生平

生年不詳。張濬倜儻不羈，涉獵文史，喜歡說大話。因此士人朋友們不喜歡他。因聲譽不佳，他起初仕途不順，隱居金鳳山，學鬼穀子縱橫之術，希望在亂世用上這些。

早期仕途

張濬隱居期間遇到宦官樞密使楊複恭的使者，被楊複恭推薦為太常博士，累轉度支員外郎。

廣明元年（880年），黃巢大規模農民軍進逼京城長安，張濬稱病，帶著母親和家族去商州避亂。隨後黃巢攻長安，當權宦官田令孜帶著唐僖宗逃到其兄陳敬瑄擔任節度使的西川軍的軍部成都。僖宗逃經興元，斷糧，漢陰令李康用數百騾子背負乾糧獻上，僖宗問李康：「卿為縣令，怎麼想到這個的？」李康答是張濬所教。僖宗召張濬到行在，拜兵部郎中。張濬又討好田令孜。一次田令孜召宰相及朝廷顯貴飲酒，張濬恥于當眾向他下拜，就事先謁見田令孜拜謝。賓客都到後，田令孜說：「令孜與張郎中清濁異流，既然怕被玷辱，可以不來，今日何苦在眾人未到時向我拜謝。」張濬慚懼無地自容。張濬此舉也冒犯了與田令孜為敵的楊複恭，尤其因為張濬討好田令孜後，不再搭理楊複恭。不久，拜諫議大夫。

中和二年（882年），宰相王鐸被任為諸道行營都都統即討伐黃巢的總帥，權知義成節度使。張濬被其奏為都統判官。當時黃巢已稱大齊皇帝，平盧軍留後王敬武已受黃巢官爵，王鐸派張濬去說服王敬武反正助朝廷討黃巢，王敬武起初不出迎張濬，張濬斥責他身為天子藩臣，侮慢詔使，不能事上，如何馭下，王敬武愕然謝罪。張濬宣詔，平盧軍將士都不回答，張濬召集平盧軍將佐到鞠場，慢慢告諭他們逆順、利害，拋棄數百年的唐朝天子而稱臣于昔日賣私鹽的白丁黃巢無利可圖，如今只有平盧軍沒有奉詔勤王，一旦黃巢被平定，平盧軍無顏見天下人，應該趁機取功名富貴才是。將士們都改容自咎，看著王敬武說：「諫議的話對啊。」王敬武就派部將曹存實、小校朱瑄等率軍隨張濬西向勤王討黃巢、攻長安。張濬被提升為會軍使。黃巢被擊敗、僖宗重返長安後，張濬累遷戶部侍郎、判度支。光啟年間，任涪州刺史。三年（887年）九月，被任為兵部侍郎，加宰相銜同中書門下平章事。河東節度使李克用不喜歡張濬為人，聞訊，私下對詔使說：「張公好虛談但沒有實際本領，是傾覆社稷之士。主上因其名而用他，他日亂天下的必是此人。」張濬得知，恨他。

拜相

文德元年（888年）唐僖宗崩，弟唐昭宗在楊複恭支持下繼位，張濬繼續為相。二月，兼兵部尚書，進階開府儀同三司。當時因兩京樂器毀于戰火，他受任為修奉樂縣（懸掛的鐘磬類樂器）使，集合太常、樂胥詳細商議重造樂縣，但未能得到製造方法，在太常博士殷盈孫研究下，編鐘鑄成，張濬請懂聲樂的處士蕭承訓、梨園樂工陳敬言與太樂令李從周先校定石磬，音樂和諧，張濬進呈，昭宗陳列于殿庭以試效果。當時宗廟焚毀不及修奉，暫時以少府監廳為太廟，主廳狹窄，議者認為縣樂的架構也應該不同。張濬奏議以往太廟禮用三十六架樂縣非古禮，且少府監廳狹窄放不下，請求按前朝古禮用二十架，獲准。

張濬拜相時母親尚健在，接受賜宴時在朝上率百官拜謝皇恩後就回到隊列中伺候母親。張濬拜相期間厚待進士盧光啟，提拔到兵部侍郎。

龍紀元年（889年）三月，以中書侍郎、戶部尚書、同平章事被任為集賢殿大學士、判戶部事。楊複恭擔任神策軍中尉以來，多次離間張濬，就在張濬判度支期間，還以軍資缺乏為由奏請借鹽、酒一年收入，沒有還錢。昭宗登基後，張濬和同僚宰相孔緯、韋昭度、杜讓能都倡議打壓宦官權力，上奏時總陳說唐宣宗大中年間抑制宦官的事。昭宗同意，又因知道楊複恭恨張濬，且當時人多言張濬有方略，善謀大計，于是特別親近倚重張濬。張濬常自比謝安、裴度。昭宗與張濬談論古今之亂，張濬說：「以漢、晉之年代久遠，沒有可說的，陛下英睿如此，卻在內在外都受制于強臣（內外分別指宦官和藩鎮），這是臣日夜所痛心疾首泣血的。」昭宗問張濬治世之要、當今最急的是什麼，張濬答：「莫如強兵以服天下。」昭宗于是在長安募兵，達到十萬人。

