Zhang Yang

Historical Record

Zhang Yang, courtesy name Zhishu, was a man of Yunzhong. By dint of his martial valor he served in Bing Province, holding the post of Officer of Martial Vigor. At the end of Emperor Ling's reign, all under Heaven fell into turmoil. To consolidate imperial power, Emperor Ling appointed his favorite, the Junior Attendant of the Yellow Gate Jian Shuo, as Colonel of the Western Garden Upper Army, and summoned the heroes of the realm to serve as his subordinates, among them Cao Cao and Yuan Shao. The Inspector of Bing Province, Ding Yuan, sent Zhang Yang at the head of troops to Jian Shuo, serving as Acting Major^[1]. After Emperor Ling died, Jian Shuo was killed by He Jin. Zhang Yang was again dispatched by He Jin to return to his home province to recruit troops; he raised over a thousand men and on that account remained in Shangdang, charged with suppressing mountain bandits. After He Jin perished, Dong Zhuo wrought havoc. Zhang Yang thereupon led his troops to attack the Administrator of Shangdang at Huguan; failing to take it, he turned to plundering the surrounding counties, and his forces grew to several thousand^[1].

When the lords east of the mountains raised troops to campaign against Dong Zhuo and Yuan Shao reached Henei, Zhang Yang joined Yuan Shao and, together with the Xiongnu Chanyu Yufuluo, garrisoned at the Zhang River. Yufuluo intended to rebel, but Yuan Shao and Zhang Yang would not follow him. Yufuluo thereupon seized Zhang Yang and went off with him. Yuan Shao sent the general Qu Yi to pursue them at Ye-south, routing Yufuluo's army utterly. The Chanyu took Zhang Yang to Liyang, where he broke the army of the General Who Crosses the Liao, Geng Zhi, and Zhang Yang's forces were thereby able to rally anew. Dong Zhuo then appointed Zhang Yang as General Who Establishes Righteousness and Administrator of Henei^[1].

When Emperor Xian was in Hedong, Zhang Yang led troops to Anyi and was appointed General Who Secures the State and enfeoffed as Marquis of Jinyang. Zhang Yang wished to escort the Son of Heaven back to Luoyang, but his subordinate commanders would not follow, and Zhang Yang had to return to Yewang. In the first year of the Jian'an era, Yang Feng, Dong Cheng, and Han Xian escorted the Son of Heaven back to the old capital of Luoyang, but provisions ran short along the way. Zhang Yang provided grain to receive them, enabling the Son of Heaven to reach Luoyang safely. Zhang Yang said to the commanders, "The Son of Heaven should be shared with all under Heaven; fortunately there are the high ministers and great officials. I should ward off external troubles—what business have I in the capital?" With these words he returned to Yewang. The Son of Heaven thereupon appointed him Grand Marshal^[2]. Zhang Yang had always been on good terms with Lü Bu. When Cao Cao besieged Lü Bu, Zhang Yang wished to rescue him but could not succeed. He could only send troops to the Eastern Market to make a show of support from afar. However, his subordinate commander Yang Chou killed Zhang Yang, intending to defect to Cao Cao. Another of Zhang Yang's commanders, Sui Gu, then killed Yang Chou and led his forces, intending to go north to join Yuan Shao. Cao Cao sent Shi Huan to intercept them, routing Sui Gu utterly at Quancheng, beheading him, and absorbing all of Zhang Yang's forces^[2].

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhang Yang's image is further developed, especially in the course of Emperor Xian's eastward return to Luoyang, where he played an important role. When Emperor Xian was at Anyi, where a great famine had left the people starving, the Administrator of Henei, Zhang Yang, presented rice and meat to Emperor Xian, enabling the Son of Heaven to find some relief^[3]. When Dong Cheng and Yang Feng deliberated on escorting the imperial carriage back to Luoyang, the Administrator of Hedong, Wang Yi, presented silk, while Zhang Yang prepared grain and silk at Zhidao to welcome the carriage. For this, Emperor Xian appointed Zhang Yang Grand Marshal, but Zhang Yang declined the post and garrisoned Yewang^[4].

