Zhang Da

Historical Record

Historical records of Zhang Da are extremely scarce; in the official histories such as the Records of the Three Kingdoms, there is almost no clear mention of this man. This means that in the true record of history Zhang Da was not a figure with notable deeds or a clear identity. His life, native place, offices, and even his concrete actions were not recorded by historians, and so it is impossible to construct his historical image from biographical material. Within the framework of the official histories, Zhang Da is a blank; whether he existed, and what role he played in historical events, cannot be verified.

In the Novel

In Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhang Da is portrayed as a low-ranking officer of impulsive temper and harbored resentment, his fate tightly bound to the Shu Han general Zhang Fei. He and Fan Jiang were both subordinate officers under Zhang Fei. After Liu Bei proclaimed himself emperor, wishing to avenge Guan Yu, he intended to campaign against Eastern Wu, and Zhang Fei was ordered to prepare white banners and white armor to put the whole army into mourning^[1]. Zhang Fei, however, was violent by temper and set a limit of three days for completion, which left Zhang Da and Fan Jiang feeling that time was short and the task could not be done. The two begged Zhang Fei for an extension, only to meet his harsh rebuke and flogging, and the threat that if they failed to finish on time he would put them both to death^[1].

This flogging became the fuse for the resentment built up in Zhang Da's heart. He conferred with Fan Jiang, holding that Zhang Fei was a man whose temper was violent as fire, and that if they could not finish the task on time they would surely die. Fan Jiang said it would be hard to get close to Zhang Fei; Zhang Da replied that when Zhang Fei was drunk would be their chance to strike. The two finally resolved to act first and kill Zhang Fei to save themselves^[1].

That night, Zhang Fei, longing for Guan Yu and ill at ease, drank himself thoroughly drunk with his officers and lay in his tent. When Zhang Da and Fan Jiang learned of this, they took advantage of the deep, quiet night, each concealing a short blade, and slipped into Zhang Fei's tent. They found that Zhang Fei, though asleep, still had "beard bristling and eyes open," and at first dared not act. Only when they heard Zhang Fei's snoring like thunder did they draw near and plunge their short blades into his belly, killing him^[2]. Zhang Fei thus perished, at the age of fifty-five. Zhang Da and Fan Jiang then took Zhang Fei's head and defected to Eastern Wu, recounting in full to Sun Quan how they had killed Zhang Fei^[3]. Sun Quan took the two in and used the occasion to send Zhuge Jin to Shu Han to persuade Liu Bei to lay down arms, seeking peace between the two states and joint resistance to Cao Pi^[3]. Zhang Da's image in the novel is a typical figure who, unable to bear the tyranny of his superior, took a desperate gamble that finally led to tragedy.

Key Relationships

* Zhang Fei (enemy_of): In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the relationship between Zhang Da and Zhang Fei is the core of his fate. Zhang Fei's violent temper and his flogging of Zhang Da and Fan Jiang directly led to Zhang Da's resentment and his ultimate act of killing his master^[1]. Zhang Da's action is the tragic consequence brought on by Zhang Fei's character flaw. This relationship is novel only.
* Eastern Wu (defected_to): After killing Zhang Fei, Zhang Da defected to Eastern Wu with his head. Sun Quan took in Zhang Da and Fan Jiang and used the event as a bargaining chip in negotiations with Shu Han^[3]. Zhang Da's defection helped, to some degree, bring about Sun Quan's strategy of sending Zhuge Jin to persuade Liu Bei to lay down arms. This relationship is novel only.

Iconic Scenes

* Flogged and humiliated, conceiving the intent to kill: Having failed to complete on time the task of white banners and white armor set by Zhang Fei, Zhang Da and Fan Jiang asked him for an extension. Zhang Fei flew into a rage, bound the two to a tree, flogged each of them fifty strokes, and threatened that if all were not ready by the next day he would put them to death. This flogging not only brought Zhang Da physical pain but also planted deep resentment in his heart, prompting him to confer with Fan Jiang and finally resolve to kill Zhang Fei^[1]. This is the key turning point in the shaping of Zhang Da's image in the novel, directly leading to the subsequent tragedy. This scene is novel only.
* Killing his master by night and defecting to Eastern Wu: Having learned that Zhang Fei lay drunk in his tent, Zhang Da and Fan Jiang took advantage of the night to slip into his tent. Though Zhang Fei in his sleep still had "beard bristling and eyes open," giving the two pause, in the end they took advantage of his snoring like thunder to stab Zhang Fei to death with their short blades^[2]. The two then took Zhang Fei's head and defected to Eastern Wu, recounting to Sun Quan how they had killed their master^[3]. This scene is Zhang Da's most iconic act in the novel, directly altering the political landscape between Shu Han and Eastern Wu and foreshadowing the later Battle of Xiaoting. This scene is novel only.