李克用攻雲州防禦使赫連鐸兵敗後，大順元年（890年）四月，赫連鐸與李克用的主要敵人宣武軍節度使朱全忠、盧龍節度使李匡威都上表昭宗，請求宣布李克用為叛逆並討伐，朱全忠更請求與河北三鎮同討之。昭宗徵求四品以上文武朝臣意見時，宰相杜讓能、劉崇望等朝臣大多反對，但張濬、孔緯想趁機重樹皇權，強烈倡議討伐李克用及成功後用皇權壓制宦官。張濬私通朱全忠，指出之前李克用曾迫使僖宗出奔，這都是李克用、朱全忠爭雄的結果，如今正是趁李克用衰微討滅之，結束兩人爭雄的局面的機會。昭宗認為李克用滅黃巢有功不可乘其危，孔緯說：「陛下所言，一時之體也；張濬所言，萬世之利也。」楊複恭反對，昭宗原本認同楊複恭，朱全忠秘密遣張濬親黨賄賂張濬，張濬仗著朱全忠撐腰不停論奏，昭宗雖然擔心，但還是同意了。五月，詔削奪李克用官爵、屬籍，以當時為特進、中書侍郎、兵部尚書、同平章事、集賢殿大學士、上柱國、河間郡開國伯、食邑七百戶的張濬為河東太原四面行營都招討制置宣慰使，京兆尹孫揆為副。張濬奏給事中牛徽為行營判官、檢校左散騎常侍，牛徽說：「國家在喪亂之餘剛剛興複，府庫衰竭就想做英武之舉，挑戰強寇，使諸侯離心，我預見到它要顛沛了！」稱病堅辭。張濬、孫揆率諸神策軍三千到行營，率諸軍五十二都及邠寧、鄜坊、夏綏聯軍五萬人從長安出發，昭宗御安喜樓餞行，告誡誓師。張濬屏退左右哭著對昭宗說：「陛下為賊所逼，等臣先除外憂，然後以死為陛下除內患。」被楊複恭偷偷聽到。兩神策軍中尉在長樂阪為張濬餞行，楊複恭敬酒，張濬以醉了為由推辭，楊複恭戲言說：「相公杖鉞主征伐，為何作態不給複恭面子？」張濬笑道：「等平賊回來，才能見到面子。」這愈發激怒了楊複恭，楊複恭因而試圖阻礙這場討伐戰。

起初朝廷軍隊似乎占上風，張濬的朝廷軍隊得到鎮國軍、靜難軍、鳳翔軍、保大軍、定難軍的響應，鎮國軍節度使韓建本人也作為北面行營馬步招討都虞候、供軍糧料使參戰。朱全忠為太原東南面招討使，攻李克用東南，李匡威和赫連鐸為太原北面正副招討使攻李克用東北。張濬才發兵，李克用弟昭義節度使李克恭又被牙將安居受所殺，安居受出走被殺，之前作亂的昭義軍小校馮霸自稱留後，以軍部潞州投降朱全忠，朱全忠遣部下河陽留後朱崇節權知昭義軍留後。昭宗和張濬聞訊，不希望昭義軍落入朱全忠之手，六月，任孫揆為昭義節度使，命他分兵一萬人立即去昭義軍就職。成德軍節度使王鎔、魏博軍節度使羅弘信趁張濬用兵上奏請任德州刺史、權知滄州兵馬留後盧彥威為節度使，當月盧彥威被任為節度使。

但八月孫揆向潞州進發時，對突襲幾無預防，遭李克用養子李存孝突襲俘虜。孫揆拒絕歸順李克用，被其所殺。這使得朝廷軍隊士氣受損。九月，李存孝圍潞州，宣武軍撤出昭義軍。李克用的其他養子李存信和李嗣源擊敗李匡威和赫連鐸，迫使他們也撤軍，只剩張濬軍獨自面對李克用。

