Early life

Zhang Jiuling was born in 678, during the reign of Emperor Gaozong. His family was from Qujiang (曲江) in Shao Prefecture (韶州, roughly modern Shaoguan, Guangdong) in the region called Lingnan 岭南), which was at the time a relatively remote area of the Tang empire. His family traced its ancestry to the Jin dynasty (266–420) chancellor Zhang Hua, and his eldest son Zhang Yi (张禕). His great-grandfather Zhang Junzheng (张君政) served as the secretary general of Shao Prefecture, and therefore settled there. His grandfather Zhang Zizhou (张子胄) served as a county magistrate, and his father Zhang Hongyu (张弘愈) served as a county secretary general.

Zhang Jiuling was said to be intelligent in his childhood and capable in literary skills. In 685, when he was 12, he had an occasion to write a letter to Wang Fangqing, then the prefect of Guang Prefecture (广州, roughly modern Guangzhou, Guangdong). Wang was impressed and commented, "This child will do great things in the future." When the official Zhang Yue was exiled to the region, he met Zhang Jiuling and was impressed, and treated Zhang Jiuling with kindness. Zhang Jiuling later passed the jinshi imperial examinations under poet Shen Quanqi 沈佺期 and scored the highest on that occasion. After passing several more exams, in 712 he was appointed zuo shiyi (左拾遗).

He was made a xiaoshu lang (校书郎), a clerk at the imperial institute Hongwen Pavilion (弘文馆). Later, while Li Longji was crown prince under his father Emperor Ruizong (r. 710–712), he summoned those in the empire known for their literary talent and personally examined them. Zhang scored the highest on this occasion as well, and was made you shiyi (右拾遗), a consultant at the legislative bureau of government (中书省, the zhongshu sheng).

During Emperor Xuanzongs reign

In 712, Emperor Ruizong passed the throne to Li Longji, who took the throne as Emperor Xuanzong. For some time, though, Emperor Xuanzong did not offer sacrifice to heaven and earth outside of the capital Chang'an, as was customary for emperors. Zhang Jiuling submitted a petition, asking him to carry out such sacrifices, and Emperor Xuanzong, following his advice, did so. In or around 713, he submitted a petition to the chancellor Yao Chong, pointing out the importance of a clean and fair civil service system, and Yao was impressed.

Zhang became known for his talent in understanding people's talents. At that time, Emperor Xuanzong had him and his colleague Zhao Dongxi (赵冬曦) decide the postings for the people selected for official service by the ministry of civil service affairs, and he and Zhao were considered fair and capable in finding the right posts for people. In 722, he became Sixun Yuanwailang (司勋员外郎), a low level official at the ministry of civil service affairs. At that time, Zhang Yue was a chancellor as Zhongshu Ling (中书令, the head of the legislative bureau), and he considered Zhang Jiuling, as they had the same family name, like a brother, often stating, "He will surely be the most distinguished poet." Zhang Jiuling was also happy that Zhang Shuo appreciated his talent, and therefore became a follower of Zhang Yue's. In 723, he was made a Zhongshu Sheren (中书舍人), a mid-level official at the legislative bureau, serving under Zhang Yue.

