Zhang Jingda (張敬達)

Overview

The translated histories identify Zhang Jingda as a general, military officer, and official. This record brings together 32 passages from 8 chapters across 3 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Zhang Jingda	張敬達	Zhang Jingda
Given	Jingda	敬達	Jingda
Personal name	Jingda	敬達	Jìngdá
Given name	Jingda	敬達
Childhood	Raw Iron	生鐵	Shengtie
Surname	Zhang	張	Zhang
Personal name	Zhang Jingda	張敬達	Zhang Jingda
Personal name	Zhang Jingda	張敬達	Zhāng Jìngdá
Personal name	Zhang Jingda	張敬達
Courtesy	Zhigong	志通	Zhigong

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:040:s0067, jiuwudaishi:087:s0018, xinwudaishi:007:s0084
Sex: male
Strongly inferred · jiuwudaishi:070:s0160, liaoshi:076:s0026, liaoshi:077:s0010
Value: male
Explicit · xinwudaishi:008:s0032

Roles

General
Military Officer
Official

Life and dates

Death

Expression: beheaded by Yang Guangyuan / 光遠斬敬達 · Manner: execution · Authority Person Id: Yang Guangyuan (楊光遠)
Explicit · liaoshi:076:s0074
Manner: beheaded by subordinates · Authority Person Id: Yang Guangyuan (楊光遠)
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:070:s0184, jiuwudaishi:070:s0187
Manner: killed / 殺 · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 閏月甲子 · Western Year: AD 936
Explicit · xinwudaishi:007:s0099, xinwudaishi:007:s0134
Manner: killed by own side · Killer: Tang generals
Explicit · liaoshi:073:s0109

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 三年 · Western Year: AD 932
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:070:s0166
Source Date: Text: 九月 · Western Year: AD 936
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:070:s0175
Source Date: Text: 同光初 · Western Year: AD 923
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:070:s0161
Source Date: Text: 四年 · Western Year: AD 933
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:070:s0167
Source Date: Text: 夏五月乙卯 · Western Year: AD 936
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:007:s0084
Source Date: Text: 天成四年六月 · Western Year: AD 929
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:040:s0067
Source Date: Text: 天顯十一年 · Western Year: AD 936
Explicit · liaoshi:076:s0067
Source Date: Text: 天顯末 · Western Interval: Start: AD 936 · End: AD 938
Explicit · liaoshi:077:s0188
Source Date: Text: 太原北至晉安寨 · Western Year: AD 936
Explicit event contextual date · liaoshi:073:s0107
Source Date: Text: 張敬達之圍晉陽 · Western Year: AD 936
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:087:s0018
Source Date: Text: 清泰中 · Western Interval: Start: AD 934 · End: AD 936
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:070:s0170
Source Date: Text: 紀年語境（天福1年） · Western Year: AD 936
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:008:s0032
Source Date: Text: 長興中 · Western Interval: Start: AD 930 · End: AD 933
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:070:s0165
Source Date: Text: 閏月甲子 · Western Year: AD 936
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:007:s0099

Family

Immediate source-linked family. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select a person to open their record.

Child of Zhang Shen (張審)
Kinship Term: father / 父 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father
Spouse of Wife of Zhang Jingda (張敬達之妻)
Kinship Term: wife / 妻子 · Union Category: marriage

Kinship Role: children · Quantity: plural-unspecified
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:070:s0196

Career and standing

Label: Feng prefecture military commissioner / 鳳州節度使 · Action: appointed
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:040:s0067
Label: military governor of Yingzhou / 應州節度使 · Action: appointed
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:070:s0166
Label: overall commander of the Hedong horse and foot armies / 河東馬步軍都指揮使 · Action: appointed
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:070:s0165
Label: overall pacification commissioner of the northern campaign / 北面行營都招討使 · Action: appointed
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:070:s0171

Places and affiliations

Label: Later Tang / 唐 · Relation: served
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:070:s0162, jiuwudaishi:070:s0171
Place: Daizhou / 代州
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:070:s0160

Learning and skills

Skill: mounted archery / 騎射 · Level: famous
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:070:s0162

Works and attributed material

Kind: speech · Role: speaker · Quoted: true
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:070:s0181, jiuwudaishi:070:s0182, jiuwudaishi:070:s0183