十月，張濬率朝廷軍隊到晉州會合朱全忠所派三千宣武軍為牙隊及各藩鎮軍隊，到陰地關，游軍到汾州、隰州，靜難、鳳翔、鎮國軍屯平陽，在汾州迎戰李克用。李存信、薛阿檀迎戰張濬，李存孝屯趙城。韓建意圖趁夜突襲李存孝搶得先機，但李存孝有所準備，韓建夜襲的軍隊被全殲。鳳翔軍屯于霍邑，被河東軍洺州刺史李承嗣率軍攻打戰敗。靜難軍和鳳翔軍不戰自散。朝廷軍士氣受損而崩潰，丟盔棄甲。河東軍乘勝追殺，在晉州西門追上張濬。張濬出戰河東軍，又敗，死近三千人。此敗後，保大軍和定難軍也逃離，只剩張濬本部朝廷軍隊、韓建的鎮國軍和朱全忠所派的一些宣武軍一共一萬人。張濬守晉州不敢出，十一月，李存孝圍攻之。三天後，李存孝考慮到俘虜宰相、加害朝廷軍隊沒有好處，解圍退兵五十里讓張濬和韓建逃跑。十二月，晉州刺史張行恭棄城出奔，張濬和韓建趁夜從含山口逃走。當月，張濬遷右僕射判度支，仍兼中書侍郎、同平章事。二年（891年）二月，張濬與韓建翻越王屋山到河陽，出河清，拆百姓房屋為筏渡河。擔任行營都監的樞密使駱全諲服毒自殺。晉州、絳州等為河東軍所得，河東軍一路劫掠到河中，赤地千里。此後，朝廷軍隊瓦解。此戰朝廷本來倚仗朱全忠和河朔三鎮，但朱全忠正在用兵武寧軍、天平軍，雖然遣將攻澤州，但沒有親臨此戰；成德軍、魏博軍受命提供軍隊和糧食，但兩鎮因正倚仗李克用庇護，都不出兵；還未交戰，孫揆被擒，盧龍軍、雲州軍都敗了，楊複恭又從中作梗，于是張濬軍望風而潰。

此前，二年正月，李克用已遣中使韓歸范上表昭宗，言辭激烈，表面上稱願待罪聽憑發落，但顯然是指責張濬不該攻打自己。昭宗貶時為光祿大夫、門下侍郎（《舊唐書·昭宗紀》《資治通鑑》作被貶前為中書侍郎）、兼戶部尚書、同中書門下平章事、上柱國、清河郡開國伯、食邑一千二百戶、充河東行營諸道兵馬招討制置等使的張濬為檢校戶部（《舊唐書·昭宗紀》作兵部）尚書、兼鄂州刺史、御史大夫、武昌軍節度觀察等使，孔緯為荊南節度使，複李克用官爵屬籍，以為安撫，見未能安撫，再貶張濬、孔緯，貶張濬為連州刺史，二月再貶繡州司戶。張濬兵敗被貶後，牛徽被召為給事中，御史中丞徐彥若拜相，李克用攻取雲州。李存孝以功遷汾州刺史。

第一次致仕

張濬奉命騎馬經驛站前往貶所，但才離開長安到藍田驛就逃奔韓建軍部華州，與孔緯秘密寫信給朱全忠求救。朱全忠上表為二人申冤，昭宗不得已取消對二人的貶令，張濬和孔緯都住在華州依附韓建。

重返政府

大約乾寧元年（894年），有廬山書生張璟去桂州謁見桂管經略使「張相」。當時在世且曾拜相的張姓人僅有張濬，可能他就是這位擔任桂管經略使的「張相」。不遲于元年三月卸任。

二年（895年），鳳翔節度使李茂貞、靜難節度使王行瑜和韓建在宰相崔昭緯煽動下進軍長安要求處死前宰相李磎和韋昭度，昭宗拒絕，他們就自行殺死了李、韋。此後，昭宗想尋找願意對抗軍閥的宰相。六月，當時張濬已不在華州，正在長水縣居住，昭宗召他和孔緯回京，先都任為太子李裕賓客，再複拜孔緯為宰相，複以張濬為光祿大夫、行兵部尚書、上柱國、河間郡開國侯、食邑二千戶、天下諸道租庸使。當時張濬沒前往京師。李克用來救昭宗，攻殺王行瑜，還想攻打李茂貞和韓建，被昭宗下令制止。三年（896年）二月，朱全忠上表推薦張濬，昭宗想再拜張濬為宰相；李克用說這是朱全忠之謀，上表請求發兵攻打朱全忠，且說「張濬早上為相，臣晚上就帶兵來朝廷！」京師震驚，昭宗下詔和解，于是沒有拜張濬為宰相。張濬用柳遜為租庸判官。

六月，昭宗討伐李茂貞戰敗，七月，李茂貞再進逼長安，昭宗出奔華州，被韓建控制。張濬隨駕，被罷免租庸使，守尚書右僕射。朱全忠派判官高劭為朱全忠請求蔭一子出身官，省寺皆稱無先例駁回，張濬堅持要准，指揮甚急，吏徒惶恐。吏部員外郎蕭頃判道：「僕射未聚集郎官，就親自赴省上指揮公事，非南宮（官員辦公場所）舊儀。」張濬聞之，慚悚道歉，蕭頃因此知名，朱全忠也被打動。張濬上疏請求致仕，被授左僕射致仕，回到長水縣。