In 725, at Zhang Yue's suggestion, Emperor Xuanzong offered sacrifice to heaven and earth at Mount Tai. After the ceremony, many of the officials that Zhang Shuo favored were to be promoted to high positions. Zhang Yue had Zhang Jiuling draft the edict for the promotions. Knowing that such promotions would draw resentment from others, Zhang Jiuling tried to dissuade Zhang Yue, but Zhang Yue insisted, causing much resentment against Zhang Shuo. In particular, Zhang Jiuling warned Zhang Yue about the minister Yuwen Rong, whom Zhang Shuo did not respect but whom Emperor Xuanzong favored for his talent in gathering money for the imperial treasury. Zhang Yue did not believe Yuwen Rong could do him harm, but in 726 found himself removed after accusations by Yuwen. In the aftermath, Zhang Jiuling was made the deputy minister of worship (太常少卿, Taichang Shaoqing) -- an honored post without much actual authority—and soon was made the prefect of Ji Prefecture (冀州, roughly modern Hengshui, Hebei). Zhang, because his mother was then old and at home in Shao Prefecture, requested to be posted to a prefecture south of the Yangtze River, so that he could better communicate with her. Emperor Xuanzong issued an edict praising him for his filial piety, and made him the commandant at Hong Prefecture (洪州, roughly modern Nanchang, Jiangxi). Zhang was later made the commandant at Gui Prefecture (桂州, roughly modern Guilin, Guangxi) and the examiner of Lingnan Circuit. Emperor Xuanzong further made his brothers Zhang Jiuzhang (张九章) and Zhang Jiugao (张九皋) prefects in the region as well, so that the brothers could all visit their mother on holidays.

Meanwhile, Zhang Yue was no longer chancellor, but was still the head of the imperial institute Jixian Institute (集贤院). He often recommended Zhang Jiuling for his talent. After Zhang Yue died near the new year 731, Emperor Xuanzong remembered Zhang Yue's recommendations and recalled Zhang Jiuling to serve as Mishu Shaojian (秘书少监), the deputy head of the Palace Library, as well as a scholar at Jixian Institute, acting as its head. At that time, it happened that an edict needed to be issued to the vassal kingdom Balhae, but no one could write one well. Emperor Xuanzong had Zhang draft one, and it was written quickly. Soon thereafter, Zhang was made the deputy minister of public works (工部侍郎, Gongbu Shilang) but was put in charge of drafting edicts. He was then made Zhongshu Shilang (中书侍郎), the deputy head of the legislative bureau. In 732, his mother died, and he returned to Shao Prefecture to observe a period of mourning for her.

Around the new year 733, Emperor Xuanzong removed then-chancellors Xiao Song and Han Xiu from their chancellor positions, and named Pei Yaoqing and Zhang to replace them—ordering Zhang to end his period of mourning, which was to last for three years, early, making him Zhongshu Shilang but with the chancellor de facto designation of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhanshi. After Zhang subsequently arrived at the eastern capital Luoyang, where Emperor Xuanzong was at the time, he requested that he be allowed to return to mourning. Emperor Xuanzong rejected the request.

Later in 733, Zhang proposed that private citizens be allowed to mint money. With opposition from Pei and Liu Zhi, however, Emperor Xuanzong rejected the proposal. Later that year, Zhang was made Zhongshu Ling and continued to serve as chancellor. Other projects that Zhang proposed included reestablishing the offices of examiners of the 10 circuits and also rice farming in the prefectures just south of the Yellow River, which ended in failure. Zhang was further said to be impatient and easily angered, damaging his reputation. However, Zhang was also said to be honest and always seeking to correct the emperor's behavior, even if it offended the emperor. For example, in 735, after the general Zhang Shougui (张守圭) scored a major victory over the Khitan, Emperor Xuanzong wanted to reward Zhang Shougui by making him a chancellor, but Zhang Jiuling pointed out that it was inappropriate to use the chancellorship as a reward, even with just the honorable title and no actual authority (as Emperor Xuanzong considered as well) and that giving Zhang Shougui the chancellorship for defeating the Khitan meant that there would be no other available awards if he were to defeat the Xi and the Eastern Tujue as well. Emperor Xuanzong agreed and did not give Zhang Shougui the chancellorship. Also in 735, Zhang Jiuling was given the honorific title Jinzi Guanglu Daifu (金紫光禄大夫) and created the Count of Shixing. Zhang was also known for his firm friendships with the officials Yan Tingzhi (严挺之), Yuan Renjing (袁仁敬), Liang Shengqing (梁升卿) and Lu Yi (卢怡), despite his later taking higher positions than they did, drawing much praise for his commitment to friends.

