Author: CHUNG Yoon-Ngan (---.uwa.edu.au)
Date: 06-30-02 03:52
11. Chinese history - Zhang Liang (張良)
Zhang Liang was from Peng Cheng (彭城 present day Pei county 沛縣 about 55 southeast of Xu Zhou city 徐州市 in Jiangsu province 江蘇省. There is a Zhang Liang temple in the city of Xu Zhou) and his original surname was Ji (姬). In order to avoid from beibg arrested by the Qin Authority (秦朝) he changed his surname to Zhang (張). Zhang Liang' grandfather was called Kai Di (開地) who was an official srerving in the administrations of Han Zhao Hou (韓昭侯 who ruled the State of Han 韓國 from 358BC to333BC), Han Xuan Hui Wang (韓宣侯 who ruled Han from 332BC to 323BC, then in 323BC he called himself King until he died in 312BC) and Han Xiang Ai Wang (韓襄哀王 who ruled Han 331BC to 296BC. Zhang Liang's father was called Ping (平) who was also an official serving in the administrations of Han Li Wang (韓釐王 who ruled Han from 295BC to 273BC) and Han Dao Hui Wang (韓悼惠王 who ruled Han from 272BC to 239BC). Zhang Ping died during the 23rd year reign (250BC) of Han Dao Hui Wang. Zhang liang's grandfather and father had served five rulers of the State of Han. In 230BC, when Han An Wang (韓安王) was the ruler, the State of Han was subjugated by the State of Qin (秦國). Han An Wang was captured by the Qin general Nei Shi Sheng (內史勝). The State of Han was absorbed into the State of Qin as the prefecture of Ying Chuan (潁川郡).
In 221BC, Ying Zheng (嬴政), the ruler of the State of Qin, conquered all the states in the land and unified the land into a big empire called the Qin Dynasty (秦朝), Ying Zheng proclaimed himself Qin Shi Huang Di (秦始皇帝) or the First Emperor of Qin.
Zhang Liang was young and he hated the Qin First Emperor so much that he wanted to assassinate him in avenging on having absorbed the state of Han. Zhang Liang travelled from place to place in search of someone who could help him to kill the Qin First Emperor.
One day, in 218BC, Zhang Liang went to a pub for a drink. He saw a few middle aged men sitting at a table drinking wine and talking about the past. One of them called Zhao San (趙三) talked nostalgically about the golden past era. When Zhao San was approached to talk about the present day he would not said a word because he was afraid that there might be an informer for the Qin Authority lurking around. Zhang Liang shouted loudly at Zhao San and said:
" If you are afraid to talk about the present, then let me talk and you listen."
Zhang Liang criticised the Qin Authority. People suffered greatly under the rule of the Qin First Emperor who burned all the valuable books. The Qin First Emperor either executed those who disagreed with his administration or bury them alive.
Four hundred scholars, who were against his government, were buried alive.
The Qin First Emperor wasted a lot of resources in building many big palaces
and constructing a long wall in the north.
After hearing what Zhang Liang was saying, the listeners were afraid. One by one,
the crowd left the pub and within a short time Zhang Liang was talking to no one but himeslf. Suddenly, a young man came out from the back of the pub and paid respect to Zhang Liang. This young man introduced himself that his surname
was Li (黎) and people called him Li Cang Hai (黎滄海) and he lived near the seacoast. He told Zhang Liang that he wanted to kill the wicked Qin First Emperor. Zhang Liang was very happy because he had finally found someone who could
assist him to eliminate the Qin First Emperor. Zhang Liang invited Li Cang Hai to his house to discuss how to kill the Qin First Emperor.
Several days later, there were people in town talking about the Qin First Emperor's tour that was about to pass through the county of Yang Wu county (陽武縣 in present day Henan province 河南省). Zhang Liang and Li Cang Hai went to a place called Bo Lang Sha (博浪沙) where the Qin First Emperor and his entourage had to pass through. They were awaiting for the First Emperor's party to arrive. Bo Lang Sha was about three lis from the town where Zhang Liang lived. They were at the top of a little hill overlooking the main road where the Qin First Emperor's entourage had to pass through.
Several hours later, they saw the party approaching. Zhang Liang and Li Cang
Hai found a big rock. They pushed the bog rock down the hill aiming at the royally decorated large carriage which they presumed to be the Qin First Emperor's carriage. The impact of the big rock and the carriage produced a thundering sound. The carriage was smashed into pieces, but there was no one inside it. The Qin First Emperor emerged from one of the supplementary carriages. In order to avoid assassination the Qin First Emperor seldom travelled in the main royally decorated carriage.
Seeing that the Qin First Emperor was not hurt Li Cang Hai rushed down from the hill with a sword. He wanted to kill the Qin First Emperor, but he was succumbed and captured by the royal guards. Li Cang Hai was later executed. As his mission had failed Zhang Liang fled to Xia Pei county (下邳縣 in present day Jiangsu province 江蘇省) and went to live with his friend called Xiang Bo (項伯) who was
the offspring of the famous General Xiang Yan (項燕) of the former State of Yan
(燕國) which was subjugated by the Qin First Emperor in 222BC. Zhang changed his surname from Ji (姬) to Zhang (張)
One day, Zhang Liang went for a stroll and ambled to cross a bridge. He saw an
old man wearing yellow on the bridge. When the old man saw Zhang Liang walking near him he dropped one of his shoes to the shallow dirty river under the bridge.
He asked Zhang Liang:
"孺子﹐下取履﹗Young man, pick up my shoe for me!"
Zhang Liang was much annoyed and stared at the old man and thought of going to scold him. Seeing him so old Zhang Liang felt pity on him and tolerated him. Zhang Liang went down the bridge to the river and picked up the shoe for the him. Stretching out his foot the old man ordered Zhang Liang:
"履我﹗Put on the shoe for me!"