Events and relationships

Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: besieged · Place: Taiyuan / 太原 · Other Person Id: Gaozu of Jin (晉高祖)
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:070:s0171, jiuwudaishi:070:s0172
Kind: military · Role: besieger · Action: besieged · Place: Jinyang / 晉陽
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:087:s0018
Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: defeated-and-encircled · Place: Jin'an / 晉安 · Other Person Id: Khitan ruler (契丹主)
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:070:s0175, jiuwudaishi:070:s0178
Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: defeated · Place: Taiyuan / 太原 · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 九月甲辰 · Western Year: AD 936
Explicit · xinwudaishi:007:s0094
Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: sent to suppress Jingtang · Other Person Id: Gaozu of Jin (晉高祖)
Explicit · xinwudaishi:008:s0032
Relation: subordinate-of · Person Id: Gaozu of Jin (晉高祖)
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:070:s0170

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: A subject ought to be like this man · Provenance: Mode: named-person-speech · Speaker Person Id: Khitan ruler (契丹主)
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:070:s0194
Assessment: loyal minister who stood firm rather than surrender · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:070:s0197
Item: fields and residences / 田宅 · Relation: bestowed-on-family
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:070:s0196

Source notes

Field: death-circumstances · Statement: Yang Guangyuan killed him at dawn when unattended; alternate to joint beheading with An Shenqi · Source Work: Khitan State Annals / 契丹國志
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:070:s0186, jiuwudaishi:070:s0187

References in the histories

Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 40Volume 40 Book of Later Tang 16: Mingzong Annals 6 · 1 passage

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壬寅，夔州節度使楊漢章移鎮雲州，以北京馬步軍都指揮使兼欽州刺史張敬達為鳳州節度使。 On renyin Yang Hanzhang moved from Kuizhou to Yun and Zhang Jingda of Beijing became Feng commissioner.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 70Volume 70 Book of Later Tang 46: Biographies 22: Yuan Xingqin, Xia Luqi, Yao Hong, Li Yan, Li Renju, Kang Sili, Zhang Jingda · 13 passages

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張敬達，字志通，代州人，小字生鐵。 Zhang Jingda, courtesy name Zhigong, was a native of Daizhou; his childhood name was Raw Iron.

敬達少以騎射著名，莊宗知之，召令繼父職； Jingda was famed in youth for mounted archery. Zhuangzong knew of him and summoned him to inherit his father's post;

時以契丹率族帳自黑榆林挎剌泊至沒越泊，雲借漢界水草，敬達每聚兵塞下，以遏其衝。 At that time the Khitan led their clans from Heilinlin through Kulabo to Moyuebo, grazing on Han borderlands. Jingda repeatedly massed troops below the passes to block their advance.

未幾，晉高祖建義，末帝詔以敬達為北面行營都招討使，仍使悉引部下兵圍太原，以定州節度使楊光遠副焉。 Before long, when the Jin founder rose in revolt, the Last Emperor appointed Jingda overall pacification commissioner of the northern campaign and ordered him to lead all his troops to besiege Taiyuan, with Yang Guangyuan, military governor of Dingzhou, as his deputy.

末帝自六月繼有詔促令攻取，敬達設長城連柵、雲梯飛炮，使工者運其巧思，窮土木之力。 From the sixth month onward the Last Emperor repeatedly ordered him to take the city. Jingda built long walls and linked palisades, cloud ladders and siege engines, set artisans to every device, and exhausted every effort of engineering.

九月，契丹至，敬達大敗，尋為所圍。 In the ninth month the Khitan arrived. Jingda suffered a crushing defeat and was soon surrounded.

自是敬達與麾下部曲五萬人，馬萬匹，無由四奔，但見穹廬如崗阜相屬，諸軍相顧失色。 From then on Jingda and his fifty thousand men and ten thousand horses had no escape in any direction. They saw only dome tents stretching like linked hills, and the armies looked at one another in dismay.

副將楊光遠、次將安審琦知不濟，勸敬達宜早降以求自安。 The deputy Yang Guangyuan and the second-in-command An Shenqi saw that all was lost and urged Jingda to surrender early and save himself.

敬達曰：「吾受恩於明宗，位曆方鎮，主上授我大柄，而失律如此，已有愧於心也。 Jingda said, "I owe my rise to Mingzong. I have held regional command, and the sovereign entrusted me with great authority. To fail so badly already shames me to the heart.

光遠、審琦知敬達意未決，恐坐成魚肉，遂斬敬達以降。 Guangyuan and Shenqi saw that Jingda had not made up his mind and feared that if they waited they would become helpless prey. They beheaded Jingda and surrendered.

