Zhang Zhao (張昭) | 24 Histories

Overview

The translated histories identify Zhang Zhao as an editor, historian, official, and scholar. This record brings together 19 passages from 12 chapters across 2 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Zhang Zhao	張昭	Zhang Zhao
Title	Minister of War	兵部尚書
Personal	Zhang Zhao	張昭
Personal name	Zhang Zhao	張昭	Zhang Zhao
Alternate	Zhang Zhao	張昭	Zhang Zhao
Personal	Zhang Zhao	張昭	Zhāng Zhāo
Personal	Zhang Zhao	张昭
Personal name	Zhang Zhao	張昭	Zhāng Zhāo
Given	Zhao	昭	Zhao

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Strongly inferred · jiuwudaishi:007:s0153, jiuwudaishi:069:s0057, jiuwudaishi:147:s0052, xinwudaishi:012:s0019, xinwudaishi:018:s0004
Sex: male
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:012:s0109, jiuwudaishi:143:s0056, jiuwudaishi:145:s0089, xinwudaishi:031:s0091

Roles

Editor
Historian
Official
Scholar
Statesman
Writer

Life and dates

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 顯德二年秋八月 · Lunar Month: 8 · Season: autumn · Western Year: AD 955
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:143:s0056
Source Date: Text: 世宗之時 · Western Year: AD 954
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:031:s0091
Source Date: Text: 乾祐元年三月；山陵諸使 · Western Year: AD 948
Explicit · xinwudaishi:010:s0071
Source Date: Text: 乾祐至廣順初 · Western Interval: Start: AD 948 · End: AD 951
Explicit · xinwudaishi:018:s0004
Source Date: Text: 五年七月 · Western Year: AD 958
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:147:s0052
Source Date: Text: 周廣順中 · Western Interval: Start: AD 951 · End: AD 953
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:012:s0109
Source Date: Text: 四年 · Western Year: AD 926
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:069:s0057
Source Date: Text: 显德元年二月 · Western Year: AD 954
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:012:s0019
Source Date: Text: 显德六年六月 · Western Year: AD 959
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:012:s0152
Source Date: Text: 晉天福中 · Western Interval: Start: AD 936 · End: AD 944
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:007:s0153
Source Date: Text: 顯德二年 · Western Year: AD 955
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:115:s0113
Source Date: Text: 顯德六年 · Western Year: AD 959
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:120:s0070, jiuwudaishi:120:s0130, jiuwudaishi:145:s0088, jiuwudaishi:145:s0089

Career and standing

Label: Minister of War / 兵部尚書 · Action: held · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 顯德六年 · Western Year: AD 959
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:145:s0089
Label: Minister of Ceremonies / 太常卿 · Action: held
Explicit · xinwudaishi:018:s0004
Label: Minister of War / 兵部尚書 · Action: held
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:143:s0056, jiuwudaishi:147:s0052
Description: Minister of War / 兵部尚書 · Western Year: AD 955
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:115:s0113

Places and affiliations

Label: Later Zhou / 周 · Relation: served
Strongly inferred · jiuwudaishi:147:s0052
Label: Later Zhou · Relation: associated-with
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:143:s0056
Polity: Later Zhou / 周 · Relation: served
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:145:s0089

Works and attributed material

Work: Annals of Emperor Zhaozong / 昭宗本紀 · Relation: author
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:007:s0153
Work: Great Zhou Penal Compendium / 大周刑統 · Relation: editor
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:147:s0052, jiuwudaishi:147:s0063
Work: History of Tang / 唐史 · Relation: reviser
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:007:s0153
Kind: deliberation-memorial · Role: author · Quoted: true · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 顯德六年 · Western Year: AD 959
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:145:s0090, jiuwudaishi:145:s0091, jiuwudaishi:145:s0092, jiuwudaishi:145:s0093, jiuwudaishi:145:s0094, jiuwudaishi:145:s0095, jiuwudaishi:145:s0096, jiuwudaishi:145:s0097, jiuwudaishi:145:s0098, jiuwudaishi:145:s0099, jiuwudaishi:145:s0100, jiuwudaishi:145:s0101, jiuwudaishi:145:s0102, jiuwudaishi:145:s0103, jiuwudaishi:145:s0104, jiuwudaishi:145:s0105, jiuwudaishi:145:s0106, jiuwudaishi:145:s0107, jiuwudaishi:145:s0108, jiuwudaishi:145:s0109, jiuwudaishi:145:s0110, jiuwudaishi:145:s0111, jiuwudaishi:145:s0112, jiuwudaishi:145:s0113, jiuwudaishi:145:s0114, jiuwudaishi:145:s0115, jiuwudaishi:145:s0116, jiuwudaishi:145:s0117, jiuwudaishi:145:s0118, jiuwudaishi:145:s0119, jiuwudaishi:145:s0120, jiuwudaishi:145:s0121, jiuwudaishi:145:s0122, jiuwudaishi:145:s0123, jiuwudaishi:145:s0124, jiuwudaishi:145:s0125, jiuwudaishi:145:s0126, jiuwudaishi:145:s0127
Description: proposed reducing the number of sacrificial animals / 奏請減祠祭犧牲之數 · Western Year: AD 955
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:115:s0113
Kind: memorial · Role: author · Mode: quotation
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:143:s0056, jiuwudaishi:143:s0057, jiuwudaishi:143:s0058, jiuwudaishi:143:s0059, jiuwudaishi:143:s0060, jiuwudaishi:143:s0061, jiuwudaishi:143:s0062, jiuwudaishi:143:s0063
Kind: memorial · Role: author · Other Person Id: Emperor Yin (隱帝)
Explicit · xinwudaishi:018:s0004
Kind: speech · Role: speaker · Other Person Id: Zhang Xian (張憲)
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:069:s0057, jiuwudaishi:069:s0058

