Zhang Jun 張鈞 was Gentleman of the Palace. He sent Emperor Ling a memorial to warn him about his twelve Regular Palace Attendants, but it only angered the Emperor.
Biography[]
During the Yellow Turban Rebellion the Emperor often took advice from his eunuchs. These eunuchs, led by Zhang Rang 張讓 were greedy and ambitious and adviced the Emperor in such a way that it would favour them or harm their opponents.
Following the death of Lü Qiang 呂強 and Xiang Xu 向栩, Zhang Jun, a man from Zhongshan commandery and Gentlemen of the Palace, sent in a memorial:
- "It is my humble opinion that the reasons Zhang Jue was able to raise soldiers and make his rebellion, and that the people love him and trust him, are because your ten Regular Attendants have sent out the members of their family, their relatives and their dependents to take over control of the provinces.
- "They steal the wealth of the people by cruel taxation and they plunder and rob the poor. The people have no way to tell of their grievances, and so they make plans for rebellion and they gather together as bandits. You should cut the heads off your ten Regular Attendants[1], hang them along the southern walls of the city as a sign of apology to the empire, and send messengers to proclaim the news throughout the country. There would be no further need for an army."
When the Emperor showed this memorial to his attendants, they all took off their caps and came barefoot to bow before him. They asked to be sent to the Imperial Prison in Luoyang, and they offered all their property for the use of the army.
The Emperor told them to put their caps and shoes on and to continue serving him as they had always done. Ling was angry with Zhang Jun and said: "The man's a fool. How could he claim that all my Regular Attendants are bad?"
The office of the Imperial Clerks saw the way he felt, so they sent in a false report that Zhang Jun had studied the teachings of the Yellow Turbans. Zhang Jun was arrested and flogged. He died in prison.[2]
Notes[]
References[]
- ↑ There were at this time twelve Regular Palace Attendants. Zhang Jun is giving only an approximate figure.
- ↑ HHS 78/68, 2535 (19a), the Biography of Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong in the Chapter on the Eunuchs.
Sources[]
- de Crespigny, Rafe. Emperor Huan and Emperor Ling. Canberra: National Library of Australia, 1989.
- Sima Guang 司馬光 (1019–1086). Zizhi tongjian 資治通鑒 “Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government”.