Misplaced Pages

#919080

31-455: Zhang Fang was born in a poor family in Sima Yong's princely fief, Hejian commandery . Despite his upbringing, he was talented and brave enough to capture the attention of the prince, who employed him into his administration. He soon climbed through the ranks and became his General of Inspiring Martial Might by 301. That same year, Zhang Fang captured Xiahou Shi (夏侯奭), a former Army Advisor who

62-669: A commandery under Cao Wei. In early Western Jin dynasty , Hejian became the fief of Sima Yong , brother of Sima Yi . In 140 AD, the kingdom administered 11 counties, namely Lecheng (樂成), Gonggao (弓高), Yi (易), Wuyuan (武垣), Zhongshui (中水), Mao (鄚), Gaoyang (高陽), Wen'an (文安), Shuzhou (束州), Chengping (成平) and Dongpingshu (東平舒). The total population was 634,421, or 93,754 households. Ye (Hebei) 36°16′29″N 114°24′01″E  /  36.2748°N 114.4002°E  / 36.2748; 114.4002 Ye or Yecheng ( simplified Chinese : 邺城 ; traditional Chinese : 鄴城 ; pinyin : Yèchéng ; Wade–Giles : Yeh -ch'eng )

93-640: The Bronze Bird Terrace in 210 that became much-celebrated in Chinese poetry . Cao Cao's impact on Ye was so extensive that he alone, more than any ruler of the city before and after, is associated with the city of Ye in the Chinese cultural memory . Ironically, after Cao Cao's grandson Cao Huan was forced to abdicate to Sima Yan in February 266, Cao Huan was relocated to Ye where he lived for

124-620: The collapse of Han rule , Ye served as the military headquarters of the warlords Yuan Shao and Cao Cao . Under the latter's rule, Ye transformed into a political and economic center of China during the Three Kingdoms period , and during the Sixteen Kingdoms and Northern dynasties , it served as the capital for the Later Zhao , Ran Wei , Former Yan , Eastern Wei and Northern Qi dynasties. In 204, Cao Cao wrestled

155-446: The 490s, Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei moved his capital from Pingcheng (平城, in modern Datong, Shanxi) to Luoyang. This move was not welcomed by all. Antagonism grew between Xiaowen and his sinicized court and those who preferred to cling to the traditional Tuoba tribal ways, and it only increased with further changes calling for the abandonment of Tuoba dress and names. Eventually, under the leadership of Gao Huan (a Chinese general who

186-721: The Emperor Hui had retreated into Ye , Yong had him guard Luoyang instead. The generals within Luoyang, Shangguan Si (上官巳) and Miao Yuan (苗願) retaliated against Zhang Fang but were defeated. The Crown Prince, Sima Tan (司馬覃), ousted them out from the capital and welcomed Zhang Fang. Despite the warm reception, Zhang had Sima Tan deposed along with the empress, Yang Xianrong . Wang Jun decisively defeated Sima Ying at Ye, and he barely escaped with his remaining officials before making his way towards Luoyang. As they nearly reached Luoyang, Zhang Fang sent his son Zhang Pi (張羆) to escort them into

217-670: The capital of the Eastern Wei dynasty and the Northern Qi dynasty until 580. At that time Ye was being used by a resistance force led by Yuchi Jiong , which was defeated by Yang Jian , founder of the Sui dynasty , and the city was razed to the ground. Some scholars, such as Ku Chi-kuang reported that the Hebei region continued to harbour separatist sympathies into the Tang dynasty . It

248-487: The capital, thus eliminating a potential political rival. However, the plan did not go as expected, as Ai managed to fight back and kill Jiong, taking over the imperial court. Yong was not satisfied with the outcome, so he had another coalition with Sima Ying against Sima Ai in 303. Sima Ying and Zhang Fang jointly attacked Luoyang and placed the capital under siege with Sima Ai and the emperor still inside. Ai sent his general Huangfu Shang (皇甫商) to stop Zhang's advances, but he

279-417: The capital. He had slave women from noble families to grind up food for his men and implemented forced labour indiscriminately as a punishment for those who he found were not partaking in the campaign hard enough. Despite the advantages, the siege carried on into the following year in 304. Sima Ai was finding success in battles against Sima Ying and his men's morale continued to soar. Zhang figured that Luoyang

310-478: The center, chief of affairs of the Masters of Writing, and acting Administrator of Jingzhao . In 305, Zhang deposed Yang Xianrong once again. Zhang Fang's treatment of the emperor created scorn among the people and officials. The same year in 305, an official named Huangfu Chang (皇甫昌) forged an edict under the guise of Sima Yue and the now-deposed Yang Xianrong's orders asking officials to attack Zhang Fang and save

