Zhang Wen

Zhang Wen (died 5 November 191), courtesy name Boshen, was a Chinese official and military general of the Eastern Han dynasty. Zhang held prime ministerial office during the reign of Emperor Ling of Han, serving as Grand Excellency of Works from 184 to 185 and Grand Commandant from 186 to 187. Zhang oversaw the dynasty's military response to the Liang Province Rebellion from 185 to 186, supervising the future warlords Dong Zhuo and Sun Jian. After Dong seized control of the Eastern Han court in 189 and relocated it from Luoyang to Chang'an, Zhang continued to serve in ministerial office while conspiring against Dong. He was executed in November 191 at Dong's order. Life Zhang's family was based in Nanyang Commandery. He had at least one brother, Zhang Chang, who held commandery office under Emperor Huan and in the offices of General-in-Chief Dou Wu in 168 (De Crespigny, 1036). Zhang Wen was a protégé of the influential court eunuch Cao Teng and served in the Imperial Secretariat during Emperor Huan's reign. In 164, Zhang accompanied Emperor Huan on a progress to the Yangtze River, an event memorialized by an anecdote about an old man who piqued Zhang's curiosity by ignoring the passing imperial entourage. When Zhang approached him, the old man criticized the emperor's luxurious lifestyle and the accordant burdens placed on the populace, allegedly prompting Zhang to feel ashamed. Zhang later served as Administrator of Yingchuan Commandery. By 184, he was Minister of Finance, and was promoted in the same year to the prime ministerial office of Grand Excellency of Works. Although Zhang was considered a competent official and well-qualified for the post, he was compelled to pay a bribe to secure his appointment, pursuant to a much-criticized practice introduced by the reigning Emperor Ling. Zhang was serving as Grand Excellency at the time of the Yellow Turban Rebellion and persuaded the emperor not to dismiss the military commander Zhu Jun, who ultimately achieved success in his campaign against Yellow Turbans in Nanyang Commandery. In 185, following the failure of the general Huangfu Song to suppress a multiethnic rebellion in Liang Province, Zhang was appointed General of Chariots and Cavalry and assigned to lead a 100,000-strong army against the rebels. Zhang experienced difficulty in managing his subordinate general Dong Zhuo, who reportedly treated Zhang with disdain.