For those who are very interested in Tang Dynasty Zhang Xun, the History Encyclopedia editor brings detailed articles for your reference.
Speaking of Zhang Xun, this Tang Dynasty minister was not very well-known in the long river of history, but he once resisted the rebel attacks in Suiyang during the chaotic period of the An Lushan Rebellion for several months, effectively containing the rebel attacks and playing a key role in winning the An Lushan Rebellion and turning the tide of the war for the Tang Dynasty. After the city was destroyed, Zhang Xun was captured and chose to die rather than surrender, showing bravery and fearlessness. In the end, Zhang Xun was killed and posthumously honored by the Tang Dynasty as the Grand Commander of Yangzhou and Duke of Deng. During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, he was selected for the Lingyan Pavilion.
But behind these praises, Zhang Xun’s final stage of defending the city also witnessed a horrific cannibalistic incident, which also made him heavily criticized.
So, is Zhang Xun an eternal famous general or a mythical creature? Today, let’s explore together.
Zhang Xun’s background
In 708 AD, Zhang Xun was born in Hedong, Puzhou. Zhang Xun had a passion for history and military strategy since childhood, with great aspirations. However, it was not until 741 AD, when he was over thirty years old, that Zhang Xun passed the imperial examination and became a jinshi. In the late reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji, Zhang Xun became the county magistrate of Qinghe County. During his tenure, Zhang Xun sympathized with the people’s situation and valued their strength, and had a high reputation in the local area.
Zhang Xun, An Shi, posted disorderly pictures
In 755 AD, An Lushan and Shi Siming launched a rebellion, and the rebels were unstoppable. They quickly captured Luoyang, Songzhou, Caozhou and other places, and also fell successively. The rebel forces extended southward, and whether they could hold Suiyang was related to the life and death of the Tang Dynasty.
The Turpan Rebellion and the Battle of Suiyang Defense
In 757 AD, after the death of An Lushan, his son An Qingxu sent over 100000 troops to attack Suiyang. Faced with a strong enemy, Zhang Xun and Xu Yuan encouraged their soldiers to defend Suiyang. The rebels attacked the city several times but returned without success.
But as time passed, the food and forage in the city had already been used up, and soldiers could only receive one spoonful of rice per day. When they were hungry, they only ate bark and paper. At the same time, there are only over a thousand remaining defenders and no external aid.
By October of that year, the defenders of Suiyang were no longer able to persist in battle. After the city of Suiyang was destroyed, Zhang Xun and 36 others were killed by the rebel general Yin Ziqi.
Summary of the location of Tu Suiyang
Zhang Xun’s defense of Suiyang ultimately failed, but he also held on for a long time. If Suiyang were to fall, the consequences would be unimaginable. Therefore, in this regard, Zhang Xun is an eternal famous general.
However, during the period of defending the city and running out of food and supplies, Zhang Xun even resorted to killing concubines and dividing food in order to motivate his soldiers, which also caused him controversy.