341-514: The city of Ye from Yuan Shao's son Yuan Shang . As the preceding battle of Ye had destroyed the inner city, Cao Cao set about rebuilding the city in the mold of an imperial capital. He initiated a number of works in Ye, digging canals in and around the city to improve irrigation and drainage, building the Hall of Civil Splendour (文昌殿) which was to become the centerpiece of Ye's palace complex, and erecting

SECTION 10

#1732764763920

372-420: The city. Zhang welcomed him with his cavalries and performed obeisance to the point that the emperor personally approached him to get him to stop. With the emperor in Luoyang and Sima Ying powerless, Zhang had full control over the imperial family. He wanted to move the emperor to Chang'an and make the city the new capital seeing that his men were becoming restless staying in Luoyang. However, he knew that many of

403-571: The defenses are proper. Meanwhile, while the emperor was at the rampart, Zhang Fang's soldiers raided the palace and looted the place until there was none left to steal. Zhang then considered burning down the palace and Ancestral Temple to prevent anyone else from entering but forfeited the decision after his contemporary, Lu Zhi , compared his actions to Dong Zhuo . The emperor remained at the rampart for three days before Zhang forced him and his family to relocate to Chang'an. After they were moved, Sima Yong appointed Zhang as General Who Leads The Army of

434-588: The emperor in Chang'an. The edict was believed at first but Huangfu Chang's forgery was soon found out, and he was put to death. Later on, Sima Yue's official, Liu Qia (劉洽) urged his prince to raise a coalition against Sima Yong, seeing that Zhang Fang had forcibly moved the emperor to Chang'an. Yue carried out the last coalition of the civil war against Sima Yong, and Yong had Zhang Fang made Grand Commander to march to Xuchang and fight them. Despite Sima Yong's orders, Zhang Fang refused to move his army. In 306, Sima Yong

465-474: The ministers were wary of him, and initially tried to get the emperor to go to the Ancestral Temple , so he could move him by force with his soldiers but the emperor refused. His patience eventually wore off, so he had his men storm the palace and drag the emperor into the imperial carriage. He justified to the emperor that he only wanted him to inspect the ramparts he had built years ago to ensure that

496-468: The night. However, Zhang Fang did not think so, and instead ordered them to build a rampart surrounding Luoyang. The rampart was built in secrecy and Sima Ai himself thought that Zhang Fang was still recovering from his defeat. Once the rampart was completed, Sima Ai was taken by surprise and attacked him but failed. Meanwhile, Zhang Fang breached the Qianjin Dam (千金堨) and dried up the water mills around

527-475: The night. Liu was captured and subsequently executed by Sima Yong. In 304, Sima Yue raised a coalition against Sima Ying from Luoyang, bringing Emperor Hui with him. Yue's coalition was defeated and the emperor was captured, but Ying was subsequently attacked by the Inspector of Youzhou , Wang Jun and the Inspector of Bingzhou , Sima Teng . Sima Yong ordered Zhang Fang to rescue Ying, but after hearing that

558-590: The prince, citing his refusal to move against the coalition. Mou Bo and Mou Yin (繆胤) also agreed and pushed Yong to execute him. Sima Yong summoned an old friend of Zhang Fang named Zhi Fu (郅輔) who he sent to assassinate the general. When Zhi Fu arrived at his camp, he was allowed to bring his sword into the tent due to their relationship. Zhi Fu presented him with a letter from Yong, which he immediately opened to read. With his guard down, Zhi Fu killed him and beheaded his corpse. Yong sent his head to Sima Yue, hoping this would encourage him to settle with peace. The proposal

589-552: The rest of his life. During the Sixteen Kingdoms period, Ye was an important city for the Jie -led Later Zhao dynasty that unified most of northern China, later becoming its capital in 335 during the reign of Shi Hu . After Shi Hu's death, his adopted grandson, Ran Min , forcibly seized the city, where he founded the short-lived Ran Wei state in 350. The Xianbei -led Former Yan dynasty soon conquered Ran Wei in 352, and Ye became their capital from 357 up till its fall in 370. In

620-430: Was Tuoba in his ways and "outlook" ), the sinicization -dissenting 'northern garrisons' mutinied and captured Luoyang in 534. "At three days' notice its inhabitants were required to accompany Gao Huan to his own base, the city of Ye...where he declared himself the first Eastern Wei emperor." "During most of the sixth century Ho-pei (Hebei) was the heart of an independent state with its capital at Yeh [Ye]...." It remained

651-575: Was an ancient Chinese city located in what is now Linzhang County, Handan , Hebei province and neighbouring Anyang , Henan province. Ye was first built in the Spring and Autumn period by Duke Huan of Qi , and by the time of the Warring States period the city belonged to the state of Wei . During the Han dynasty , Ye was the seat of Wei Commandery and an important regional center. Following

