Erzhu Chang (爾朱敞)

Overview

Erzhu Chang was a general and Official.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Qianluo	乾羅	Qianluo

Life and dates

Death

AD 596 to AD 604 卒于家，時年七十二
At home at Henei 家 · Age Value: 72 · Reckoning: Sui
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 122

Age

72
Reckoning Sui · Circumstance death
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 122
12
Reckoning Sui · Circumstance escaped the palace
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 96

Attested activity

AD 541 to AD 547 三年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 101
AD 561 to AD 565 保定中
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 110
AD 596 to AD 604 卒于家，時年七十二
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 122
AD 538 to AD 544 及年十二
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passages 96-98
AD 566 to AD 571 天和中
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 111
AD 575 to AD 577 武帝東征
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passages 112-113

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AD 550 to AD 556 西歸於周
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passages 107-108
AD 581 to AD 618 隋
Strongly inferred · Book of Sui 55, passage 288
AD 581 高祖受禪
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 117
AD 532 齊神武帝韓陵之捷
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 95

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Kin of Erzhu Rong (尒朱榮)
Chang was his clan nephew 族子
clansman 族子 · paternal line
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 93
Child of Erzhu Yanbo (尒朱彥伯)
father 父
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 94
Child of Mother of Erzhu Chang (爾朱敞母)
mother 母
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 95
Parent of Erzhu Zui (爾朱最)
son 子
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 123
Sibling of Younger brother of Erzhu Chang (爾朱敞弟)
younger brother 弟
younger brother 弟 · Uncertain siblings
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 116

Origins and identity

Qihu 契胡
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 93
Erzhu clan 爾硃氏
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passages 93, 95

Career and standing

Bearer of the Staff 使持節
AD 561 to AD 565 保定中 · Appointed
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 110
General of Agile Cavalry 驃騎大將軍
AD 561 to AD 565 保定中 · Appointed
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 110
Grand Master with Golden Seal and Purple Ribbon 開府儀同三司
AD 561 to AD 565 保定中 · Appointed
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 110
Bureau Director of the Field Office 行台郎中
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 108
General of Chariots and Cavalry 車騎大將軍
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 109
Grand Commander 大都督
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 108

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Palace Attendant of the Third Rank 儀同三司
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 109
prefect of southern Guang Prefecture 南光州刺史
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 114
regional commander of Jinzhou 金州總管
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 119
Senior Commander-in-Chief 上開府
AD 575 to AD 577 武帝東征 · Promoted
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 113
Regular Attendant of the Unimpeded Cavalry 通直散騎常侍
Promoted
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 109
General of the Guard Army 護軍大將軍
Recalled
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 114
prefect of Xin, Lin, Xiong, and Tong 信、臨、熊、潼四州刺史
AD 566 to AD 571 天和中 · Served successively
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 111
prefect of Jiaozhou 膠州刺史
Transferred
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 115
regional commander of Xuzhou 徐州總管
Transferred
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 120
Duke of Biancheng Commandery 邊城郡公
AD 581 高祖受禪 · Changed fief
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 117
Baron of Lingshou 靈壽縣伯
At Lingshou 靈壽縣 · Households 1500 · Granted
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 108
Increased
AD 566 to AD 571 天和中 · Households 500
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 111
duke 公
AD 566 to AD 571 天和中 · Advanced
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 111
marquis 侯
Advanced
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 109
Baron of Lingshou 靈壽縣伯
Enfeoffed
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 108
Granted
Retirement
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 122

Places and affiliations

AD 581 高祖受禪
Polity Sui 隋 · Relation Served
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 117
Polity Northern Zhou 周 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passages 107-108
Polity Sui 隋 · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · Book of Sui 55, passage 288
At Xiurong 秀容
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 93
At Henei 河內 · Relation Retired to
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 122
At Jiaozhou 膠州 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 115

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At Jinzhou 金州 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 119
At Mount Song 嵩山 · Relation Resided in
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 103
At southern Guang Prefecture 南光州 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 114
At Xuzhou 徐州 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 120

Learning and skills

classics and histories 經史
Level brief study
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 103
Belief Daoism 道士 · Relation Disguised as
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 103