第二次致仕

張濬雖致仕，但朝廷如有得失，他都上表陳說。

光化三年（900年）十一月，因昭宗醉後手殺宦官、侍女數人，左神策軍中尉劉季述、右神策軍中尉王仲先、樞密使王彥范、薛齊偓迫使昭宗禪位給李裕。張濬徒步去見佑國軍節度使張全義，勸他起兵複闢昭宗，並寫信勸說各位節度使。朱全忠當時在定州行營，在張濬與宰相崔胤勸說下回到軍部汴州。但次年正月，左神策指揮使孫德昭、右神策軍清遠都將董彥弼、周承誨在崔胤勸說下突然發動反政變，殺死廢黜昭宗的宦官們，複闢昭宗，節度使們並未起兵。六月，朱全忠兼領河中節度使，念故河中節度使王重榮舊恩，闢其子王瓚為節度判官，請張濬為王重榮撰寫碑文。

複位後，昭宗短暫和李茂貞和解，甚至封李茂貞為岐王。但李茂貞和宦官左右神策軍中尉韓全誨、張彥弘合謀意圖控制昭宗，與希望昭宗屠戮宦官的崔胤衝突。崔胤擔心遭宦官毒手，寫信給朱全忠請他帶兵支持自己殺戮宦官。朱全忠發兵後，天複元年（901年）十一月，韓全誨、張彥弘劫持昭宗去鳳翔。朱全忠圍攻鳳翔，直至三年（903年）鳳翔軍糧盡，人口受飢。天複元年十一月朱全忠前去圍攻鳳翔途中，因張濬指出韓建為李茂貞黨羽，遂在張濬建議下奪取韓建的鎮國軍，遷韓建為忠武軍節度使。

朱全忠圍攻鳳翔期間，韓全誨派使者去很多藩鎮稱朱全忠意圖劫駕，令藩鎮們來救駕。張濬子張播也被賜姓名李儼為江、淮宣諭使去勸說淮南節度使楊行密發兵，儘管楊行密此後只作了微小的攻打朱全忠側翼的動作。王敬武的兒子和繼承人王師範長期依附朱全忠，也被張濬勸說起事，決定從其言。他派很多人去朱全忠治下多城，計劃製造動亂，自己也在平盧軍起兵反朱。但王師範的行動雖得到李克用和楊行密的微小支持，卻最終失敗，被迫再投降朱全忠，當時朱全忠也已迫李茂貞將昭宗交給他帶回長安，將昭宗牢固掌控。

張濬參與王師範起事，王師範起兵時想讓張濬來為謀主，未遂，此事被朱全忠得知，正圖謀篡唐自建新朝的朱全忠開始恨張濬。朱全忠準備脅迫昭宗遷都洛陽，張濬知道他要篡位，說：「乘輿到了洛陽，大事去了。」朱全忠擔心一旦篡位，張濬會再勸說各藩鎮起兵反對自己，又不想公然誅殺張濬，就命張全義對付張濬。三年十二月，張全義遣牙將楊麟率健卒五十人去長水縣扮作盜賊，圍張濬家殺其全家。永寧縣吏葉彥素日得張濬厚待，聞訊跑去告訴張濬子張格：「相公不可免禍，郎君應該自己做打算。」張格與張濬相擁抱而哭泣，張濬說：「你留下則和我們一起死，你離開則我家還有後裔，你不要被我連累。」張格哭拜而去，由葉彥率義士三十人護送渡漢江逃到西川軍。同時，楊麟圍張濬家，殺其全家百餘人。當時張濬爵封河間郡公。張格後為在朱全忠篡唐建立後梁後建立前蜀的王建及其子繼承人王宗衍的宰相。楊行密死、唐亡後，李儼留在淮南，想雪家門之冤不果，天祐十五年（918年）為徐溫所殺。張格的母親免于被害，躲在民間，落髮為尼，流浪于函、洛一帶，後來王建秘密派人迎她入蜀，賜紫衣，加號慈福大師。

後唐同光年間，楊複恭從孫幸臣宦官楊希朗向宰相趙光胤陳說楊複恭被張濬陷害，請求昭雪，聲色俱厲，趙光胤被折倒不樂，又擔心楊希朗報複，病死。

家族

祖父張仲素，中書舍人。父張鐸，未擔任朝官，可能僅任很小的官職。至少有兩弟張泳、張沆。

作品

• 《張濬表狀》一卷

• 詩《山居洞前得杜鵑花走筆偶成以簡桂帥僕射兼寄呈廣州僕射劉公》，作于乾寧元年三月。桂帥僕射、廣州僕射劉公分別指時任桂管經略使周元靜和嶺南節度使劉崇龜。

評價

• 《舊唐書》：自乾寧之後，賊臣內侮，王室浸微。昭宗不堪凌弱，欲簡拔奇材以為相。然採于群小之論，未嘗獲一名人。登用之徒，無不為時嗤誚。……時議以昭宗命台臣濬、樸、綮三人尤謬，季末之妖也（當時的議論認為昭宗任命的宰相中，對張濬、朱樸、鄭綮的任命是尤其錯誤的）。

