Zhang Ao
| Zhang Ao | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 張敖 | ||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 张敖 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
Zhang Ao (died 182 BC)[1] was one of the feudal lords after the end of the Qin dynasty in 206 BC.
Life
Born in the Kingdom of Zhao, he was the son of Zhang Er (張耳), a Zhao general and posthumously known as King Jing of Zhao (赵景王). Zhang Ao participated in his father's campaigns against the last armies of the Qin. The hegemon king Xiang Yu of Western Chu made Zhang Er king of Changshan (常山王) during the Eighteen Kingdoms Period, but Zhang Er changed his loyalty to Liu Bang, the eventual founder of the Han dynasty and was appointed King of Zhao. In 202 BC, Zhang Er died[2] and Zhang Ao succeeded him to the throne of Zhao. He married Liu Bang's daughter, Princess Yuan of Lu (posthumous title), who would later predecease him. In 198 BC, his plot to kill Liu Bang was revealed, but he was pardoned and only demoted to Marquis of Xuanping (宣平侯). He was succeeded as king of Zhao by the emperor's young son Liu Ruyi. Zhang Ao died during the reign of Empress Lü (r. 188–180 BC).
Legacy
Zhang Ao's posthumous title was Marquis Wu (武侯); his son Zhang Yan (张偃) was later appointed King Luyuan (魯元王),[3] after the title of Yan's mother Princess Luyuan. Zhang Ao's daughter Zhang Yan became the wife of Emperor Hui (r. 195–188 BC), her uncle.
References
- ^ Vol.13 of Zizhi Tongjian recorded that Zhang Ao died in the summer (4th to 6th months) of the 6th year of the reign of Empress Lü (after the death of Emperor Hui; 15 May to 10 Aug 182 BC in the proleptic Julian calendar). However, Empress Lü's biography in Shiji recorded that he died around the 6th month of the 7th year of her reign (1 to 30 Jul 181 BC in the proleptic Julian calendar). In his Zizhi Tongjian Kaoyi, Sima Guang noted that in vol.18 of Shiji, which recorded a list of meritorious officials, Zhang Ao's death year was recorded as the 6th year of the reign of Empress Lü (after the death of Emperor Hui); a similar list found in vol.16 of Han Shu recorded that Zhang Ao was made a marquis in the 9th year of Liu Bang's reign (including his tenure as King of Han; c.198 BC) and held the title for 17 years. Sima Guang opined that the record found in Empress Lü's biography in Shiji was erroneous (《史记.吕后本纪》敖卒在明年六月。按《史记.功臣表》，高后六年敖卒。《汉书.功臣表》敖以高祖九年封，十七年薨，盖本纪之误).
- ^ Vol.11 of Zizhi Tongjian recorded Zhang Er's posthumous name and title, and that he died in the 7th or 8th month of the 5th year of Liu Bang's reign (including his tenure as King of Han); the months correspond to 24 Jul to 20 Sep 202 BC in the proleptic Julian calendar.
- ^ Shiji, vols.16 and 89
- Cang Xiuliang (1991). 《史記辭典》 [Shiji Cidian], Jinan: Shandong Jiaoyu Chubanshe, p. 503. (in Chinese)
- Cang Xiuliang (1996). 《漢書辭典》 [Hanshu Cidian], Jinan: Shandong Jiaoyu Chubanshe, p. 679. (in Chinese)