Zhang Zhao

Life

His grandfather is variously given as Zhang Chi or Zhang Chuping; Zhang Chuping served as magistrate of Shouzhang. His father, Zhang Zhi, taught the Zhou Changes and Spring and Autumn to students and was known as the “Master of Free Ease”; Zhang Zhao farmed in his early years to support his parents. His sons included Zhang Bingtu, Zhang Bingyang, and Zhang Bingqian; Zhang Bingyang was the eldest, and Zhang Bingqian the third.

Under Later Tang Emperor Mingzong, he served as a Beijing liushou tuiguan; in Tiancheng 3 (928), he rose to Anyi Military Commission Secretary and later held the offices of Hanlin Academician, Left Buque, Historiography Institute Compiler, Duguan Yuanwailang, Drafter of Edicts, Vice Minister of Rites, and Vice Director of the Censorate. During Later Tang, he presented the Jinian lu and Zhuangzong shilu, then submitted the Wuhuang yilai gongchen liezhuan and, as Drafter of Edicts, participated in compiling the Mingzong shilu; from Later Tang through the early Song, he was repeatedly ordered to compile veritable records.

Under Later Jin, he became Vice Minister of Revenue in Tianfu 2 (937) and later Right Vice Director of the Shangshu Department, a title also entered as Shangshu Right Chancellor. The year attached to his appointment as Vice Minister of Revenue is also given as 941. At the beginning of Later Han, he served as Vice Minister of Personnel and was then made Grand Master of Ceremonies; in Qianyou 2, he additionally received the title of Investigating Censorate Minister.

At the beginning of Later Zhou’s Guangshun era, he became Minister of Revenue, and in Xiande 1 (954) was transferred to Minister of War; when Emperor Gong succeeded to the throne, he was enfeoffed as Duke of Shu. Under the early Song, he became Minister of Personnel. He was first enfeoffed as Duke of Zheng. He was later changed to Duke of Chen. He died in Kaibao 5 (972) at Kaifeng Prefecture, aged seventy-nine, and was buried in Henan Prefecture.

Scholarship and historical work

Zhang Zhao was broadly learned and read widely. His attainments included astronomy, fengjiao, Taiyi, physiognomy, military methods, and Buddhist–Daoist learning, phrased in the evidence both as Buddhist–Laoist and Buddhist–Daoist teaching; he was also accomplished in writing and possessed a library of tens of thousands of volumes. He especially favored compilation and, from Later Tang through the early Song, was assigned the editing of institutions and official precedents. In Later Jin Tianfu he worked with Yin Zhuo on the compilation of Tang history, and at the beginning of Later Zhou Xiande they jointly collated the Jingdian shiwen.

Works and poetry

His principal works included the Jinian lu in twenty juan, the Mingchen shiji in five juan, and the Jiashan ji in fifty juan; all are now lost. Other works he wrote included the Zhuangzong shilu, Wuhuang yilai gongchen liezhuan, Mingzong shilu, Tangchao junchen zhenglun, Tang shu, Zhouzu shilu, and Wuchao shilu. He also wrote the Hou Tang liezhuan in thirty juan, the Wudai Han Yindi shilu in fifteen juan, the Wudai Zhou Taizu shilu in thirty juan, and the Nanjiao xingli tu. Two poems survive: one is preserved in the Quan Tang shi and the other was added by the Quan Tang shi waibian.