　• 史臣曰：濬、緯養虎于前，（崔）胤、（柳）璨剝廬于後。

　• 贊曰：蕭遘、朱玫，孔緯、張濬，身世罹殃，邦家起釁。如木斯蠹（如同木頭中的蛀蟲），自潰于中（從中間潰爛）。抵巇侮亂（鑽營招致禍亂），安責伏戎（怎能責怪軍隊、刺客）。

• 《新唐書》贊曰：濬以亂止亂，悖繆（背理荒謬）厥心，悲夫！

• 《北夢瑣言》：唯張濬大言，自方管、葛，以無謀之韓建，倅用剛之孫揆，出征大鹵，自貽敗亡爾。……所謂以羊將狼，投卵擊石，幸而不用，何過望哉！

注釋及參考文獻

Early life

It is not known when Zhang Jun was born. His family was originally from Hejian (河間, in modern Cangzhou, Hebei) and claimed ancestry from Zhang Er, an ally of Han dynasty's founder Emperor Gao during the Chu–Han contention, who carried the title of Prince of Zhao in the early Han times, but his traceable ancestry only went back to the Northern Zhou official Zhang Xian, who was bestowed the Xianbei surname of Chiluo, but whose son Zhang Zhao later reverted to the surname of Zhang during Northern Zhou's succeeding dynasty Sui dynasty. Zhang Zhao's descendants served Sui and Tang dynasty. Zhang Jun's grandfather Zhang Zhongsu served as a Zhongshu Sheren, a mid-level official at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng), but his father Zhang Duo either did not serve in the imperial government at all, or served in a very minor office. He had at least two younger brothers, Zhang Yong and Zhang Hang.

It was said that Zhang Jun had an open and careless personally. He studied literature and history extensively, and often spoke in grand terms; because of that latter characteristic, the well-learned did not have good opinions of him. As a result of his poor reputation, he was not initially able to start an official career, and he became a hermit at Mount Jinfeng (金鳳山) and the time studying strategies left by Guiguzi, hoping to use those strategies during troubled times.

Early career

During Zhang Jun's time as a hermit, he met the eunuch Yang Fugong, the director of palace communications, and Yang recommended Zhang to be Taichang Boshi (太常博士), a scholar at the ministry of worship (太常寺, Taichang Si). Zhang was subsequently made Duzhi Yuanwailang (度支員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of census (戶部, Hubu).

In 880, as the major agrarian rebel Huang Chao approached the Tang capital Chang'an, Zhang claimed to be ill, and he took his mother and his family to take refuge at Shang Prefecture (商州, in modern Shangluo, Shaanxi). When Huang subsequently attacked Chang'an, the powerful eunuch Tian Lingzi took then-reigning Emperor Xizong and fled toward Chengdu, where Tian's brother Chen Jingxuan served as the military governor (Jiedushi) of Xichuan Circuit (西川). Meanwhile, while Emperor Xizong was fleeing through Xingyuan (興元, in modern Hanzhong, Shaanxi), his train was running out of food supplies. Li Kang (李康) the magistrate of Hanyin County (漢陰, in modern Ankang, Shaanxi) met the emperor, with several hundred mules bearing food, to supply the emperor. When Emperor Xizong asked how Li Kang, as a mere county magistrate, could think of this, Li Kang credited Zhang for reminding him. Thereafter, Emperor Xizong summoned Zhang to his presence and made him Bingbu Langzhong (兵部郎中, Bingbu Langzhong). Zhang thereafter ingratiated himself with Tian as well, including prostrating himself before Tian, but embarrassed himself on one occasion when Tian pointed this out in public. This also offended Yang, as he and Tian were rivals, particularly because Zhang, after ingratiating Tian, was no longer paying attention to Yang.