SECTION 20

#1732764763920

682-463: Was briefly restored under Emperor Guangwu 's reign. In 90 AD, Emperor Zhang reestablished Hejian on the territories of Lecheng , Bohai and Zhuo commanderies . Liu Kai (劉開), the sixth son of the emperor, became the King of Hejian. Kai's lineage held Hejian until the foundation of Cao Wei dynasty . Emperor Huan and his successors all came from this branch of the imperial family. Hejian became

713-498: Was considering peace after being advised by a henchman of his, Mou Bo (繆播). However, Zhang Fang greatly opposed it, ostensibly pointing out Yong's advantages when in reality, he knew that peace would result in his execution for his crimes. Yong continued the war, even after his crucial ally Liu Qiao was defeated by Sima Xiao's general, Liu Kun . Yong's Army Advisor, Bi Yuan (畢垣), who had suffered from Zhang Fang's cruelty and seeing him lose favour, accused Zhang of plotting to overthrow

744-492: Was defeated in a surprise attack. Zhang's soldiers breached through the walls and carried out mass plunderings and killings. Ai personally went out to lead the army against Zhang Fang, bringing along the emperor with him. Sighting the imperial carriage, Zhang Fang did not dare to attack and instead retreated. Sima Ai capitalized on this and dealt Zhang Fang a major setback. Zhang Fang managed to return to his camp, where his men were starting to believe that they should retreat during

775-571: Was going on, Sima Yong was defending Chang'an from his former general, Liu Chen (劉沈), who had rebelled against him in 303. After Liu Chen defeated Sima Yong's general, Yu Kui (虞夔), Yong urged Zhang Fang to return and help him. Zhang Fang plundered Luoyang and took in more than ten thousand slave women into his army before departing. The Zizhi Tongjian further claims that, to keep his army supplied, he also had people killed and mixed their flesh with beef and horse meat. After reaching near Chang'an, he sent his general Dun Wei (敦偉) to attack Liu Chen during

806-412: Was granted to Liu Piqiang (劉辟彊), son of Liu You , King You of Zhao (趙幽王) and brother of Liu Sui , King of Zhao. After Piqiang's death, the territory passed to his son Liu Fu (劉福). Fu died without an heir and the kingdom was dissolved. In 155 BC, Emperor Jing granted the title King of Hejian to Liu De (劉德), his third son. De's descendants held the title to the end of Western Han dynasty . The kingdom

837-512: Was involved in Sima Yong and Sima Ying's coalition against Sima Jiong (now Emperor Hui of Jin's regent) in 302. He led Yong's vanguard towards Luoyang and occupied Xin'an . There, in accordance with Yong's strategy, he proclaimed that the Prince of Changshan, Sima Ai, who was in Luoyang, should take action and punish Sima Jiong. The intent was to make Ai complicit in the two princes' rebellion so that Jiong would execute him first before they attack

868-415: Was not ready to fall and decided to retreat. However, just as he did, the Prince of Donghai, Sima Yue, had Sima Ai arrested, fearing that he would not be able to overcome Sima Ying and Sima Yong in the long run. Yue arranged to hand over Sima Ai to Zhang Fang at Jinyong Fortress (金墉城). Once he received the captured prince, Zhang Fang had him burnt alive in front of Zhang's own army. While the siege of Luoyang

899-511: Was raising an army in Shiping (始平, in modern Xingping , Shaanxi ) to join the anti- Sima Lun coalition. Sima Yong initially sided with Sima Lun, who had usurped the throne earlier that year, and sent Zhang Fang to reinforce him in Luoyang. However, after learning that the Sima Ying and Sima Jiong forces were larger in size, Yong decided to switch sides and recalled Zhang Fang. Zhang Fang

930-474: Was rejected, and Liu Kun used his head to convince Yong's other general to surrender to the coalition. Hejian Commandery Hejian Kingdom , also translated as Hejian Principality ( Chinese : 河閒國 ), was a kingdom in early Imperial China , located in present-day southern Hebei province. In early Han dynasty , Hejian was part of the Zhao Kingdom . The kingdom was created in 178 BC when it

961-536: Was the region from which An Lushan launched his rebellion during the reign of the Tang Emperor Xuanzong . The city was razed after the rebellion's failure. Extensive excavations of the city have been made in recent years, allowing Chinese historians to make detailed plans of the site. In 2012, archaeologists unearthed nearly 3,000 Buddha statues during a dig outside Ye. Most of the statues are made of white marble and limestone, and could date back to

Zhang Fang - Misplaced Pages Continue

#919080