In the novel, the episode of Zhang Yang's subordinate commander Yang Chou killing Zhang Yang is largely consistent with history, but his motive is made explicit as a wish to present Zhang Yang's head to Cao Cao. Subsequently, Zhang Yang's trusted commander Sui Gu killed Yang Chou and turned to occupy Quancheng instead. When Cao Cao learned of this, he immediately sent Shi Huan to pursue and behead Sui Gu^[5]. The novel also shows, through Cao Cao's perspective, the impact of Zhang Yang's death on the campaign: Cao Cao once considered delaying his attack on Lü Bu on account of Zhang Yang's death, but was dissuaded by Xun You and Guo Jia, and in the end adopted Guo Jia's stratagem of flooding the city^[5]. The novel's depiction of Zhang Yang's character—"gentle and kindly by nature, without sternness or punishment; when subordinates plotted rebellion and were found out, he would weep before them and pardon them without inquiry"^[2]—accords with the record of the biographical Chronicle of Heroes, highlighting his generous and benevolent side.

Key Relationships

* Jian Shuo (serves): At the end of Emperor Ling's reign, Zhang Yang was dispatched by the Inspector of Bing Province, Ding Yuan, to serve under Jian Shuo as Acting Major^[1].
* Yuan Shao (friend_of): After Dong Zhuo wrought havoc, Zhang Yang joined Yuan Shao at Henei to oppose Dong Zhuo together. Later, after Sui Gu killed Yang Chou, he too intended to go north to join Yuan Shao^[1].
* Dong Zhuo's Faction (serves): After Zhang Yang fought the Xiongnu Chanyu Yufuluo, Dong Zhuo appointed him General Who Establishes Righteousness and Administrator of Henei, bringing him into his own sphere of power^[1].
* Cao Wei (serves): After Zhang Yang was killed by Yang Chou, his commander Sui Gu in turn killed Yang Chou and intended to join Yuan Shao, but was ultimately killed by Shi Huan, whom Cao Cao dispatched, and all his forces fell to Cao Cao^[6].
* Lü Bu (friend_of): Zhang Yang had always been on good terms with Lü Bu; when Cao Cao besieged Lü Bu, Zhang Yang tried to rescue him but could not, and had to send troops to the Eastern Market to make a show of support from afar^[2].
* Emperor Xian (serves): While Emperor Xian was a fugitive, Zhang Yang provided grain to receive him and was appointed Grand Marshal by Emperor Xian^[2].

Iconic Scenes

* Escorting the Son of Heaven to Luoyang: When Emperor Xian was a fugitive in Hedong and provisions ran short, Zhang Yang provided grain to receive him, enabling the Son of Heaven to reach Luoyang safely. He declared to the commanders that "the Son of Heaven should be shared with all under Heaven," declined the post of Grand Marshal, and returned to Yewang, displaying his loyalty to the Han house and his lack of attachment to power^[2].
* Sending troops to the Eastern Market to support Lü Bu: When Cao Cao besieged Lü Bu, Zhang Yang, on good terms with Lü Bu, though unable to rescue him directly, still sent troops to the Eastern Market to support Lü Bu from afar, embodying his loyalty to friendship^[2].
* Killed by his subordinate commander Yang Chou: Zhang Yang was ultimately killed by his subordinate commander Yang Chou, who intended to present Zhang Yang's head to Cao Cao but was himself then killed by Sui Gu. This event directly led to the disintegration of Zhang Yang's power and its eventual absorption by Cao Cao^[6].
* The Administrator of Henei presents rice and meat (novel only): When Emperor Xian was a fugitive at Anyi and the people were starving, the Administrator of Henei, Zhang Yang, presented rice and meat to Emperor Xian, enabling the Son of Heaven to find some relief, embodying his care and support for the Han house^[3].