Meanwhile, by 882, the chancellor Wang Duo was put in overall command of the operations against Huang Chao, and he went to Yicheng Circuit (義成, headquartered in modern Anyang, Henan) to oversee the operations. Zhang accompanied Wang and served on his staff. At that time, Wang Jingwu, who controlled Pinglu Circuit (平盧, headquartered in modern Weifang, Shandong), had accepted offices bestowed by Huang (who had declared himself the emperor of a new state of Qi), and when Wang Duo sent Zhang to Pinglu to try to persuade Wang Jingwu to join the imperial forces against Huang, Wang Jingwu initially refused to meet Zhang. Zhang rebuked Wang Jingwu, and Wang Jingwu subsequently allowed him to address the soldiers; Zhang then argued to the soldiers that the imperial forces would soon defeat Huang, and it was time for them to earn honors with achievements. With the soldiers agreeing with Zhang, Wang Jingwu rejoined the Tang cause and sent forces to aid in the operations against Huang. After Huang was defeated and Emperor Xizong returned to Chang'an, Zhang was made the deputy minister of census (戶部侍郎, Hubu Shilang). In 887, he was made the deputy minister of defense (兵部侍郎, Bingbu Shilang) and chancellor de facto with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi. (When the edict announcing this commission reached the warlord Li Keyong the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi), Li Keyong, who was unimpressed with Zhang, stated, "Lord Zhang likes to talk but has no real abilities, and he is someone who can overturn the empire. The emperor decided to use him because of his reputation, but one day he will surely disturb the empire." After Zhang heard of these remarks, he bore a grudge against Li Keyong.)

Chancellorship

Zhang Jun continued to serve as chancellor after Emperor Xizong died in 888 and was succeeded by his brother Emperor Zhaozong, who was supported by Yang Fugong. However, after Emperor Zhaozong became emperor, both Zhang and fellow chancellor Kong Wei advocated a suppression of eunuch power. Emperor Zhaozong agreed, and, as he knew that Yang resented Zhang, trusted Zhang further with his plans of suppressing Yang's power. Zhang often compared himself to the great Jin dynasty (266–420) Xie An and the great Tang chancellor Pei Du. Further, under Zhang's advocacy that the imperial government needed an army of its own, Emperor Zhaozong created an imperial army drawn from the people from Chang'an region, of some 100,000 strong.

In 890, after Li Keyong failed in his campaign to attack Helian Duo the defender of Yun Prefecture (雲州, in modern Datong, Shanxi), Helian, Li Keyong's main rival Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng, Henan), and Li Kuangwei the military governor of Lulong Circuit (盧龍, headquartered in modern Beijing), all submitted petitions to Emperor Zhaozong asking him to declare Li Keyong a renegade and declare a general campaign against Li Keyong. When Emperor Zhaozong requested opinions from imperial officials, most opposed, including the chancellors Du Rangneng and Liu Chongwang, but Zhang and Kong, who wanted to try to use this as an opportunity to reassert imperial power, advocated for the campaign against Li Keyong and to then use that power to suppress the eunuchs, strenuously advocated for the campaign. Emperor Zhaozong, despite misgivings, agreed, and he put Zhang in overall command of the operations, assisted by the official Sun Kui. As Zhang was leaving, he privately stated to Emperor Zhaozong, "Let me first eliminate the external threat for Your Imperial Majesty, and then eliminate the internal threat." These words nevertheless became known to Yang, who became apprehensive of Zhang. Further, when Yang held a feast for Zhang to send him off, Zhang refused to drink when Yang offered wine. Yang sarcastically stated, "Lord Chancellor, you are holding the imperial sword. Why are you so hesitant?" Zhang responded, "Let me first destroy the bandits, and they you will see why I am hesitant." This aggravated Yang further, and he thereafter tried to hinder the campaign.

Initially, the imperial government appeared to have the upper hand, as Zhang's imperial army was supplemented by armies sent by Zhenguo (鎮國, headquartered in modern Weinan, Shaanxi), Jingnan (靜難, headquartered in modern Xianyang, Shaanxi), Fengxiang (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baojing, Shaanxi), Baoda (保大, headquartered in modern Yan'an, Shaanxi), and Dingnan (定難, headquartered in modern Yulin, Shaanxi) Circuits, including Zhenguo's military governor Han Jian. Zhu was also attacking Li Keyong's ___domain from the southeast, and Helian and Li Kuangwei from the northeast. Further, just as Zhang's army was launched, Li Keyong's brother Li Kegong (李克恭) the military governor of Zhaoyi Circuit (昭義, headquartered in modern Changzhi, Shanxi), was assassinated by his own officer An Jushou (安居受), who in turn was killed by another officer, Feng Ba, who surrendered the circuit capital Lu Prefecture (潞州) to Zhu Quanzhong's officer Zhu Chongjie (朱崇節). Hearing the news, Emperor Zhaozong and Zhang, not wanting Zhaoyi to fall into Zhu Quanzhong's hands, commissioned Sun as the military governor of Zhaoyi and ordered him to report to Zhaoyi immediately.

