Zhang Hua
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Zhang Hua | |
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張華 | |
Minister of Works (司空) | |
In office 296–300 | |
Supervisor of the Palace Writers (中書監) | |
In office 291–296 | |
Palace Attendant (侍中) | |
In office 291–296 | |
Right Household Counsellor (右光祿大夫) | |
In office 291–296 | |
Monarch | Emperor Hui of Jin |
Official of Ceremonies (太常卿) | |
In office ?–290 | |
General Who Stabilises the North (安北將軍) | |
In office ?–? | |
Colonel Who Protects the Wuhuan (護烏桓校尉) | |
In office ?–? | |
Master of Writing (尚書) | |
In office 280–? | |
Gentleman of the Yellow Gate (黃門侍郎) | |
In office 265 or after – ? | |
Monarch | Emperor Wu of Jin |
Personal details | |
Born | 232 Gu'an County, Hebei |
Died | 300 |
Spouse | Liu Fang's daughter |
Children |
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Parent |
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Occupation | Poet, politician |
Courtesy name | Maoxian (茂先) |
Peerage | Marquis of Guangwu (廣武侯) |
Zhang Hua (232–7 May 300[1]), courtesy name Maoxian, was a Chinese poet and politician of the Western Jin dynasty and the preceding state of Cao Wei. An accomplished poet, Zhang also authored the Bowuzhi, a compendium of entries about natural wonders and supernatural phenomena. His political career reached its zenith from 291 to 300, when he served as a leading minister during the de facto regency of Empress Jia Nanfeng. Zhang was considered an effective minister and, in conjunction with his colleague Pei Wei, helped ensure a period of relative stability within the Jin court. As the court fell into factional disputes from 299 to 300, Zhang rebuffed the rebellious overtures of the imperial relative Sima Lun and was executed when the latter seized power from the empress.
Background and service under Wei
Zhang Hua's father, Zhang Ping (張平), was a commandery administrator in the Cao Wei state during the Three Kingdoms period. He died when Zhang Hua was still young. Zhang Hua's family became impoverished, and he was a shepherd when he was young. The official Liu Fang (劉放) was so impressed with Zhang Hua that he arranged for Zhang Hua to marry his daughter.
Zhang Hua became known for his literary talent, and he wrote a collection of poems, ostensibly about birds – but in fact about people's tendencies. His poems received great renown, and the commandery administrator recommended him to the regent, Sima Zhao. Sima Zhao made him one of his secretaries, and he distinguished himself in that role. However, as an Academician in the Ministry of Ceremonies (太常博士), he suffered disgrace when he was dismissed for negligence after one of the beams in the imperial ancestral temple broke.
Service under the Jin dynasty
In 265, after Sima Zhao's son, Sima Yan (Emperor Wu) usurped the throne from the last Cao Wei emperor Cao Huan and established the Jin dynasty (266–420), he appointed Zhang Hua as a Gentleman of the Yellow Gate (黃門侍郎) and awarded him the title of a Secondary Marquis (關內侯). He was promoted to the position of a Master of Writing (尚書) later. Around 279 or 280, when the general Yang Hu encouraged Emperor Wu to conquer the Jin dynasty's rival state Eastern Wu, most officials strongly objected but Zhang Hua agreed with Yang Hu and became heavily involved in the strategies and logistic arrangements behind the campaign against Eastern Wu. After the Jin dynasty conquered Eastern Wu in 280, Emperor Wu enfeoffed Zhang Hua as the Marquis of Guangwu (廣武侯) to honour him for his contributions.
Zhang Hua soon fell out of favour with Emperor Wu. When Emperor Wu once asked him who could be a regent for his son
Following Emperor Wu's death in 290, Zhang Hua was summoned back to
Death
In 299, the political firestorm became too big for Zhang Hua to handle after
Sima Lun then usurped the throne and briefly ruled as emperor before he was overthrown. In 301, Sima You's son, Sima Jiong (the Prince of Qi), then the regent, had Zhang Hua posthumously rehabilitated and restored to his former titles and positions.
Poetry
Zhang Hua's poetry was admired by such people as
Family
Zhang Hua had two sons: Zhang Yi (張禕), who served as a Regular Mounted Attendant (散騎常侍); Zhang Wei (張韙), who served as a Mounted Gentleman (散騎侍郎). Both of them died together with their father and the rest of their families in 300. Only one of Zhang Hua's grandsons, Zhang Yu (張輿), survived the purge. He inherited his grandfather's peerage in 301 after his grandfather was posthumously rehabilitated.
See also
References
- ^ According to Sima Zhong's biography in Book of Jin, Zhang Hua was killed on the guisi day of the 4th month of the 1st year of the Yongkang era of his reign. This corresponds to 7 May 300 in the Julian calendar.[(永康元年夏四月)癸巳,梁王肜、赵王伦矫诏废贾后为庶人,司空张华、尚书仆射裴𬱟皆遇害...)] Jin Shu, vol.04
- Chen, Shou (3rd century). Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi).
- Giles, Herbert (1898). "Chang Hua". A Chinese Biographical Dictionary. London: Bernard Quaritch.
- Fang, Xuanling (ed.) (648). Book of Jin (Jin Shu).
- Pei, Songzhi (5th century). Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi zhu).