Zhang Er (Eighteen Kingdoms)
 | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)
|
| Zhang Er | |
|---|---|
| King of Changshan | |
| Reign | 206 BCE – 202 BCE |
| Predecessor | Title created by Xiang Yu |
| Successor | Kingdom abolished, territory annexed by Han |
| Born | c. 256 BCE Kingdom of Zhao |
| Died | 202 BCE Luoyang, Han |
| Burial | Mount Fang (present-day Pingshan, Hebei) |
| Spouse | Lady Jia (name unknown) |
| Issue | Zhang Ao Princess Yuan of Zhao |
| House | Zhao aristocracy |
| Father | Unknown |
Zhang Er (Chinese: 張耳; pinyin: Zhāng Ěr; c. 256 BCE – 202 BCE), courtesy name Junjia (君嘉), was a prominent Zhao aristocrat, insurgent leader during the Chu–Han Contention, and the first—and only—King of Changshan (常山王). A lifelong ally of Chen Yu and early supporter of Liu Bang, he helped coordinate anti-Qin uprisings in the final years of the Qin dynasty, governed northern Hebei under Xiang Yu's short-lived Eighteen Kingdoms scheme, and ultimately surrendered his realm to the founding emperor of the Han dynasty.
Names
[edit]- Zhang Er (張耳) – personal name
- Junjia (君嘉) – courtesy name
- King of Changshan (常山王) – noble title granted 206 BCE
- King Wei (威王, "the Formidable") – posthumous title recorded in the Book of Han
Early life
[edit]Zhang Er was born in the Zhao heartland, likely near modern Handan, during the late Warring States period. Early chronicles in the Records of the Grand Historian describe him as a lesser aristocrat who forged a close friendship with Chen Yu, a fellow Zhao notable famed for his scholarship in military texts. When Zhao fell to Qin in 228 BCE, both men became low-level local officials under the Qin commandery system, quietly nurturing anti-Qin sentiment.
Rebellion against Qin
[edit]In 209 BCE, the Dazexiang Uprising led by Chen Sheng and Wu Guang triggered widespread revolts. Zhang Er and Chen Yu organized Zhoujing (鉏井) insurgents, capturing the old Zhao capital of Julu. They proclaimed Zhao Xie—a remnant royal—as King of Zhao, with Zhang serving as Chancellor (丞相). Their forces later fought alongside Xiang Yu at the decisive Battle of Julu, helping shatter Qin's main northern armies.
Role in the Eighteen Kingdoms
[edit]After Qin's collapse in 206 BCE, Xiang Yu partitioned the empire into the "Eighteen Kingdoms". Zhang Er was enfeoffed as King of Changshan, ruling six northern counties centered on present-day Shijiazhuang. Chen Yu became King of Dai, forming a Zhao–Dai alliance to buffer Xiang Yu's western flank.
Alliance with Liu Bang
[edit]Xiang Yu's harsh reallocations alienated many regional rulers. In 205 BCE, when Liu Bang—then King of Han—advanced into the Central Plain, Zhang Er covertly pledged support. His son, Zhang Ao, married Liu Bang's eldest daughter, cementing the alliance. Changshan troops subsequently fought under Han Xin in the northern campaigns against Wei, Zhao, and Yan.
Abdication and death
[edit]Following Liu Bang's final victory over Xiang Yu at Gaixia (202 BCE), the new emperor consolidated territory. Zhang Er submitted his royal seal and was created Marquis of Lu (盧侯). He died later the same year while accompanying the imperial court in Luoyang. The Book of Han records a posthumous title of King Wei (威王).
Legacy
[edit]- Zhang Er's son Zhang Ao inherited the marquisate and was later created King of Zhao for loyal service in the Rebellion of Ying Bu.
- Traditional histories praise Zhang Er's political pragmatism—balancing ties with both Xiang Yu and Liu Bang—while faulting his limited military initiative compared with Chen Yu.
- Archaeological surveys near Pingshan, Hebei, have identified a large Western Han tomb complex commonly attributed to Zhang Er.
Family
[edit]| Relation | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Father | Unknown | Minor Zhao noble |
| Spouse | Lady Jia (賈氏) | No recorded personal name |
| Son | Zhang Ao (張敖) | Later King of Zhao under Han |
| Daughter | Princess Yuan (元公主) | Married Liu Bang's second son, Liu Heng (future Emperor Wen) |
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), vol. 7, 43, 91.
- Book of Han (Hanshu), vol. 1, 36, 52.
- Sima Guang. Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 10–12.
- Hsiao, Ch'i-ch'ing (1979). The Military Establishment of the Han Empire. University of Wisconsin Press.
- Loewe, Michael (2000). The Dawn of the Han Empire: Rebellion, War, and the Rise of Imperial China. Cambridge University Press.
Further reading
[edit]- Lewis, Mark Edward (2007). The Early Chinese Empires: Qin and Han. Harvard University Press.
External links
[edit]- Shiji online text (Chinese)
- Book of Han online text (Chinese)