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Zhang Hua (232 – 7 May 300), 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 over her husband Emperor Hui of Jin. 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 Emperor Hui's granduncle 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), who was also from Zhang's hometown, was so impressed with Zhang Hua's talent that he arranged for Zhang Hua to marry his daughter. Lu Qin, grandson of Lu Zhi, who was from the same commandary, was similarly impressed with Zhang.

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, with Ruan Ji sighing, "This man is capable of assisting princes!"; Ruan's assessment further increased Zhang's renown. The commandery administrator Xianyu Si (鲜于嗣) recommended him for the post of Academician in the Ministry of Ceremonies (太常博士). However, Lu Qin approached the regent Sima Zhao regarding Zhang's post; eventually, Sima Zhao made Zhang one of his secretaries, and he distinguished himself in that role.

Service under the Jin dynasty

In 266, 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) in February, 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. 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. In c.December 278, when Yang Hu was gravely ill, Emperor Wu sent Zhang to pay him a visit to ask for strategies on conquering Wu; Yang's advice was to launch the campaign swiftly, lest Sun Hao be replaced by a more competent ruler. Zhang agreed with Yang's assessment. After the Jin dynasty conquered Eastern Wu in May 280, Emperor Wu enfeoffed Zhang Hua as the Marquis of Guangwu (廣武侯) to honour him for his contributions. Liu Wei's uncle Liu Na was known for his appraisal of personalities; his comment on Zhang Hua was "I cannot understand Zhang Maoxian".

Zhang Hua soon fell out of favour with Emperor Wu. When Emperor Wu once asked him who could be a regent for his son Sima Zhong (later Emperor Hui), Zhang Hua recommended Emperor Wu's brother, Sima You (the Prince of Qi). Although Sima You was clearly capable of fulfilling that role, Emperor Wu was angry with Zhang Hua because he feared that Sima You might usurp the throne from Sima Zhong in the future since he had much support from the masses. The officials who previously opposed the campaign against Eastern Wu seized this opportunity to speak ill of Zhang Hua in front of Emperor Wu and cause him to fall out of the emperor's favour. Emperor Wu then sent Zhang Hua away to the northern frontier in You Province to serve as Colonel Who Protects the Wuhuan (護烏桓校尉) and General Who Stabilises the North (安北將軍). Zhang Hua performed well in office as he pacified the various non-Han Chinese peoples, such as the Wuhuan and Xianbei tribes, in the region. Although Emperor Wu considered summoning Zhang Hua back to the imperial capital Luoyang to serve in ministerial positions, he changed his mind every time after listening to officials who disliked Zhang Hua. As the Minister of Ceremonies (太常), he suffered disgrace when he was dismissed for negligence after one of the beams in the imperial ancestral temple broke. Thus, for the rest of Emperor Wu's reign, he attended court sessions as a marquis.

Following Emperor Wu's death in May 290, Zhang Hua was summoned back to Luoyang to serve as an Official of Ceremonies (太常卿), a position without actual power. His role was mainly to teach Sima Yu, the only son and heir apparent of the newly enthroned Sima Zhong (Emperor Hui). After Empress Jia Nanfeng overthrew Empress Dowager Yang and her father Yang Jun in a coup d'état in April 291, she entrusted Zhang Hua with greater responsibilities as Right Household Counsellor (右光祿大夫), Palace Attendant (侍中) and Supervisor of the Palace Writers (中書監). Some reasons behind Zhang Hua's swift ascent were that both Empress Jia and Jia Mi observed that Zhang did not hail from a powerful clan, he was not hostile to Empress Jia's regency and he was popular with other court officials. Despite his loyalty, Zhang Hua was worried about the rise of Empress Jia's kin, and he wrote an article "Nǚ Shi Zhen" as satire. Eventually, Empress Jia decided to enfeoff Zhang as the Duke of Zhuangwu Commandery. Initially, Zhang declined to accept the peerage numerous times, but after an edict from Empress Jia advising him, he decided to accept. In c.March 296, Zhang Hua was promoted to Minister of Works (司空), replacing Sima Huang the Prince of Xiapi, who had died earlier that month. Over the subsequent years, with Empress Jia Nanfeng in power (Emperor Hui was merely a puppet emperor), Zhang Hua used his political skills to keep the various competing factions in check, in conjunction with Empress Jia's cousin Pei Wei.

