Zhang Jiazhen (張嘉貞; 666 – September 19, 729),[1] formally Marquess Gongsu of Hedong (河東恭肅侯), was a Chinese military general and politician.
His family was from Pu Prefecture (蒲州, roughly modern Yuncheng, Shanxi), and traced its ancestry to the Jin dynasty (266–420) chancellor Zhang Hua and his First Son (張祎) (張華 → 張祎 → 張輿 → 次惠 → 安之 → 宏策 ( 張緬 →...張九齡 Zhang Jiuling) → 絢 → 吒子 → 長度 → 俊興 → 思義 → 張俊義).
who was originally from Fanyang (范陽, in modern Beijing), but his great-great-grandfather Zhang Zizha (張子吒)[2] served as the secretary general of Hedong Commandery (河東, roughly modern Yuncheng, later converted into Pu Prefecture) for Tang dynasty's predecessor Sui dynasty, and therefore relocated his family to Hedong.
Zhang Jiazhen passed the imperial examinations in his youth and was made the magistrate of Pingxiang County (平鄉, in modern Xingtai, Hebei), but was removed from office for an offense unspecified in historical accounts.
During the Chang'an era (701–705) of Emperor Gaozong's wife Wu Zetian, there was an occasion when the imperial censor Zhang Xunxian (張循憲) was ordered to examine Hedong Circuit (河東道, roughly modern Shanxi), when he encountered some cases that were difficult for him to decide.
After Zhang Xunxian returned to the capital Luoyang, Wu Zetian was impressed by the quality of the report.
[4] Zhang Jiazhen subsequently successively served as a low-level official at the ministry of defense (兵部員外郎, Bingbu Yuanwailang),[5] when he became known for his abilities; Zhongshu Sheren (中書舍人), a mid-level official at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng); the commandant at Liang Prefecture (梁州, roughly modern Hanzhong, Shaanxi) and then Qin Prefecture (秦州, roughly modern Tianshui, Gansu); and then the secretary general at Bing Prefecture (并州, roughly modern Taiyuan, Shanxi).
The chief imperial censor Wang Jùn thus indicted him, but after investigation, Zhang Jiazhen was cleared.
He thus asked the official Wei Kang (韋抗), "I can remember a general to the north who is capable; his name is Zhang, and his personal name has two characters.
Later that year, Zhang was made Zhongshu Ling (中書令) -- the head of the legislative bureau and a post considered one for a chancellor.
He recommended the junior officials Miao Yansi (苗延嗣), Lü Taiyi (呂太一), Yuan Jiajing (員嘉靜), and Cui Xun (崔訓) for promotions and entrusted them with many important tasks.
In 722, when Emperor Xuanzong visited Luoyang, an official at the Luoyang County government, Wang Jūn (王均, note different tone than the censor who indicted Zhang), had been building a mansion for Zhang, hoping to ingratiate him enough to be made an imperial censor.
Soon thereafter, Pei Zhouxian (裴伷先) the commandant at Guang Prefecture (廣州, roughly modern Guangzhou, Guangdong) was accused of corruption, and Zhang again advocated caning him.
However, Zhang Shuo, who had been made a chancellor as well, argued that public caning is inappropriate for high-level officials, and Emperor Xuanzong agreed.
In 724, Zhang Jiazhen was recalled to serve as minister of census (戶部尚書, Hubu Shangshu), as well as secretary general at Yi Prefecture (益州, roughly modern Chengdu, Sichuan).
Zhang Jiazhen, because of his association with Wang Shouyi, was demoted to be the prefect of Tai Prefecture (臺州, roughly modern Taizhou, Zhejiang).
However, he was eventually recalled to serve successively as minister of public works (工部尚書, Gongbu Shangshu) and then prefect of Ding Prefecture (定州, roughly modern Baoding, Hebei).