Works and attributed material

Asked leave to follow Emperor Wu east
Memorial · Author · With Emperor Wu of Zhou (周武帝)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 112
Asked to retire on account of old age
Memorial · Author
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 122
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passages 105-106

Events and relationships

Accompanied Emperor Wu's eastern campaign; stormed cities and broke lines
AD 575 to AD 577 武帝東征 · Military · Commander · With Emperor Wu of Zhou (周武帝)
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passages 112-113
At twelve slipped out, traded brocade clothes with a child, and fled
AD 538 to AD 544 及年十二 · Escape · Fugitive
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passages 96-98
Brought the Zhangsun woman and his younger brother into his household and supported them
Personal · Patron
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 116
Erzhu clan massacred after Hanling; Chang raised in the palace with his mother
AD 532 齊神武帝韓陵之捷 · Political · Child survivor · At palace 宮中 · With Emperor Shenwu of Qi (齊神武帝)
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 95
Hidden in a double wall by the Zhangsun woman; after three years sent away with supplies
AD 541 to AD 547 三年 · Concealment · Fugitive
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passages 99-102
Lofty foundation fell and was rebuilt
Personal · Restorer of house
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 288

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Ordered to suppress the Qian'an tribal rebellion and pacified it
Military · Commander · At Qian'an 黔安
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 118
Went west in disguise and returned to Zhou
Travel · Returnee
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 107
Relation Rescued by · Person Zhangsun woman (長孫氏媼)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passages 100-102

Assessments and attributes

Assessment early resourcefulness, knew when to stop; house fell and was rebuilt; benevolent and wise · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 288
known for clarity and severity 號為明肅
Assessment stern clarity; officials and commoners feared him · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 121
Item two-horse light carriage 二馬軺車 · Relation Bestowed
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 122

Source notes

Changed name
changed his name while pretending to be a Daoist
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 103

References in the histories

Search passages

History

11 passages

Book of Sui, Chapter 55Volume 55 Biographies 20: Du Yan, Gao Mai, Er Zhu Chang, Zhou Yao, Du Gukai, Qi Fuhui, Zhang Wei, He Hong, Houmo Chenying · 11 passages

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爾朱敞爾硃敞，字乾羅，秀容契胡人，爾硃榮之族子也。 Erzhu Chang, courtesy name Qianluo, was a Qihu tribesman of Xiurong and a kinsman of Erzhu Rong.

齊神武帝韓陵之捷，盡誅爾硃氏，敞小，隨母養于宮中。 After Qi Emperor Shenwu's victory at Hanling the Erzhu clan was wiped out; Chang was still a child and was raised in the palace with his mother.

及年十二，自竇而走，至於大街，見童兒群戲者，敞解所著綺羅金翠之服，易衣而遁。 At twelve he slipped out through a hole in the wall onto the main street, saw children at play, stripped off his brocade and jeweled finery, traded clothes with one of them, and fled.

追騎尋至，初不識敞，便執綺衣兒。 Pursuers soon caught up; they did not recognize Chang at first and seized the child in brocade instead.

比究問知非，會日已暮，由是得免。 Once questioning showed their mistake, night had fallen, and Chang got away.

敞再拜求哀，長孫氏湣之，藏於複壁。 Chang bowed and pleaded for mercy; she pitied him and hid him in a secret compartment of the wall.

太祖見而禮之，拜大都督、行台郎中，封靈壽縣伯，邑千五百戶。 Grand Ancestor Yuwen Tai received him with honor, made him Grand Commander and Bureau Director of the Field Office, and created him Baron of Lingshou with a fief of fifteen hundred households.

武帝東征，上表求從，許之。 When Emperor Wu marched east, Chang asked leave to accompany him and was permitted.

高祖受禪，改封邊城郡公。 When Gaozu took the throne, Chang was re-enfeoffed as Duke of Biancheng.

黔安蠻叛，命敞討平之。 When the Qian'an tribes rebelled, Chang was ordered to put them down.

爾硃敞幼有權奇，終能止足，崇基墜而複構，不亦仁且智乎！ Erzhu Chang showed early resourcefulness and knew when to stop; his house fell and rose again—was this not wisdom joined to humanity!