Zhang Yanchao (張彥超)

Overview

Zhang Yanchao was a Military Commissioner.

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Nickname	the Lame One	跛子

Life and dates

Death

AD 956 顯德三年冬
Illness · At his residence 第
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 211

Attested activity

AD 950 乾祐三年十一月
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 11, passages 42, 46, 57
AD 948 乾祐初
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 208
AD 926 to AD 930 天成中
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 203
AD 950 太祖自鄴入平內難
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 209
AD 947 契丹入汴
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 206
AD 936 屬其總戎於太原
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 204

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AD 951 to AD 953 廣順中
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 210
AD 947 漢高祖入洛
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 207
AD 923 莊宗入汴
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 201
AD 956 顯德三年冬
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 211

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Mingzong (明宗)
adopted son 養子 · Adoptive parentage
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 202

Key source chapters

Origins and identity

Shatuo 沙陀
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 199

Career and standing

prefect of Yu 蔚州刺史
AD 926 to AD 930 天成中 · Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 203
company commander of the palace guard horse army 侍衛馬軍都校
AD 947 契丹入汴 · Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 206
military governor of Jinchang 晉昌軍節度使
AD 947 契丹入汴 · Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 206
military governor of Yun 雲州節度使
AD 936 屬其總戎於太原 · Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 204
commander-in-chief of the Divine Martial Army 神武統軍
AD 951 to AD 953 廣順中 · Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 210
commander of the Divine Martial Army 神武指揮使
AD 923 莊宗入汴 · Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 201

Show 5 more source-backed claims

Baoda military commissioner 保大軍節度使
Held
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 11, passage 47
commander of the Horse Guard Army 馬直軍使
Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 201
military governor of Baoda 保大軍節度使
AD 947 漢高祖入洛 · Transferred
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 207
Grand Preceptor of the Heir Apparent 太子太師
AD 956 顯德三年冬 · Posthumously granted
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 212
court petitioner 奉朝請
AD 948 乾祐初 · Court petitioner · Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 208

Places and affiliations

AD 950 太祖自鄴入平內難
Polity Later Zhou 後周 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passages 209-210
AD 936 屬其總戎於太原
Polity Id liao · Polity Khitan 契丹 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passages 204-206
AD 947 漢高祖入洛
Polity Later Han 後漢 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passages 207-208
Polity Later Tang 後唐 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passages 201, 203
AD 926 to AD 930 天成中
At Yu Prefecture 蔚州 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 203
AD 950 太祖自鄴入平內難
At Liuzi Slope 劉子陂 · Relation Present at
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 209

Show 3 more source-backed claims

AD 944 to AD 947 契丹之南侵也
At Zhen and Wei 鎮、魏 · Relation Campaigned at
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 205
AD 936 屬其總戎於太原
At Yun Prefecture 雲州 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 204
AD 923 莊宗入汴
At Bian 汴 · Relation Entered
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 201

Learning and skills

Skill mounted archery 騎射 · Level used-in-service
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 201

Works and attributed material

AD 947 漢高祖入洛
Memorial · Author · With Gaozu of Han (漢高祖) · Paraphrased
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 207

Events and relationships

First to pay court
AD 950 太祖自鄴入平內難 · Political · Submitter · With Taizu (太祖) · At Liuzi Slope 劉子陂
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 209
Ordered to resist
AD 950 太祖自鄴入平內難 · Military · Cavalry commander · With Taizu (太祖)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 209
Raided zhen and wei
AD 944 to AD 947 契丹之南侵也 · Military · Commander
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 205
Surrendered city to khitan
AD 936 屬其總戎於太原 · Military · Defector · At Yu Prefecture 蔚州
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 204
Relation At odds with · Person Gaozu of Jin (晉高祖)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 204

Assessments and attributes

lame, compared to Xi Ke's affliction and nicknamed the Lame One
Physical description
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 200

Source notes

Value historical
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 129, passage 199

References in the histories

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 129Volume 129 Book of Later Zhou 31: Biographies 9: Chang Si, Di Guangye, Cao Ying, Li Yanyun, Li Hui, Li Jianchong, Wang Zhongyi, Sun Hanyin, Xu Qian, Zhao Feng, Qi Cangzhen, Wang Huan, Zhang Yanchao, Zhang Ying, Liu Renshan · 5 passages

Open chapter

張彥超，本沙陀部人也。 Zhang Yanchao was originally of the Shatuo tribe.

素有郤克之疾，時號為「跛子」。 He had long suffered Xi Ke's affliction and was known as "the Lame One."

契丹之南侵也，彥超率部眾，頗為鎮、魏之患。 When the Khitan marched south, Yanchao led his troops and became a serious scourge to Zhen and Wei.

漢高祖入洛，彥超飛表輸誠，移授保大軍節度使。 When Gaozu of Han entered Luoyang, Yanchao sent an urgent memorial pledging loyalty and was transferred to military governor of Baoda.

太祖自鄴入平內難，隱帝令彥超董騎軍為拒，劉子陂兵亂，彥超先謁見太祖。 When Taizu came from Ye to quell the internal crisis, the Hidden Emperor ordered Yanchao to command the cavalry against him; at the rout at Liuzi Slope, Yanchao was first to pay court to Taizu.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 11Volume 11 Later Zhou Annals 2: Taizu · 1 passage

Open chapter

隱帝遣開封尹侯益、保大軍節度使張彥超、客省使閻晉卿等率兵拒威，又遣內養瑽脫覘威所向。 The Hidden Emperor dispatched Hou Yi, governor of Kaifeng, Zhang Yanchao of Baoda, Yan Jinqing of the guest-reception office, and others to meet Wei in battle, and sent the palace attendant Zongtuo to track his march.