Zhang Lu
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| Names | |
|---|---|
| Simplified Chinese: | 张鲁; |
| Traditional Chinese: | 張魯; |
| Pinyin: | Zhāng Lǔ |
| Zi: | Gōngqí (公祺) |
Zhang Lu (? - ?) was a warlord during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. After his grandfather, and then father, he was the third leader of the Celestial Masters religious group. He controlled the Hanzhong region, which he had named Han'ning (漢寧) until 215, when he surrendered to Cao Cao, who he would serve until his death.
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[edit] Life
[edit] Warlord of Hanzhong
Upon the death of his father, Zhang Heng, Zhang Lu inherited control of the Celestial Masters religious group, and became its third leader. The religion enjoyed its greatest popularity in Yizhou (Modern day Sichuan), but when Zhang Lu took control of the group, it was being challenged in the area by a shamanistic religion lead by Zhang Xiu (张脩, no family relation to Zhang Lu).
Against this background, both Zhang Lu and Zhang Xiu were abruptly ordered by Liu Yan to go together to attack the forces of the official Han governor of Hanzhong, Su Gu (蘇固) and take over his territory. Having his own designs, however, Zhang Lu killed Zhang Xiu and absorbed his armies and religious followers into his own group before setting off for the campaign against Hanzhong. He successfully defeated Su Gu, and upon taking control of Hanzhong, renamed the region Han'ning (漢寧), ruling it by the principles of his Five Pecks of Rice religion. It is worth noting that although he nominally followed the orders of Liu Yan, when Liu Zhang succeeded him many years later, Zhang Lu refused to follow Liu's orders. As a result, Zhang Lu's mother, younger brothers, and many other family members were executed by Liu.
It is said that Zhang Lu's rulership over his territory was for its time very humane and cilivized. Roads were built throughout the territory with rest stops and foods provided free of charge. The taxes and donations taken from the people were not to be used for amusement, but instead for the support of the common people. In addition, under his leadership was a powerful army and strong defences such that neither Li Jue nor Cao Cao could easily defeat him. His authority was recognized by the Han court, who granted him generalship (鎮民中郎将) and named him official Governor of Han'ning (漢寧太守). According to the Records of Three Kingdoms, he was then presented with a jeweled seal by the common people of his realm, which was a sign from Heaven that he was to become a king. Many of his subordinates urged him to declare himself a king, but his advisor Yan Pu warned that to do so would bring disaster. Zhang Lu heeded his advice.
[edit] Surrender to Cao Cao
In the year 211, Zhong Yao, an advisor of Cao Cao, suggested an invasion of Zhang Lu's territory. However, Han Sui and Ma Chao, whose territory was between Cao Cao's and Zhang Lu's, interpreted the massing of forces as an attempt to invade their own lands. They rebelled against Cao Cao, and after much fighting, Cao Cao's forces were victorious. However, they were in no shape to continue the invasion to Hanzhong. Ma Chao retreated to Hanzhong and pledged allegiance to Zhang Lu, who considered marrying his daughter to him. However, a servant of Zhang's, Yang Bo (楊柏), said, "A man like that, who has no love for even his parents (referring to the execution of Ma Teng caused by Ma Chao's rebellion), cannot love another." and the marriage proposal was scrapped. Ma Chao then borrowed soldiers from Zhang Lu and attempted to regain some of his lost territory from Cao Cao, but was ultimately unsuccessful. His failures caused the relationship between the two to sour. When Liu Bei's forces had surrounded Liu Zhang, Ma Chao chose this time to take his leave of Hanzhong, and with his personal army he joined Liu Bei. Mao Chao's then subordinate Pang De, however, remained in Zhang Lu's service.
In 215, Cao Cao again launched a campaign to conquer Hanzhong. Initially, Zhang Lu had no hope of standing against Cao Cao's armies, and planned to surrender. His younger brother Zhang Wei, however, insisted on fighting and lead his army against the invading forces. He was soon killed in battle, and again Zhang Lu considered surrendering. His advisor Yan Pu, told him that surrendering so easily, they would have no position to negotiate from. Instead, Zhang Lu retreated to his fortress at Bazhong (巴中). When leaving his capital, he did not destroy his wealth and treasures, nor attempt to take them with him, instead leaving them behind saying "These things belong to the country, not to me." Cao Cao was greatly impressed by this, and sent a messenger to Zhang Lu asking him to surrender. Yan Pu's plan was successful, as Zhang Lu and his forces were warmly welcomed by Cao Cao. He was given the title General who Suppresses the South (鎮南将軍) and his five sons were granted the rank of marquis. He married his daughter to the son of Cao Cao, Cao Yu (曹宇). As further proof of the bad blood between Zhang Lu and Ma Chao, when Cao Cao turned Ma Chao's son Ma Qiu over to Zhang Lu, he immediately executed him.
When Zhang Lu died, not long after surrendering to Cao Cao, he was created a marquis (原侯). The Five Pecks of Rice religion was continued by his sons, later to evolve into the Taoist religion known as Zhengyi Dao.
[edit] Zhang Lu in Romance of the Three Kingdoms
In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, a fictionalized and dramaticised account of the Three Kingdoms period, Zhang Lu is portrayed as strongly craving the title of King of Han'ning, and attempting to aggressively expand his territory. In the novel he attempts to invade Liu Zhang's Yizhou, only to be stopped. When Ma Chao left his service, he sent a servant Yang Bo (楊柏) along to spy on him. However, when Ma Chao joined Liu Bei, he killed Yang Bo.
[edit] Family
- Zhang Daoling (张道陵) (grandfather, founder of the Five Pecks of Rice religious group)
- Zhang Heng (張衡) (father)
- Zhang Wei (張衛) (younger brother)
- Zhang Fu (張富) (son)
- Zhang Cheng (張盛) (son)
He had three more sons, and one daughter, whose names are not recorded.
[edit] Reference
This page is a rough translation of the Japanese version, re-arranged and re-formatted.