As Sun was advancing to Lu Prefecture, however, he took few precautions against a surprise attack. Li Keyong's adoptive son Li Cunxiao made a surprise attack on Sun's procession, capturing him. (When Sun subsequently would not submit to Li Keyong, Li Keyong killed him.) This demoralized the imperial army, and subsequently, with Li Cunxiao putting Lu Prefecture under siege, the Xuanwu forces withdrew from Zhaoyi. Meanwhile, Li Keyong's other adoptive sons Li Cunxin and Li Siyuan defeated Li Kuangwei and Helian, forcing them to withdraw as well, leaving Zhang's forces alone against Li Keyong himself.

The imperial forces engaged Li Keyong's at Fen Prefecture (汾州, in modern Lüliang, Shanxi). Han tried to take the initiative by making a surprise night attack on Li Cunxiao, but Li Cunxiao took precautions, and Han's attack was not successful. Thereafter, without battling, the Jingnan and Fengxiang forces suddenly disengaged and left the imperial camp. The imperial forces, demoralized, collapsed. The Hedong forces gave chase, catching Zhang at Jin Prefecture (晉州, in modern Linfen, Shanxi). Zhang tried to engage Hedong forces, but was again defeated. After this defeat, the Baoda and Dingnan forces also fled, leaving Zhang's own imperial forces, along with Han's Zhenguo forces and some Xuanwu forces sent by Zhu Quanzhong. Zhang defended Jin Prefecture, and Li Cunxiao put it under siege. After three days, Li Cunxiao decided that no benefit could come from capturing a chancellor and slaughtering imperial forces, and therefore lifted the siege to allow Zhang and Han to flee, and they did so. As they did, it was said that the imperial army, in effect, disintegrated.

Li Keyong submitted harshly-worded petitions to Emperor Zhaozong, outwardly offering to submit himself to judicial proceedings, but clearly accusing Zhang of wrongly attacking him. Emperor Zhaozong tried to placate Li Keyong by demoting Zhang to be the military governor of Wuchang Circuit (武昌, headquartered in modern Wuhan, Hubei), and Kong to be the military governor of Jingnan Circuit (荊南, headquartered in modern Jingzhou, Hubei, not the same circuit that initially joined the imperial cause against Li Keyong), and restoring Li Keyong's titles. When that failed to placate Li Keyong, Emperor Zhaozong further exiled both Zhang and Kong—in Zhang's case, to be the prefect of Lian Prefecture (連州, in modern Qingyuan, Shandong), and then to be the census officer at Xiu Prefecture (繡州, in modern Guigang, Guangxi).

First retirement

Zhang Jun set off to his place of exile, but just after he left Chang'an, when he got to Lantian (藍田, in modern Xi'an, Shaanxi), he fled from his escorts, to Han Jian's headquarters at Hua Prefecture, and both he and Kong Wei wrote to Zhu Quanzhong to ask him to plead for them. Zhu thereafter submitted a petition to plead their case. Emperor Zhaozong decided thereafter to release them from their exile orders, and both Zhang and Kong thereafter resided at Hua Prefecture with Han.

Return to imperial government

In 895, after Li Maozhen the military governor of Fengxiang, Wang Xingyu the military governor of Jingnan, and Han Jian, at the instigation of the chancellor Cui Zhaowei, marched on Chang'an to demand the deaths of the former chancellors Li Xi and Wei Zhaodu (and, when Emperor Zhaozong refused, put Li Xi and Wei to death themselves), Emperor Zhaozong wanted to find chancellors who were willing to stand up to the warlords. He thus summoned Zhang Jun, who was then no longer at Hua Prefecture but residing at his vacation estate in Changshui (長水, in modern Luoyang, Henan), and Kong Wei to the capital, initially giving them the honorary post of advisor to the Crown Prince Li Yu, Prince of De, and then making Kong chancellor, while making Zhang the minister of defense (兵部尚書) and the director of circuit commerce. Li Keyong subsequently came to Emperor Zhaozong's defense, attacked and killed Wang Xingyu, but at Emperor Zhaozong's orders did not attack Li Maozhen or Han, as he had initially wanted to. In early 896, when Zhu Quanzhong submitted a petition recommending Zhang to be chancellor again, Li Keyong reacted by submitting a petition to ask for a campaign against Zhu, and further stating, "If Zhang Jun were made chancellor in the morning, I will arrive at the palace in the evening!" Emperor Zhaozong thus did not make Zhang chancellor.

Later in 896, after Li Maozhen attacked Chang'an again (after a failed campaign by Emperor Zhaozong against him), Emperor Zhaozong fled to Hua Prefecture, and thereafter was under Han's control. Zhang, who followed Emperor Zhaozong to Hua Prefecture, was relieved of his post as the director of circuit commerce, and thereafter was made You Pushe (右僕射), one of the heads of the executive bureau (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng). He then sought retirement, and was allowed to retire with the higher title of Zuo Pushe (左僕射). He returned to Changshui.

