south, along with the now-surrendered Later Jin army, toward the Later Jin capital Daliang. He sent Zhang Yanze ahead of him to take control of Daliang, with 2,000 cavalry soldiers.

As Zhang approached Daliang, he met some minimal Later Jin resistance but was able to defeat it and continue into the city. Shi Chonggui submitted petitions on his own behalf and that of his aunt/adoptive mother (Shi Jingtang's wife) Empress Dowager Li, surrendering to the Liao emperor. He also summoned Zhang, wanting to confer with Zhang what his appropriate response should be. Zhang declined, stating, "I, your subject, do not have the face to meet Your Imperial Majesty." Zhang put Shi's close associate, the director of palace affairs, Meng Chenghui (孟承誨), to death.

Zhang had his soldiers pillage the city of its wealth, and the poor also took the opportunity to join in the pillaging of the rich households. Many of the rich died in the disturbance. This lasted for two days, and it was said that the city was effectively stripped of its wealth, while the treasures piled up like a hill in Zhang's headquarters. Believing that he has carried out a great contribution for Emperor Taizong, he paid no careful heed to his actions, spending days and nights in entertainment. Whenever he ventured out of his headquarters, he was accompanied by several hundred cavalry soldiers bearing the banner of, "Faithfulness to the Lord." He executed many people.

Zhang then forced Shi Chonggui and his family to move out of the palace to temporary living quarters at the Kaifeng Municipal Government offices and surrender all their treasure. Some of the treasures were presented to Emperor Taizong, while Zhang kept the rest himself.

Emperor Taizong shortly after arrived at Daliang and took control of the city. Gao Xun (who was apparently in the group of Later Jin officials who accompanied Emperor Taizong) found out about his family members' deaths, and complained about it to Emperor Taizong. Emperor Taizong was also angry that Zhang had pillaged the city, so he ordered Zhang and the interpreter Fu Zhu'er (傅住兒), who had accompanied Zhang to Daliang, arrested and locked in chains. Emperor Taizong presented a list of the charges against Zhang to the officials, asking them, "Does this call for death?" They all stated in the affirmative, and at that time, the general populace also submitted many petitions accusing Zhang of crimes. Zhang and Fu were executed.