Events and relationships

Kind: administrative · Role: reviewer · Action: reviewed-penal-compendium
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:147:s0052
Kind: audience · Role: official · Action: summoned-and-memorialized-on-sacrificial-victims
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:143:s0056
Relation: reviewed-proposal-of · Person Id: Wang Pu (王樸)
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:145:s0088, jiuwudaishi:145:s0089

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: approved Wang Pu's pitch method as matching Xiao-Shao · About Person Id: Wang Pu (王樸) · Provenance: Mode: official-deliberation · Speaker Person Id: Zhang Zhao (張昭)
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:145:s0122, jiuwudaishi:145:s0123
Assessment: writing blazed in debate with Tao Gu · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · xinwudaishi:031:s0093

Source notes

Historicity: historical
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:147:s0052

References in the histories

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

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 7Volume 7 Book of Later Liang 7: Taizu Annals 7 · 1 passage

Open chapter

晉天福中，史臣張昭重修《唐史》，始有《昭宗本紀》，但雲即位之始，有《會昌》之風，岐陽事蹟，不能追補。 In Jin's Tianfu era Zhang Zhao revised the Tang history and added Annals of Emperor Zhaozong, noting only Huichang-era style at his accession—affairs at Qi-yang could not be recovered.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 12Volume 12 Book of Later Liang 12: Biographies 2: Imperial Family · 1 passage

Open chapter

又載：周廣順中，張昭修實錄，奏云：梁末帝之上，有郢王友珪，篡弑居位，未有紀錄，請依《宋書》劉劭例，書為「元凶友珪」。 The same source adds: In Later Zhou Guangshun, Zhang Zhao revised the Veritable Records and proposed that Zhu Yougui, who had murdered his way to the throne above the Last Emperor, be entered—as with Liu Shao in the 《History of Song》—under the title "Arch-rebel Zhu Yougui."

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 69Volume 69 Book of Later Tang 45: Biographies 21: Zhang Xian, Wang Zhengyan, Hu Zhuang, Cui Yisun, Meng Hu, Sun Yue, Zhang Yanlang, Liu Yanhao, Liu Yanlang · 3 passages

Open chapter

〈（《東都事略·張昭傳》：昭勸憲奉表明宗以勸進，憲曰：「吾書生也，天子委以保厘之任，吾豈苟生者乎！」 (Eastern Capital Epitome, Biography of Zhang Zhao: Zhao urged Xian to submit a memorial to Mingzong to urge his advance to the throne. Xian said, "I am a scholar. The Son of Heaven entrusted me with the charge of guarding and comforting the region—how could I cling to life!"

昭曰：「此古之大節，公能行之，忠臣也。」 Zhao said, "This is the great integrity of antiquity. If you can act on it, you are a loyal minister."

憲既死，論者以昭能成憲之節。）〉 After Xian died, commentators held that Zhao had been able to bring Xian's integrity to completion.)〉

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 115Volume 115 Book of Later Zhou 17: Shizong Annals 2 · 1 passage

Open chapter

八月癸卯，兵部尚書張昭、太常卿田敏等奏，議減祠祭所用犧牲之數，由是圜丘、方澤及太廟即用太牢，餘皆以羊代之。 On guimao in the eighth month War Minister Zhang Zhao, Imperial Sacrifices Minister Tian Min, and others proposed reducing sacrificial animals; thereafter the Circular Mound, Square Pond, and Imperial Temple retained the full offering, while all other rites used sheep instead.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 120Volume 120 Book of Later Zhou 22: Emperor Gong Annals · 2 passages

Open chapter

癸卯，以司徒、平章事範質為山陵使，以翰林學士、判太常寺事竇儼為禮儀使，以兵部尚書張昭為鹵簿使，以御史中丞邊歸讜為儀仗使，以宣徽南院使、判開封府事昝居潤為橋道頓遞使。 On guimao Fan Zhi was named tomb commissioner; Hanlin academician Dou Yan, ritual commissioner; Minister of War Zhang Zhao, regalia commissioner; Vice Censor-in-Chief Bian Guichan, arms commissioner; and acting Kaifeng administrator Zan Jurun, bridges-and-relay commissioner.