Death and aftermath

In early 300, the political firestorm became too big for Zhang Hua to handle after Empress Jia Nanfeng framed Sima Yu for treason in February and had him deposed. In April, fearing that Sima Yu would make a comeback, Empress Jia had him murdered. With Empress Jia's reputation damaged by the murder, Sima Lun (the Prince of Zhao), a granduncle of Emperor Hui, plotted a coup d'état to remove Empress Jia from power. He tried to persuade Zhang Hua to join him, but Zhang Hua was reluctant to do so. In May, after Sima Lun successfully overthrew Empress Jia, he had several of her supporters and associates (including Zhang Hua) executed along with their families.

Sima Lun then usurped the throne in February 301 and briefly ruled as emperor before he was overthrown in May. Sima You's son and successor Sima Jiong became the regent. An official named Zhi Yu (挚虞) petitioned Jiong to have Zhang Hua posthumously rehabilitated. Separately, an official from Zhang's dukedom of Zhuangwu, Zhu Dao (竺道), also sent Sima Ai, the Prince of Changsha, a similar petition. While Sima Jiong started the debate on Zhang's status, and many officials felt that Zhang had suffered injustice, there were those who felt that Zhang's punishment was justified, and no decision was made for a while. Zhang's rehabilitation came in 303, during the regency of Sima Ai, where he was restored to his former titles and positions, although he was not given a posthumous name.

Poetry

Zhang Hua's poetry was admired by such people as Ruan Ji and Chen Liu (陳留). He was profoundly learned, and when he changed houses it took thirty carts to carry his library. Zhang Hua was the author of the Bowuzhi, a collection of articles on various topics of interest. It appears to have perished during the Song dynasty, and the modern work which passes under that name was probably compiled from extracts found in other books.

Family and descendants

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 May 300. Only one of Zhang Hua's grandsons, Zhang Yu (張輿), survived the purge. He inherited his grandfather's peerage in 303, after his grandfather was posthumously rehabilitated.

Zhang Shangrou (张尚柔), mother of Emperor Wu of Liang, was a descendant (4x-great-granddaughter) of Zhang Hua.

