Ancient China · Official

Zhang Tang 張唐

Attested BC 256 - BC 240

Passages: 11
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Zhang Tang was an official.

Life and dates

Attested activity

BC 241 to BC 240 甘羅說趙、張唐相燕
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 71, passages 189, 208, 218
BC 256 to BC 251 臣嘗為秦昭王伐趙
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 71, passage 190

Career and standing

prime minister of Yan (designate) 相燕
BC 241 to BC 240 甘羅說趙、張唐相燕 · Appointed reluctant
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 71, passages 189, 194

Places and affiliations

Polity Qin 秦 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 71, passage 189

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · Addressed to Gan Luo (甘羅) · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 71, passage 201
Speech · Speaker · Addressed to Lü Buwei (文信侯) · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 71, passages 190-191
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 71, passages 203, 205, 208

Events and relationships

Agreed to go to Yan
BC 241 to BC 240 甘羅說趙、張唐相燕 · Diplomatic · Reluctant appointee · At Yan 燕
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 71, passages 208-209
Attacked Zhao for King Zhao
BC 256 to BC 251 為秦昭王伐趙 · Military · Commander · With King Zhao of Qin (秦昭王) · At Zhao 趙
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 71, passage 190

References in the histories

Search passages

History

11 passages

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 71Biographies of Shu Lizi and Gan Mao · 11 passages

秦使張唐往相燕，欲與燕共伐趙以廣河閒之地。 Qin sent Zhang Tang to serve as prime minister of Yan, desiring to attack Zhao together with Yan to expand the Hejian territories.

張唐謂文信侯曰：「臣嘗為秦昭王伐趙，趙怨臣，曰：『得唐者與百里之地。』 Zhang Tang addressed Wenxin Hou: "Your subject once attacked Zhao for King Zhao of Qin. Zhao resents your subject and says: 'Whoever captures Tang will receive a hundred li of land.'

文信侯曰：「吾令剛成君蔡澤事燕三年，燕太子丹已入質矣，吾自請張卿相燕而不肯行。」 Wenxin Hou declared: 'I had Gangcheng Jun Cai Ze serve Yan for three years, and Crown Prince Dan of Yan has already entered as hostage. I personally requested that Zhang Qing serve as prime minister of Yan, but he refuses to go.'

於是甘羅見張卿曰：「卿之功孰與武安君？」 Then Gan Luo met Zhang Qing and asked: 'Whose merit compares with Lord Wu An's?'

卿曰：「武安君南挫彊楚，北威燕、趙，戰勝攻取，破城墮邑，不知其數，臣之功不如也。」 Zhang Qing replied: 'Lord Wu An frustrated mighty Chu to the south and awed Yan and Zhao to the north. His battle victories, conquests, shattered cities, and fallen towns cannot be numbered—your subject's merit does not compare.'

張卿曰：「應侯不如文信侯專。」 Zhang Qing replied: 'Lord Ying's power was not as exclusive as Wenxin Hou's.'

張唐曰：「請因孺子行。」 Zhang Tang declared: 'I shall go because of this child.'

行有日，甘羅謂文信侯曰：「借臣車五乘，請為張唐先報趙。」 When the day of departure arrived, Gan Luo addressed Wenxin Hou: 'Lend your subject five chariots. I wish to go ahead and report to Zhao for Zhang Tang.'

今者張唐欲稱疾不肯行，甘羅說而行之。 Now Zhang Tang wished to claim illness and refuse to go, but Gan Luo persuaded him and made him go.

曰：「聞張唐相燕歟？」 He asked: 'Have you heard that Zhang Tang serves as prime minister of Yan?'

張唐相燕者，秦不欺燕也。 Qin sending Zhang Tang to serve as prime minister of Yan shows that Qin is not deceiving Yan.