〈（《契丹國志》：楊光遠謀害張敬達，諸將高行周陰為之備，敬達疏於防禦，推遠行周等。 (From the Khitan State Annals: Yang Guangyuan plotted to kill Zhang Jingda. General Gao Xingzhou secretly prepared against it, but Jingda was lax in his defenses and kept Gao Xingzhou and the others at a distance.

清晨，光遠上謁，見敬達左右無人，遂殺之。）〉） At dawn Guangyuan came to call on him, found no one at Jingda's side, and killed him.)〉

時議者以敬達嘗事數帝，亟立軍功，及領藩郡，不聞其濫，繼屯守塞垣，復能撫下，而臨難固執，不求苟免，乃近代之忠臣也。 Commentators held that Jingda had served several emperors, won repeated military honors, and when governing frontier prefectures was never known to abuse his power; he then guarded the border, could still win over his men, and when facing hardship stood firm rather than seek escape—a loyal minister of recent times.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 87Volume 87 Book of Later Jin 13: Biographies 2: Imperial Family · 1 passage

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初，張敬達之圍晉陽也，高祖署暉為突騎都將，常引所部，出敵之不意，深入力戰，雖夷傷流血，矢鏃貫骨，而辭氣益厲，高祖壯之。 Earlier, when Zhang Jingda besieged Jinyang, Gaozu appointed Hui commander of the assault cavalry. He often led his men where the enemy did not expect, plunging deep and fighting with all his strength. Though wounded and bleeding, with arrowheads driven through bone, his voice only grew fiercer, and Gaozu admired him.

History of Liao, Chapter 73Volume 73 Biographies 3: Yelu Helu, Xiao Dilu, Yelu Xieniechi, Yelu Yuwen, Yelu Haili · 2 passages

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石敬瑭破張敬達軍於太原北，時頗德勒兵為援，敬達遁。 Shi Jingtang defeated Zhang Jingda's army north of Taiyuan. Pide led troops in relief at the time, and Jingda fled.

唐諸將懼，殺敬達以降。 The Tang generals were afraid and killed Jingda to submit.

History of Liao, Chapter 76Volume 76 Biographies 6: Yelu Jieli, Yelu Balide, Yelu Shuogu, Yelu Lubugu, Zhao Yanshou, Gao Mohan, Zhao Siwen, Yelu Oulisi, Zhang Li · 8 passages

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帝親率師往援，魯不古從擊唐將張敬達於太原北，敗之。 The emperor led the army in person to relieve him; Lubugu joined the attack on the Tang general Zhang Jingda north of Taiyuan and routed him.

石敬瑭發兵太原，唐遣張敬達往討。 When Shi Jingtang raised an army at Taiyuan, Tang dispatched Zhang Jingda to suppress him.

會敬達敗保晉安寨，延壽與德鈞往救，聞晉安已破，走團柏峪。 When Jingda was beaten back and held Jin'an stockade, Yanshou and Dejun marched to relieve him; learning that Jin'an had already fallen, they fled to Tuanbai Valley.

天顯十一年七月，唐遣張敬達、楊光遠帥師五十萬攻太原，勢銳甚。 In the seventh month of the eleventh year of Tianxian, Tang sent Zhang Jingda and Yang Guangyuan at the head of five hundred thousand men against Taiyuan; their advance was fierce.

九月，征兵出雁門，模翰與敬達軍接戰，敗之，太原圍解。 In the ninth month the army was levied and marched out through Yanmen Pass; Mohan engaged Jingda's force, routed it, and the siege of Taiyuan was raised.

敬達鼠竄晉安寨，模翰獻俘於帝。 Jingda scurried like a rat into Jin'an stockade; Mohan presented prisoners to the emperor.

會石敬瑭起兵，唐主以礪為招討判官，從趙德鈞援張敬達於河東。 When Shi Jingtang rebelled, the Tang ruler made Li judge on the pacification campaign and sent him with Zhao Dejun to relieve Zhang Jingda in Hedong.

及敬達敗，礪入契丹。 After Jingda was defeated, Li went over to the Khitan.

History of Liao, Chapter 77Volume 77 Biographies 7: Yelu Wuzhi, Yelu Hou, Yelu Antuan, Yelu Wa, Yelu Tuiyu, Yelu Talie · 1 passage

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天顯末，帝援河東，窪為先鋒，敗張敬達軍於太原北。 Late in the Tianxian era the emperor marched to aid Hedong; Wa served as vanguard and defeated Zhang Jingda's army north of Taiyuan.