Zhang Yang faction 張楊

Zhang Yang was a man of Yunzhong; for his martial valor he was given office in Bing Province and became Assistant Officer for Martial Valor. In the last years of Emperor Ling, when the Junior Attendant of the Yellow Gate Jian Shuo became Colonel of the Upper Army of the Western Garden and summoned the heroes of the realm, Ding Yuan, Inspector of Bing Province, sent Zhang Yang with troops to Jian Shuo, and Zhang Yang became an Acting Major. When Emperor Ling died and Jian Shuo was killed by He Jin, Zhang Yang, on He Jin's orders, returned to his home province and raised over a thousand troops, then stayed on in Shangdang attacking mountain bandits. Records, Wei 8 §30–31

When He Jin fell and Dong Zhuo raised his rebellion, Zhang Yang attacked the Administrator of Shangdang at Huguan with the troops under his command but could not take it, and plundered the counties until his followers numbered several thousand. When the armies east of the mountains rose to attack Dong Zhuo and Yuan Shao reached Henei, Zhang Yang joined forces with Yuan Shao, and then camped on the Zhang River together with the Xiongnu Chanyu Yufuluo. When the Chanyu wished to rebel, Yuan Shao and Zhang Yang would not go along. The Chanyu seized Zhang Yang and took him along, and though defeated south of Ye by Qu Yi, whom Yuan Shao sent, he reached Liyang still holding Zhang Yang, crushed the army of Geng Zhi, General Who Crosses the Liao, and rose again. Dong Zhuo made Zhang Yang General Who Establishes Righteousness and Administrator of Henei. Records, Wei 8 §31–32

Lü Bu, having fled from Yuan Shao, came to Henei and joined Zhang Yang. Dong Zhao, who had fallen under Yuan Shao's suspicion and was on his way to the Son of Heaven, was detained by Zhang Yang in Henei, returned his seal and ribbon to the court through him, and became Chief Commandant of Cavalry. When Cao Cao, then governing Yan Province, asked to be allowed passage west to Chang'an, Zhang Yang at first refused, but after hearing Dong Zhao's persuasion he forwarded Cao Cao's memorial to the court and submitted a petition recommending him. Cao Cao sent Zhang Yang dogs and horses, gold and silk, and in this way came to have dealings with the west. Records, Wei 7 §8Records, Wei 14 §48–49

At the fortress of Chen Yan, former Administrator of Hejian, where Chang Lin had taken refuge, there were two families, the Chen and the Feng, that had held office for generations; coveting their women and greedy for their wealth, Zhang Yang besieged the fortress for more than sixty days. Chang Lin led his clan and devised plans, and in the end the fortress held. Records, Wei 23 §20

While the Son of Heaven was in Hedong, Zhang Yang led troops to Anyi, was appointed General Who Pacifies the State and was enfeoffed as Marquis of Jinyang. He wished to receive the Son of Heaven and return to Luoyang, but the other generals would not go along, so he returned to Yewang. In the 1st year of Jian'an (196), when Yang Feng, Dong Cheng and Han Xian, escorting the Son of Heaven back to the old capital, ran out of provisions, Zhang Yang met them on the road with provisions and came to Luoyang. But saying that the Son of Heaven should be upheld together with the whole realm and that there were ministers and high officials, while he himself would ward off troubles from outside, he went back to Yewang, where he was appointed Grand Marshal. Records, Wei 8 §33–34Records, Wei 6 §28

When Cao Cao was deliberating whether to receive the Son of Heaven and make Xu the capital, some held that Han Xian and Yang Feng had just brought the Son of Heaven to Luoyang and were linked with Zhang Yang to the north, so they could not be quickly brought under control. The Biography of Dong Zhao recorded that at this time Han Xian, Yang Feng, Dong Cheng and Zhang Yang were each at odds and could not agree. Records, Wei 10 §13Records, Wei 14 §50

Zhang Yang had long been on good terms with Lü Bu. When Cao Cao besieged Lü Bu, Zhang Yang wished to rescue him but could not, so he sent troops out to Dongshi to lend Lü Bu support from afar. His subordinate general Yang Chou then killed Zhang Yang and went over to Cao Cao; the Biography of Dong Zhao places this in the 3rd year of Jian'an (198). Zhang Yang's subordinate general Sui Gu killed Yang Chou, took command of his men, attached himself to Yuan Shao and was stationed at Shequan. In the 4th month of the 4th year of Jian'an (199), Shi Huan and Cao Ren, sent by Cao Cao, crushed Sui Gu at Quancheng and beheaded him, and Cao Cao crossed the Yellow River and surrounded Shequan. Zhang Yang's former Chief Clerk Xue Hong and the Administrator of Henei Miao Shang heeded Dong Zhao's counsel, surrendered with their men, and were enfeoffed as full marquises. Records, Wei 8 §34Records, Wei 14 §56Records, Wei 1 §51–52

In the assessment of Volume 8, Chen Shou named Zhang Yang together with Gongsun Zan, Gongsun Du and Tao Qian, writing that Zhang Yang yielded his head to his own subordinates, and that though all of them held provinces and commanderies they were worse than common men, so there was truly nothing worth discussing about them. Records, Wei 8 §71