Zhang Yanze (Chinese: 張彥澤) (died January 27, 947[1][2]) was an ethnic Göktürk general of the Later Tang, Later Jin, and Liao dynasties of China.

[4] In Zhang Yanze's youth, he was described to be strong and brave, with yellow-tinted eyes that glowed in the dark, making him look animalistic.

[3] (During this time, his family might have entered into a political alliance by marriage with that of Li Siyuan's son-in-law Shi Jingtang, as suggested by the New History of the Five Dynasties;[5] the Zizhi Tongjian suggested, instead, that the political alliance by marriage was with the family of another general, Yang Guangyuan.

[7] Shi made Zhang Yanze the prefect of Cao Prefecture (曹州, in modern Heze, Shandong).

In or shortly before 941, as the son feared continuous physical punishments, he decided to flee, but was captured when he fled to Qi Prefecture (齊州, in modern Jinan, Shandong) and delivered to the imperial court.

Despite many imperial officials' urging, including petitions by the consultant Zheng Shouyi (鄭受益) and the deputy minister of justice Li Tao (李濤) that Zhang Yanze be put to death, however, Shi resolved to pardon Zhang due to his past accomplishments and his connections with Yang Guangyuan.

[6] Apparently at the behest of Shi Chonggui's chief of staff (Shumishi) Sang Weihan,[3] Zhang Yanze was often sent out to defend against these incursions as a commanding general of the imperial guards in response, including in 944[6] and 945.

Zhao Yanshou wrote back (to try to lead Later Jin forces into a trap), stating, "I have long been in a foreign land, and I want to return to China.

Subsequently, under Emperor Taizong's orders, Liao's prefect of Ying Prefecture (瀛州, in modern Cangzhou), Liu Yanzuo (劉延祚), also offered to defect to Later Jin.

When Du and Li Shouzhen advanced, though, they were met by a large army that Emperor Taizong personally commanded.

Du and Li initially intended to withdraw quickly, but Zhang joined forces with them and argued that the Liao army could be defeated, and so they remained in the region for some time.

Seeing no hope of resisting, Shi Chonggui initially wanted to commit suicide, but was stopped by his officer Xue Chao (薛超), and thereafter submitted petitions on his own behalf and that of his aunt/adoptive mother (Shi Jingtang's wife) Empress Dowager Li, surrendering to the Liao emperor.

He also put Shi's close associate, the director of palace affairs, Meng Chenghui (孟承誨), to death.

This lasted for two days, and it was said that the city was effectively stripped of its wealth, while the treasures piled up like a hill in Zhang's headquarters.

Believing that he has carried out a great contribution for Emperor Taizong, he paid no careful heed to his actions, spending days and nights in drinking and entertainment.

[10] Zhang then forced Shi Chonggui and his family to move out of the palace to temporary living quarters at the Kaifeng Municipal Government offices and surrender all their treasure.

Emperor Taizong thus ordered Zhang and Fu put to death by beheading, with Gao overseeing the execution.