Zhang Liang could not believe himself that if he had heard the old man correctly. Anyway, as the man was so old that Zhang Liang endured once more and kneed down to put on the shoe for him. The old man did not thank him, but at the same time ignored him. So Zhang Liang walked away. The old man purposely dropped his shoe again and asked Zhang Liang to pick it up for him. Endurance must have
a limit. This time Zhang Liang did not get angry but obediently picked up the shoe and put it on for him. After this the old man laughed and said:
"孺子可教也 This child can be taught"
The old man told Zhang Liang to meet him at this bridge in the morning in five days time. The old man walked away, laughingly.
Five days had passed and in the morning Zhang Liang went to the bridge to meet
the old man. When he arrived at the bridge the old man was already there. The old man was very annoyed with Zhang Liang for being late. Ignoring Zhang Liang the
old man went away and told Zhang Liang to come back in the morning in five days time. So after five days, early in the morning Zhang Liang went to the bridge and he saw the old man was already there. The old man scolded him for being lazy and said the same thing to him and told him to come back in morning in five days time.
Zhang Liang could not understand what the old man was trying to do. However,
he had the patience and so he waited patiently for another five days. On the eve
of the third appointment Zhang Liang could not sleep as he was thinking of the old man. After midnight he walked to the bridge and he did not see the old man there. So he sat there waiting for the old man. After some time he saw the old man
walked slowly towards the bridge. On seeing Zhang Liang the old man seemed to be very happy. From his pocket the old man produced a very old book and gave it
to Zhang Liang. He told Zhang Liang:
"讀此則為王者師矣。後十年興。
十三年孺子見我濟北﹐穀城山下黃石即我矣。"
"Study this book carefully and soon you will help some one to become an Emperor and you will become his teacher. Ten years from now, you will be well established. Thirteen years after that, go to the east side of the mountain of Gu Cheng (穀城
present day Gu Cheng mountain in the northeast of Dong A Xian 東阿縣 in Shandong province 山東省) where, in an open space a ruler of a state was buried.
and you will meet me."
Zhang Liang found out that the book entitled 太公兵法 (Tai Gong Bing Fa). The book was about the military instructions that Jiang Zi Ya (姜子牙), who was the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the Zhou people (周族), used in helping Zhou King Wu (周武王) to destroy the Shang Dynasty (商朝 1783BC to 1122BC). and establish the Zhou Dynasty (周朝 1134BC to 256BC).
Zhang Liang studied the book and learned well the instructions in the book. He became a military strategist.
Ten years later, in 209BC, Chen Sheng (陳勝) staged an uprising against the Qin Autority. Chen Sheng called himself the King of Chu (楚王). In response to Chen Sheng, Zhang Liang organized an armed band of more than 100 men. He met Liu Bang (劉邦) and agreed to merge his band with Liu Bang's group of a few thousand armed men. Liu Bang appointed Zhang Liang a general. Later, Liu Bang joined up with Xiang Yu (項羽). Together they destroyed the Qin Dynasty in 206BC.
After the destruction of Qin Dynasty, there was antagonism between Liu Bang and Xiang Yu. In order to pacify the situation in the country Liu Bang went to Hong Men (鴻門 in the east of present day county of Lin Tong 臨潼縣 in Shaanxi province 陜西省) to meet Xiang Yu. After the conference there was a feast held in honour of Liu Bang. At the dinner Xiang Zhuang (項莊), an officer, with the pretence of sword dancing, tried to kill Liu Bang. Zhang Liang, knowing that Liu Bang was in danger,
gave eye signal to his friend Xiang Bo (項伯) to safe Liu Bang. Xiang Bo took out his sword and danced together with Xiang Zhuang, with the intention of protecting Liu Bang. Eventually, Liu Bang was unharm and returned with his entourage to his home base in Han Zhong (漢中 present day Xin Zheng county 新鄭縣in Shaanxi province).
Shortly after the meeting in Hong Men, a civil war broke out between Liu Bang and Xiang Yu. The civil war lasted for five years. At the ending of the civil war, in 202BC, Xiang Yu was besieged by Liu Bang's army at Gai Xia (垓下 present day Ling Bi 靈壁縣 county in Anhui province), Zhang Liang taught Liu Bang's troops how to sing the folk songs of Chu to demoralize Xiang Yu. Finally, Xiang Yu committed suicide
and the civil war was over. Liu Bang established the Han Dynasty (漢朝) and became the first emperor of Han Dynasty.
Liu Bang bestowed upon Zhang Liang the title of Liu Hou (留侯) or the Marquis of Liu (the Marquis of Xu Zhou 徐州侯). Zhang Liang went touring the country. Thirteen years later, one day, Zhang Liang went with Liu Bang, the Emperor, for an inspection tour of Ji Bei (濟北) and arrived at Gu Cheng (穀城). While he was travelling near a mountain in the east of Gu Cheng, Zhang Liang came across a big yellow stone. Suddenly, Zhang Liang remembered the old man dressed in yellow who gave him the 太公兵法 military book. Taking possession of the yellow stone Zhang Liang erected a temple to commomerate the old man. He placed the yellow stone inside the temple and worshiped it. Zhang Liang named the temple "Huang Shi Gong (黃石公) or the temple of the Duke of the Yellow Stone."
When Zhang Liang died of old age, he was buried next to the Huang Shi Gong temple.
Chapter 55 from the book entitled 史記 (Shi Ji)
by 司馬遷 (SiMa Qian 145BC to 86BC)
CHUNG Yoon-Ngan (鄭永元)
All rights reserved 2002
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