Second retirement

Late in 900, the eunuchs Liu Jishu, Wang Zhongxian (王仲先), Wang Yanfan (王彥範), and Xue Qiwo, in reaction to Emperor Zhaozong's killing several eunuchs and ladies in waiting in an alcohol-driven rage, forced him to abdicate to Li Yu. When this occurred, Zhang Jun went to meet Zhang Quanyi the military governor of Youguo Circuit (佑國, headquartered in modern Luoyang) to urge him to start a campaign to restore Emperor Zhaozong, and Zhang Jun further wrote to many circuit governors urging the same. (However, early in 901, the Shence Army officers Sun Dezhao, Dong Yanbi (董彥弼), and Zhou Chenghui (周承誨), at the urging of the chancellor Cui Yin, made a surprise countercoup, killing the eunuchs who removed Emperor Zhaozong and restoring him, without further military campaign by the military governors.)

Subsequent to his restoration, Emperor Zhaozong had a brief rapprochement with Li Maozhen, even creating Li Maozhen the Prince of Qi. However, by late 901, Li Maozhen was working with the eunuchs Han Quanhui and Zhang Yanhong and trying to control Emperor Zhaozong, and in conflict with Cui, who wanted Emperor Zhaozong to slaughter the eunuchs. Cui, in fear that the eunuchs would act against him, wrote to Zhu Quanzhong and asked him to bring an army to support his proposal to slaughter the eunuchs. Upon Zhu's launching of his army, Han and Zhang Yanhong seized Emperor Zhaozong and took him to Fengxiang. Zhu then put Fengxiang under siege — a siege that lasted well into 903, causing the food supplies to run out in Fengxiang and starvation among its population. (As Zhu went to siege Fengxiang, under Zhang Jun's advice, he seized Han Jian's Zhenguo Circuit and transferred Han Jian to Zhongwu Circuit (忠武, headquartered in modern Xuchang, Henan), as Zhang Jun pointed out that Han was a long-time ally of Li Maozhen's.)

As Zhu continued to siege Fengxiang, Han Quanhui sent messengers to many circuits, claiming that Zhu's intent was to act against the emperor and urging them to come to the emperor's rescue. (As a part of Han's maneuvers, Zhang Jun's son Zhang Bo, who was given the imperial surname of Li and a new name of Yan, was sent to Yang Xingmi the military governor of Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu), as an imperial emissary, to urge Yang to launch his forces, although Yang only made minor attempts to attack Zhu's flank thereafter.) Wang Jingwu's son and successor Wang Shifan, who had long been a Zhu ally, who was also urged by Zhang Jun to act, decided to do so. Wang thus sent covert operatives to many cities under Zhu's control, planning to start riots against Zhu, while rising himself at Pinglu against Zhu. Wang's campaign, however, was ultimately not successful, despite minor support from Li Keyong and Yang, and he was forced to resubmit to Zhu, who by this point had forced Li Maozhen to surrender Emperor Zhaozong to him, to be returned to Chang'an, and who subsequently had the emperor firmly under his control.

Rumors that Zhang was involved in Wang's campaign against him, however, caused Zhu to be apprehensive of Zhang, as he was planning to eventually usurp the Tang throne and establish his own dynasty. He feared that, if he did so, Zhang would again urge the other military governors to act against him. He therefore ordered Zhang Quanyi to act against Zhang Jun. Around the new year 904, Zhang Quanyi sent his officer Yang Lin to Changshui dressed as bandits, ready to slaughter Zhang Jun and his household and blame the incident on banditry. A deputy sheriff at Yongning County (永寧, in modern Luoyang as well), Ye Yan (葉彥), whom Zhang Jun had treated well before, found out about this, and went to meet Zhang Jun's son Zhang Ge, stating, "The Lord Chancellor cannot escape this disaster, but you, master, should make a different plan!" Zhang Jun then stated to Zhang Ge, "If you remain here, you will just die with us. If you flee, the family seeds can continue." Zhang Ge, after a tearful farewell, left with Ye, who took 30 men sworn to protect Zhang Ge, and escorted him as far as the Han River, and Zhang Ge subsequently fled to Xichuan. Meanwhile, Yang's men arrived, surrounded Zhang Jun's vacation estate, and slaughtered the entire household. Zhang Ge would subsequently serve as a chancellor under Wang Jian, who established Former Shu after Zhu usurped the Tang throne and established Later Liang, and Wang Jian's son and successor Wang Zongyan. Li Yan would remain at Huainan after Yang's death and Tang's destruction, until he was killed by Xu Wen in 918.

Notes and references

• Old Book of Tang, vol. 179.

• New Book of Tang, vol. 185.

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 254, 255, 257, 258, 260, 262, 263, 264.