See also

• Lists of people of the Three Kingdoms

References

1. 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. Jin Shu, vol.04. Zhang Hua's biography in the same work recorded that he was 69 (by East Asian reckoning) when he died.
2. (乡人刘放亦奇其才，以女妻焉。) Jin Shu, vol.36.
3. (华少孤贫，自牧羊，同郡卢钦见而器之。) Jin Shu, vol.36
4. (陈留阮籍见之，叹曰：“王佐之才也！”由是声名始著.) Jin Shu, vol.36
5. (郡守鲜于嗣荐华为太常博士。卢钦言之于文帝，转河南尹丞，未拜，除佐著作郎。顷之，迁长史，兼中书郎。) Jin Shu, vol.36
6. (祜寝疾，求入朝。既至洛阳，会景献宫车在殡，哀恸至笃。中诏申谕，扶疾引见，命乘辇入殿，无下拜，甚见优礼。及侍坐，面陈伐吴之计。帝以其病，不宜常入，遣中书令张华问其筹策。祜曰：“今主上有禅代之美，而功德未著。吴人虐政已甚，可不战而克。混一六合，以兴文教，则主齐尧舜，臣同稷契，为百代之盛轨。如舍之，若孙皓不幸而没，吴人更立令主，虽百万之众，长江未可而越也，将为后患乎！”华深赞成其计。祜谓华曰：“成吾志者，子也。”) Jin Shu, vol.34.
7. (隗伯父讷，字令言，有人伦鉴识。初入洛，见诸名士而叹曰：“王夷甫太鲜明，乐彦辅我所敬，张茂先我所不解，周弘武巧于用短，杜方叔拙于用长。) Jin Shu, vol.69. Other famous persons Liu Na commented on include Wang Yan (Wang Yifu), Yue Guang (Yue Yanfu), Du Yu (Du Fangshu; grandson of Du Xi) and Zhou Hui (Zhou Hongwu; the future maternal grandfather of Sima Tan, and one of the "Twenty-Four Friends of Jingu" associated with Jia Mi, along with Liu Na himself and Du Yu).
8. (顷之，征华为太常。以太庙屋栋折，免官。遂终帝之世，以列侯朝见。) Jin Shu, vol.36
9. (贾谧与后共谋，以华庶族，儒雅有筹略，进无逼上之嫌，退为众望所依，欲倚以朝纲，访以政事。疑而未决，以问裴𬱟，𬱟素重华，深赞其事。华遂尽忠匡辅，弥缝补阙，虽当暗主虐后之朝，而海内晏然，华之功也。华惧后族之盛，作《女史箴》以为讽。贾后虽凶妒，而知敬重华。久之，论前后忠勋，进封壮武郡公。华十馀让，中诏敦譬，乃受。数年，代下邳王晃为司空，领著作。) Jin Shu, vol.36
10. (春正月，大赦。司空、下邳王晃薨。以中书监张华为司空，...) Jin Shu, vol.04. Vol.82 of Zizhi Tongjian recorded the same month for the event, which corresponds to 21 Feb to 20 Mar 296 in the Julian calendar.
11. Sima Jiong was killed in January 303, during the 12th month of the 1st year of the Tai'an era.
12. (后伦、秀伏诛，齐王冏辅政，挚虞致笺于冏曰：“间于张华没后入中书省，得华先帝时答诏本草。先帝问华可以辅政持重付以后事者，华答：“明德至亲，莫如先王，宜留以为社稷之镇。”其忠良之谋，款诚之言，信于幽冥，没而后彰，与苟且随时者不可同世而论也。议者有责华以湣怀太子之事不抗节廷争。当此之时，谏者必得违命之死。先圣之教，死而无益者，不以责人。故晏婴，齐之正卿，不死崔杼之难；季札，吴之宗臣，不争逆顺之理。理尽而无所施者，固圣教之所不责也。”冏于是奏曰：“臣闻兴微继绝，圣王之高政；贬恶嘉善，《春秋》之美义。是以武王封比干之墓，表商容之闾，诚幽明之故有以相通也。孙秀逆乱，灭佐命之国，诛骨鲠之臣，以斫丧王室；肆其虐戾，功臣之后，多见泯灭。张华、裴𬱟各以见惮取诛于时，解系、解结同以羔羊并被其害，欧阳建等无罪而死，百姓怜之。今陛下更日月之光，布维新之命，然此等诸族未蒙恩理。昔栾郤降在皂隶，而《春秋》传其违；幽王绝功臣之后，弃贤者子孙，而诗人以为刺。臣备忝在职，思纳愚诚。若合圣意，可令群官通议。”议者各有所执，而多称其冤。壮武国臣竺道又诣长沙王，求复华爵位，依违者久之。太安二年，诏曰：“夫爱恶相攻，佞邪丑正，自古而有。故司空、壮武公华竭其忠贞，思翼朝政，谋谟之勋，每事赖之。前以华弼济之功，宜同封建，而华固让至于八九，深陈大制不可得尔，终有颠败危辱之虑，辞义恳诚，足劝远近。华之至心，誓于神明。华以伐吴之勋，受爵于先帝。后封既非国体，又不宜以小功逾前大赏，华之见害，俱以奸逆图乱，滥被枉贼。其复华侍中、中书监、司空、公、广武侯及所没财物与印绶符策，遣使吊祭之。”) Jin Shu, vol.36
13. While Zhang Hua was not given a posthumous name, the name of his peerage, "Zhuangwu", can be considered an unofficial posthumous name as per Yi Zhou Shu, both "Zhuang" and "Wu" are considered positive posthumous names.
14. (太祖献皇后张氏，讳尚柔，...父穆之，字思静，晋司空华六世孙。) Liang Shu, vol.07.

• 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).

• 232 births
• 300 deaths
• 3rd-century Chinese poets
• 3rd-century executions
• Cao Wei poets
• Cao Wei government officials
• Chinese chancellors
• People executed by the Jin dynasty (266–420)
• Executed people from Hebei
• Jin dynasty (266–420) poets
• People executed by the Jin dynasty (266–420) by decapitation
• People from Langfang
• Poets from Hebei