乙丑，兵部尚書張昭進封舒國公，戶部尚書李濤進封莒國公。 On yichou Zhang Zhao, Minister of War, was made Duke of Shu, and Li Tao, Minister of Revenue, Duke of Ju.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 143Volume 143: Treatises 5 Rites 2 · 1 passage

Open chapter

顯德二年秋八月，兵部尚書張昭上言：「今月十二日，伏蒙宸慈召對，面奉聖旨，每年祀祭，多用太牢，念其耕稼之勞，更備犧牲之用，比諸豢養，特可湣傷，令臣等討故事，可以佗牲代否。 In the eighth month of autumn, Xiande 2, Minister of War Zhang Zhao submitted a memorial: "On the twelfth of this month I was graciously summoned for audience and received the sacred command in person: yearly sacrifices mostly use the grand offering; considering the labor of plowing and sowing and the further provision of sacrificial animals, compared with ordinary rearing this is especially pitiable—order us to investigate precedent on whether other victims may be substituted.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 145Volume 145: Treatises 7 Music 2 · 2 passages

Open chapter

兵部尚書張昭等議曰： Minister of War Zhang Zhao and others submitted their deliberation, saying:

其王樸所奏旋宮之法，宜依張昭等議狀行。 Wang Pu's method of circulatory tonality should be implemented as Zhang Zhao and his colleagues recommended.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 147Volume 147: Treatises 9 Punishment and Law · 1 passage

Open chapter

五年七月，中書門下奏：「侍御史知雜事張湜等九人，奉詔編集刑書，悉有條貫，兵部尚書張昭等一十人，參詳旨要，更加損益。 In the seventh month of the fifth year, the Secretariat reported: "Attending Censor Zhang Chi and eight others, acting on the imperial edict to compile the penal code, have brought every article into systematic order; Minister of War Zhang Zhao and nine others have reviewed the essentials and made further revisions.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 10Volume 10 Later Jin Annals 1: Gaozu, Emperor Yin · 1 passage

Open chapter

三月壬戌，竇貞固為大行皇帝山陵使，吏部侍郎段希堯為副，太常卿張昭為禮儀使，兵部侍郎盧價為鹵簿使，御史中丞邊蔚為儀仗使。 On renxu Dou Zhengu directed the late emperor’s tomb works, with Duan Xiyao of the Ministry of Personnel as deputy; Zhang Zhao oversaw the rites, Lu Jia the procession, and Censor-in-Chief Bian Wei the honor guard.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 12Volume 12 Later Zhou Annals 3: Shizong, Emperor Gong · 2 passages

Open chapter

丁卯，冯道为大行皇帝山陵使，太常卿田敏为礼仪使，兵部尚书张昭为卤簿使，御史中丞张煦为仪仗使，开封少尹权判府事王敏为桥道顿递使。 On dingmao Feng Dao was named mausoleum commissioner for the late emperor; Tian Min, Minister of Rites, oversaw ritual; Zhang Zhao, Minister of War, insignia; Zhang Xu, Vice Censor-in-Chief, ceremonial guards; and Wang Min, junior mayor of Kaifeng acting as mayor, bridges, roads, and relays.

癸卯，范质为大行皇帝山陵使，翰林学士窦俨为礼仪使，兵部尚书张昭为卤簿使，御史中丞边归谠为仪仗使，宣徽南院使、判开封府事昝居润为桥道顿递使。 On guimao Fan Zhi was named mausoleum commissioner for the late emperor; Dou Yan, Hanlin academician, oversaw ritual; Zhang Zhao, Minister of War, insignia; Bian Guidang, Vice Censor-in-Chief, ceremonial guards; and Zan Jurun, Southern Court privy commissioner acting as mayor of Kaifeng, bridges, roads, and relays.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 18Volume 18: The Later Han Imperial Family · 1 passage

Open chapter

太常卿張昭聞之，上疏諫帝，請：「親近師傅，延問正人，以開聰明。」 Minister of Ceremonies Zhang Zhao heard of it and memorialized to admonish the emperor, asking that he draw near teachers, extend inquiry to upright men, and open his intelligence.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 31Volume 31 Later Zhou Biographies 11: Wang Pu, Zheng Renhui, Hu Zai · 3 passages

Open chapter

是時，天子英武，樂延天下奇才，而尤禮文士，載與張昭、竇儼、陶穀、徐臺符等俱被進用。 The Son of Heaven was bold and martial, hungry for extraordinary men, and especially honored men of letters. Zai, with Zhang Zhao, Dou Yan, Tao Gu, Xu Taifu, and others, all rose into office.

昭、儼數與論議，其文粲然，而穀徒能先意所在，以進諛取合人主，事無大小，必稱美頌贊，至於廣京城，為木偶耕人、紫芝白兔之類，皆為頌以獻，其辭大抵類俳優。 Zhao and Yan often argued with him; their prose shone. Gu could only read the ruler’s mood, flatter ahead of it, and praise every deed, great or small. Widening the capital, wooden farm figures, purple fungus, white hares—all won his hymns of praise, his words mostly fit for a clown.

而載以不幸早卒，論議雖不及昭、儼，而不為穀之諛也。 Zai, cut off young, never matched Zhao and Yan in argument—but he never flattered like Gu.