In 736, after Zhang Shougui suffered a loss because his subordinate An Lushan failed to follow orders, Zhang Shougui, not wanting to kill An but not wanting to release him for fear of losing authority, sent An to Chang'an, asking the emperor to decide the punishment. Zhang Jiuling submitted the suggestion to have An executed, stating:

He also argued that he believed that An had the temperament to commit treason and would surely do so in the future, but Emperor Xuanzong did not agree. Emperor Xuanzong was impressed by An's military talent and ordered that he be reduced to commoner rank and be allowed to stay in the army.

September 14, 736, was Emperor Xuanzong's birthday, and the princes and the dukes all offered jeweled mirrors as gifts. Zhang Jiuling, believing that the best way to reflect on oneself was to look at others, wrote a five-volume work, calling it the Golden Mirror Records for a Thousand Years (千秋金鉴录 -- "a thousand years" being an oblique reference to wishing the Emperor a long life, on his birthday), discussing historical examples of rulership, and offered it to Emperor Xuanzong as his gift. Emperor Xuanzong issued an edict thanking and praising him.

By 736, however, fellow chancellor Li Linfu was beginning to gain favor at the expense of Pei and Zhang, who were friendly with each other. At that time, there were several incidents for which the blunt Zhang had offended either Emperor Xuanzong—who was described to have begun to tire of governance and started seeking luxuries in earnest—or Li Linfu, who was described to be ingratiating the emperor:

• In fall 736, when Emperor Xuanzong was at Luoyang, he had set to return to Chang'an on March 7, 737. However, at that time, an incident occurred where there were strange apparitions appearing in the Luoyang Palace, and Emperor Xuanzong did not want to stay at Luoyang. On or right before November 9, 736, he summoned the chancellors to ask them whether he could depart for Chang'an immediately. Pei and Zhang, pointing out the fact that it was harvest season and that the imperial train would interfere with harvest, requested a one-month delay. After Pei and Zhang exited, however, Li Linfu remained personally and stated his agreement with the departure, arguing that the farmers could be compensated by relieving their taxes. Emperor Xuanzong was pleased and immediately departed for Chang'an.

• Emperor Xuanzong was, then, impressed with Niu Xianke, the military governor (jiedushi) of Shuofang Circuit (朔方, headquartered in modern Yinchuan, Ningxia), wanted to make him the minister of defense. Zhang, who pointed out that Niu was not well-learned and had started from the ranks of low-level administrators—contrary to the Tang tradition of going through the imperial examinations—opposed, and then further opposed the creation of a title. Eventually, despite Zhang's opposition, Emperor Xuanzong, with concurrence from Li LInfu, created Niu the Duke of Longxi.

• Li Linfu was associating with Emperor Xuanzong's favorite concubine Consort Wu and trying to have Emperor Xuanzong make her son Li Mao (李瑁) the Prince of Shou crown prince to replace Emperor Xuanzong's then-crown prince Li Ying, who had long lost Emperor Xuanzong's favor. With Zhang strenuously opposing such a move, Li Ying remained in his position.

• The deputy minister Xiao Jiong (萧炅), whom Li Linfu recommended, was demoted on the suggestion of Zhang and Zhang's friend Yan Tingzhi, who further offended Li Linfu by refusing to meet with him. Soon thereafter, there was an incident where Wang Yunyan (王元琰), the husband of Yan's ex-wife, was accused of corruption. Yan tried to intercede on Wang's behalf, and this was discovered.

Li Linfu thus made accusations to Emperor Xuanzong that Zhang and Pei were engaging in factionalism. Around the new year 737, Emperor Xuanzong removed Pei and Zhang from their chancellor posts, making them Chengxiang (丞相) -- the heads of the executive bureau (尚书省, Shangshu Sheng) instead. Niu was made chancellor to replace them, serving with Li Linfu. This was often viewed by traditional historians as the turning point of Emperor Xuanzong's reign, which up to that point was considered a golden age in Chinese history, toward a path of degeneration. The Song dynasty historian Sima Guang, in his Zizhi Tongjian, for example, commented:

In 737, the imperial censor Zhou Ziliang (周子谅) submitted an indictment against Niu, arguing that Niu should not be chancellor because he lacked talent to be chancellor, and further citing prophecies that appeared to indicate that someone named Niu would usurp the throne. Emperor Xuanzong was incensed, and had Zhou caned and exiled—and Zhou died shortly after departing Chang'an. Li Linfu then submitted an accusation against Zhang, pointing out that Zhang had recommended Zhou. Zhang was therefore demoted to be the secretary general at Jing Prefecture (荆州, roughly modern Jingzhou, Hubei). However, even after Zhang's demotion, Emperor Xuanzong still remembered his honesty, and when officials were recommended, he would often make the inquiry, "How does their honesty compare to Zhang Jiuling?" Zhang died in 740, while on a vacation in Shao Prefecture to visit his parents' tomb, and was given posthumous honors.

After An, then a powerful military governor (jiedushi), rebelled against Emperor Xuanzong's rule in 755, Emperor Xuanzong was, in 756, forced to flee to Jiannan Circuit (剑南道, roughly modern Sichuan and Chongqing) and pass the throne to his son Emperor Suzong. Remembering Zhang's warnings about An, issued an edict further posthumously honoring Zhang and sent messengers to Shao Prefecture to offer sacrifices to Zhang.

生平

张九龄为西汉留侯张良之后，西晋壮武郡公张华十四世孙，原籍河北。父张弘愈，官至索卢县丞、知新州等州事，后以九龄贵，赠太常卿、广州都督。张九龄自幼聪敏，七岁知属文。十三岁时（690年），王方庆接替被杀的广州都督路元睿，途经韶州，见到他的文章后，大为叹赏。

武曌长安二年（702年）擢进士，最初担任调秘书省校书郎，因「谤议上闻」退职返乡。

703年，前凤阁舍人张说忤旨配流钦州，途经曲江，与张九龄通族谱，叙为昭穆，从此张九龄自称范阳张氏，其祖先张守礼出自东汉司空张皓、西晋司空张华，是其曾祖张君政任韶州别驾死任上才家于曲江的，但死后则称西汉留侯张良、西晋司空张华之后，而其弟张九皋则称西汉张良、张安世之后。其高门的身份并不被当时的大部分人承认，包括唐玄宗。

713年，应「道侔伊吕科」举，中高第，为左拾遗。722年，张说拜相，举荐张九龄为司勋员外郎，723年，张说再荐张九龄为中书舍人，封曲江县男。725年，党争失利，张说罢相，十几人受牵连，包括张九龄。张九龄因此转太常少卿，出为冀州刺史。以母老在乡，改为洪州都督。俄转桂州都督，仍充岭南道按察使。

张说卒后，731年3月，玄宗召拜九龄为秘书少监、集贤院学士，副知院事。732年，为工部侍郎。733年5月，检校中书侍郎。其年秋，丁母丧归乡里。12月，起复任中书侍郎同中书门下平章事。734年，迁中书令，集贤院令知院事兼修国史。曾劾安禄山野心，提醒玄宗注意。735年3月，加金紫光禄大夫，累封始兴县子。

736年秋八月天长节，玄宗生日，群臣皆献珍罕，独张九龄上事鉴十章以伸讽谏，号「千秋金鉴录」，帝甚嘉美。张九龄提拔王维为右拾遗，卢象为左补阙。由于李林甫、牛仙客等人结党，张九龄失去唐玄宗的信任，改任尚书右丞相，罢知政事。在主政期间，张九龄主张不循资格用人，为人好名不好利，敢于谏言，不避利害。

