Zhang Hua (232 – 7 May 300[1]), courtesy name Maoxian, was a Chinese poet and politician of the Western Jin dynasty and the preceding state of Cao Wei.
His political career reached its zenith from 291 to 300, when he served as a leading minister during the de facto regency of Empress Jia Nanfeng over her husband Emperor Hui of Jin.
Zhang was considered an effective minister and, in conjunction with his colleague Pei Wei, helped ensure a period of relative stability within the Jin court.
As the court fell into factional disputes from 299 to 300, Zhang rebuffed the rebellious overtures of Emperor Hui's granduncle Sima Lun and was executed when the latter seized power from the empress.
[5] In 266, after Sima Zhao's son, Sima Yan (Emperor Wu) usurped the throne from the last Cao Wei emperor Cao Huan and established the Jin dynasty (266–420) in February, he appointed Zhang Hua as a Gentleman of the Yellow Gate (黃門侍郎) and awarded him the title of a Secondary Marquis (關內侯).
Emperor Wu then sent Zhang Hua away to the northern frontier in You Province to serve as Colonel Who Protects the Wuhuan (護烏桓校尉) and General Who Stabilises the North (安北將軍).
[8] Following Emperor Wu's death in May 290, Zhang Hua was summoned back to Luoyang to serve as an Official of Ceremonies (太常卿), a position without actual power.
Despite his loyalty, Zhang Hua was worried about the rise of Empress Jia's kin, and he wrote an article "Nǚ Shi Zhen" as satire.
[9] In c.March 296,[10] Zhang Hua was promoted to Minister of Works (司空), replacing Sima Huang the Prince of Xiapi, who had died earlier that month.
In early 300, the political firestorm became too big for Zhang Hua to handle after Empress Jia Nanfeng framed Sima Yu for treason in February and had him deposed.
In May, after Sima Lun successfully overthrew Empress Jia, he had several of her supporters and associates (including Zhang Hua) executed along with their families.
Separately, an official from Zhang's dukedom of Zhuangwu, Zhu Dao (竺道), also sent Sima Ai, the Prince of Changsha, a similar petition.