Qin and Han · Official

Zhang Kuang 張匡

Zhāng Kuāng

Attested BC 33 - BC 25

Passages: 3
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Zhang Kuang was an official.

Life and dates

Attested activity

BC 33 to BC 25 成帝時
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 93, passage 97

Career and standing

Palace Grandee 太中大夫
Held
Directly stated · Book of Han 93, passage 97

Places and affiliations

At Shu Commandery 蜀郡
Directly stated · Book of Han 93, passage 97

Works and attributed material

asked to explain the blame signified by the solar eclipse
Memorial · Author
Directly stated · Book of Han 93, passage 97
Oral response · Speaker · With Shi Dan (史丹) · Mode direct-quotation Speaker Zhang Kuang (張匡)
Directly stated · Book of Han 93, passages 98-116

Assessments and attributes

Assessment sly and fawning · Mode narrator
Directly stated · Book of Han 93, passage 97

References in the histories

Book of Han, Chapter 93Volume 82: Wang Shang, Shi Dan and Fu Xi · 3 passages

會日有蝕之，太中大夫蜀郡張匡，其人佞巧，上書願對近臣陳日蝕咎。 When a solar eclipse occurred, Palace Grandee Zhang Kuang of Shu commandery, a sly and fawning man, submitted a memorial asking to address the emperor's close advisers on the meaning of the eclipse.

下朝者左將軍丹等問匡，對曰：「竊見丞相商作威作福，從外制中，取必於上，性殘賊不仁，遣票輕吏微求人罪，欲以立威，天下患苦之。 After court, General of the Left Shi Dan and others questioned Zhang Kuang. He answered, "I have observed Chancellor Wang Shang wielding arbitrary power, controlling the court from outside, and extracting whatever he wants from the throne. He is cruel and ruthless, sending out swift minor officials to hunt for crimes in order to terrify the realm, and the people suffer greatly under him.

上素重商，知匡言多險，制曰「勿治」。 The emperor had long respected Wang Shang and recognized Zhang Kuang's memorial for the vicious attack it was, so he ruled, 'Take no further action.'