737年，太子李瑛被废。同年，张九龄因所举荐的监察御史周子谅触怒玄宗被杀，被贬为荆州大都督府长史，召孟浩然于幕府。

738年，封始兴县伯。740年春，以「归拜墓」名义辞官，农历五月七日（6月5日）在家乡曲江病逝，享年63岁，赠荆州大都督，谥曰文献。归葬罗源洞。

家庭

弟弟

• 张九皋，宋襄广三州刺史、采访节度经略等使

• 张九章，刺史、鸿胪卿

夫人

• 董韶容，董彻曾孙女，唐玄宗董贵妃的族人，开元二十五年四月廿六日在长安病故，葬于长安董氏家族墓地

•

子孙

• 长子：张拯，右赞善大夫

　• 孙：张藏器，河南府寿安尉、长水丞

　　• 曾孙：张敦庆，袁州司仓参军

　　　• 玄孙：张景新，乡贡进士

　　　　• 五世孙：张涓，岭南观察衙推

　　　　　• 六世孙：张千寿

　　　　　• 六世孙：张皓，仁化令

　　　　　　• 七世孙：张撰

　　　　　　　• 八世孙：张澄真

　　　　　• 六世孙：张讽、张谣、张诣

　　　　• 五世孙：张郧，湖南盐铁判官

　　　　　• 六世孙：张钧

　　　　　　• 七世孙：张伟，二子：张珝、张珙。珙二子：张文琏、张文智

　　　　　• 六世孙：张道兴

　　　　　　• 七世孙：张继，生张绾

　　　　　　• 七世孙：张太玄

　　　　　• 六世孙：张起，端州司户参军

　　　　　　• 七世孙：张维，四子：张贽、张○、张嗣宗、张居贺

　　　　　　• 七世孙：张缙，六子：张贵英、张再英、张仲英、张万英、张韶英、张可英

　　　• 曾孙：张景重，洪州都督府参军

　　　　• 五世孙：张○，归善令

　　　　　• 六世孙：张廷杰

　　　　　　• 七世孙：张涉，二子：张璲、张璀。璲二子：张光敏、张光济。璀生张文范

　　　　　　• 七世孙：张渥，生张琇，琇生张元吉

　　　　　　• 七世孙：张沦，三子：张琮、张琼、张璨。琮二子：张乾用、张利用。琼二子：张克柔、张克已。璨生张荣

　　　　　　• 七世孙：张沼，二子：张珽、张瑀。珽二子：张隆、张铉。瑀生张亨

　　　　　　• 七世孙：张洪，二子：张珣、张瑛。珣生张克从。瑛四子：张锡、张佑、张休、张铸

　　　　• 五世孙：张耀，乐昌令

　　　　　• 六世孙：张瞻，浈阳丞

　　　　　　• 七世孙：张文达

　　　　　　• 七世孙：张文曜，三子：张威、张骞、张和。威生张怡，骞生张士衡

　　　　　　• 七世孙：张子轩，监东太仓，三子：张允恭、张允明、张化璘。允恭生张廉，允明生张士调

文学

七岁知属文，有文名，张说称他「后出词人之冠」。有诗《感遇》12首，名列《唐诗三百首》第一首，和陈子昂的《感遇》38首相提并论，其中「草木有本心，何求美人折」一联，更是他高洁情操的写照。另外，张九龄的五言律诗情致深婉，如：《望月怀远》一句「海上生明月，天涯共此时」唱绝千古。

张九龄与梅关古道

开元四年（716年），张九龄辞官返回家乡供养母亲，途中看到家乡父老翻越南岭山脉十分艰难，决心打通南岭，改善进出岭南的交通。于是上奏玄宗，提出凿山修路，得到了允许。开凿梅关通道的工程非常艰巨，所开凿的道路也就是现在距离南雄市区北面约30公里的梅岭顶部的梅关驿道。

张九龄墓

张九龄的墓地在今韶关市北郊罗源洞山麓，是广东省重点文物保护单位，是广东省具有代表性的唐代大墓。1960年7月因被过度盗扰而被发掘。墓室为砖室结构。墓前祠堂的对联有多副，如「当年唐室无双士，自古南天第一人」。

张九龄墓志

纪念

韶关市内原有纪念张九龄的风度楼，后因失火不存，原楼所在地被取名为风度路。路上临江建有曲江园，塑有张九龄半身胸像。

注释