Zhang Yan (張彥) | 24 Histories

Overview

Zhang Yan was a Mutiny Leader.

PeriodFive Dynasties

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Life and dates

Death

Executed · At Linqing 臨清 · Authority Emperor Zhuangzong of Later Tang (後唐莊宗)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 44, passage 67

Attested activity

AD 915 張彥之亂，命判官王正言草奏，正言素不能文，不能下筆，彥怒詬曰：「鈍漢乃辱我！」
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 71, passage 28
AD 912 張彥之亂
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 69, passage 104
AD 915 貞明元年
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 44, passage 156
AD 915 贞明元年
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 3, passages 94, 97

Key source chapters

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · With Hu Yi (扈異)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 44, passages 56-57, 156-157

Events and relationships

Led mutiny
AD 915 贞明元年 · Military · Chief instigator
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 3, passage 97

Assessments and attributes

Assessment chief culprit of Tianxiong mutiny but omitted from annals as a minor figure · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 3, passage 97

References in the histories

Search passages

History

13 passages

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 69Volume 69 Book of Later Tang 45: Biographies 21: Zhang Xian, Wang Zhengyan, Hu Zhuang, Cui Yisun, Meng Hu, Sun Yue, Zhang Yanlang, Liu Yanhao, Liu Yanlang · 1 passage

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及張彥之亂，嗣業遇害，裝罷秩，客於魏州。 When Zhang Yan's rebellion broke out, Siye was killed; Zhuang lost his post and lived as a guest in Weizhou.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 71Volume 71 Book of Later Tang 47: Biographies 23: Ma Yu, Si Kongting, Cao Tingyin, Xiao Xifu, Yao Zongzhi, Jia Fu, Ma Gao, Luo Guan, Chun Yuyan, Zhang Ge, Xu Ji, Zhou Xuanbao · 3 passages

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張彥之亂，命判官王正言草奏，正言素不能文，不能下筆，彥怒詬曰：「鈍漢乃辱我！」 When Zhang Yan rebelled he ordered his aide Wang Zhengyan to draft a memorial, but Wang, who had never mastered prose, could not write a word; Zhang Yan thundered, "You blockheaded oaf—how dare you disgrace me!"

頲揮筆成文，詆斥梁君臣，彥甚喜，為判官。 Ting wrote at speed, the draft lashing out at Liang sovereign and ministers; Zhang Yan was delighted and kept him as his secretary.

及張彥復脅賀德倫降於唐，德倫遣頲先奉狀太原。 When Zhang Yan once more forced He Delun to surrender to Tang, Delun sent Ting ahead to Taiyuan with the formal submission.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 3Volume 3 Later Liang Annals 3: Later Emperors · 1 passage

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張彥實首惡，而略不書，彥，微者，德倫可以誅而不誅，故以德倫獨任其責。 Zhang Yan was in fact the chief culprit, but he is omitted because he was a minor figure. Delun could have executed him and failed to do so, so Delun alone is made to bear the blame.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 44Volume 44 Miscellaneous Biographies 24: Liu Zhijun, Ding Hui, He Delun, Yan Bao, Kang Yanxiao · 8 passages

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効節軍將張彥謀於其眾曰：「朝廷以我軍府彊盛，設法殘破之。 Zhang Yan, general of the Xiaojie army, plotted with his men: "The court sees our district too strong and means to break us.

末帝遣供奉官扈異馳至魏諭彥，許以刺史。 Liang’s Last Emperor sent Hu Yi racing to Wei to reason with Zhang Yan and promised him a prefecture.

彥謂異曰：「為我報皇帝，三軍不負朝廷，朝廷負三軍，割隸無名，所以亂耳。 Yan told Yi: “Tell the Emperor for me: the army has not failed the court—the court failed the army. Carving away our districts without cause is what bred this chaos.

異還，言彥狂蹶不足畏，宜促鄩兵擊之。 Yi came back and said Yan was a mad rebel, nothing to fear—push Liu Yun to strike.

使者三反，彥怒曰：「傭保兒敢如是邪！」 Three times the envoy returned; Yan raged: “Does this hired lackey dare talk so!”

戒彥勿為朝廷生事。 He warned Yan not to stir trouble for the court.

彥乃以楊師厚鎮魏州嘗帶招討使，逼德倫論列之，末帝不許，諭以詔書，彥裂詔書抵於地，曰：「愚主聽人穿鼻，難與共事矣！」 Yan cited Yang Shihou’s old joint title as pacification commissioner at Wei and made Delun argue it in memorials. The Last Emperor refused and sent an edict; Yan tore it and flung it down: “A fool led by the nose—no man can serve him!”

莊宗入魏，德倫以彥逼己，遣人陰訴於莊宗，莊宗斬彥於臨清而後入。 When Zhuangzong entered Wei, Delun—pressed by Yan—sent secret word to the throne. Zhuangzong beheaded Yan at Linqing, then marched in.