During his reign, Chinese troops under the leadership of General Ban Chao progressed far west while in pursuit of Xiongnu insurgents harassing the trade routes now collectively known as the Silk Road.

The Eastern Han dynasty, after Emperor Zhang, would be plagued with internal strife between royal factions and eunuchs struggling for power.

The people for the coming century and a half would yearn for the good days of Emperors Ming and Zhang.

(However, part of the strife came from the power obtained by consort kin – and the precedent was set by Emperor Zhang's bestowing of power on both his adoptive mother Empress Dowager Ma's clan and his wife Empress Dou's clan.)

The strife between the eunuchs and royal factions would start a chain reaction of events that led to the end of the Han dynasty in 220.

He was generally humble and honored the senior officials who had served his grandfather and father faithfully in accordance.

In 76, at the suggestion of his advisor Yang Zhong (楊終) and prime minister Diwu Lun (第五倫), Emperor Zhang ordered that his father's Xiyu (modern Xinjiang and former Soviet central Asia) campaigns be abandoned.

Being close to his Ma uncles, Emperor Zhang wanted to create them marquesses from the early start of his reign.

In 77, Emperor Zhang took a daughter of his cousin, the Princess Piyang (沘陽公主), and great-granddaughter of the statesman Dou Rong (竇融), as consort.

While Empress Dowager Ma was alive, she selected two daughters of Song Yang (宋楊) as consorts for Emperor Zhang.

Empress Dou seized the cuscuta and falsely accused Consort Song of using it for witchcraft.

This trend held sway for the rest of Eastern Han dynasty and would prove to be a source of corruption.