Historica Wiki
Advertisement
Zhang Hua

Zhang Hua (232-300) was the Imperial Secretary for Budgeting of the Western Jin dynasty of China. He played a major role in the Conquest of Wu in 280 AD and in the War of the Eight Princes of the 290s, and he and his family were executed by the rebellious prince Sima Lun in 300 AD due to their support for Empress Jia Nanfeng.

Biography[]

Formerly a poet, Zhang Hua became a secretary of Sima Zhao, the Regent-Marshal of Cao Wei. Under his son Sima Yan, who became the first Emperor of the Western Jin dynasty in 265 AD after overthrowing Wei emperor Cao Huan, Zhang Hua was made the Secretary for Budgeting. In 279 AD he was assigned to handle supplies and logistics for the conquest of Wu under Jia Chong, and after the invasion succeeded, he was made Marquess of Guangwu.

He fell from favor with Emperor Sima Yan due to his suggestion that he name his brother Sima You heir apparent instead of Sima Yan's developmentally-disabled son Sima Zhong, and he was sent to pacify the Wuhuan and Xianbei in You Province. After Sima Yan's death in 290, Zhang Hua returned to Luoyang in a powerless position and was sent to tutor Sima Zhong's heir Sima Yu. After Empress Jia Nanfeng's coup against Yang Jun in 291, Zhang Hua became the Right Household Counsellor, Palace Attendant, and Supervisor of the Palace Writers.

In 299, Empress Jia Nanfeng had Sima Yu deposed and later assassinated, so Sima Lun plotted a coup to remove Jia from power. Zhang Hua was reluctant to join the coup, so, when Sima Lun ousted the empress in 300, he had Zhang Hua and several other loyalists executed along with their entire families.

Advertisement