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Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong
Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong
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Zhang Yizhi (張易之; died February 20, 705),[1] formally the Duke of Heng (恆公), nickname Wulang (五郎) and Zhang Changzong (張昌宗; died February 20, 705),[1] formally the Duke of Ye (鄴公), nickname Liulang (六郎), were two brothers who served as officials of Wu Zetian's Wu Zhou dynasty and became very powerful late in her reign. Both brothers were killed in a coup that overthrew Wu Zetian in 705.

Background

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It is not known when Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong were born. It is known that their father Zhang Xizang (張希臧) had, at one point, served as the census officer of the Tang dynasty's capital prefecture Yong Prefecture (雍州, roughly modern Xi'an, Shaanxi) and was a distant nephew of the chancellor Zhang Xingcheng. Their mother might be Lady Wei or Lady Zang.[a]

As per Tang regulations, Zhang Yizhi, as the son of an official, was able to get into a civil service career himself in his 20s, serving as the imperial director of horses (尚乘奉御, Shangcheng Fengyu). It was said that his skin at that time was white and beautiful and that he was good at singing.

As Wu Zetian's lovers

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In 697, Zhang Changzong was referred to Wu Zetian, then ruling with the title of emperor—the only woman in the history of China recognized for doing so—by Wu Zetian's daughter Princess Taiping, to be Wu Zetian's lover. Zhang Changzong further told Wu Zetian that Zhang Yizhi was even more skillful than he was, and so Wu Zetian took Zhang Yizhi as a lover as well. Both were repeatedly promoted—Zhang Yizhi as the deputy minister of military supplies (司衛少卿, Siwei Shaoqing)—and both were said to often put makeup on their faces and dressing in a beautiful manner. Their mother or mothers were given titles as grand ladies and Wu Zetian further ordered the chancellor Li Jiongxiu to serve as the lover for one of their mothers.[b] Even the most powerful officials flattered them, and referred them by endearing nicknames—Zhang Yizhi as Wulang and Zhang Changzong as Liulang (implying that Zhang Yizhi was the fifth-born son and Zhang Changzong was the sixth-born son of Zhang Xizang).

In 698, Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong were involved in the recall from exile of Wu Zetian's son Li Zhe the Prince of Luling, who had briefly been emperor in 684. The Zhangs' colleague as imperial attendant, Ji Xu, had persuaded them that they were becoming objects of hatred due to the favor that Wu Zetian had shown for them and that if they advocated Li Zhe's return and installation as crown prince, they would be able to maintain their power. The Zhangs agreed and advocated Li Zhe's return to Wu Zetian, who subsequently recalled Li Zhe from exile and made him crown prince.

In 699, Zhang Yizhi was made the director of imperial attendants (控鶴監, Konghe Jian), overseeing a group of imperial attendants, including Zhang Changzong, Ji, Tian Guidao (田歸道), Li Jiongxiu, Xue Ji and Yuan Banqian (員半千).

In 700, Zhang Yizhi was on one occasion offended by the official Yang Yuanxi (楊元禧)—a grandnephew of the Sui dynasty chancellor Yang Su, who had been believed to be involved with Emperor Yang of Sui in killing Emperor Yang's father Emperor Wen of Sui. Zhang Yizhi retaliated against Yang Yuanxi by arguing to Wu Zetian that family members of Yang Su should not be allowed to serve in the capital, and Wu Zetian agreed, demoting Yang Yuanxi and his brother Yang Yuanheng (楊元亨) out of the capital Luoyang.

Also in 700, in order to somewhat shield her relationship with the Zhangs from the public eye, Wu Zetian commissioned them and the imperial scholar Li Jiao to compile a work known as the Essence of Pearls from the Three Religions (三教珠英, Sanjiao Zhuying)—a compilation of various poetry about Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism—to give the Zhangs a legitimate reason to enter the palace.

By 701, Wu Zetian, then 76 years old, had been largely entrusting the affairs of state to Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong—a situation that her grandson Li Chongrun (son of Li Zhe, who had by now changed his name to Xian) disapproved and had discussed with his sister Li Xianhui the Lady Yongtai and Li Xianhui's husband, Wu Zetian's grandnephew Wu Yanji (武延基) the Prince of Wei. When the Zhangs became aware of the conversation, they reported this to Wu Zetian, who saw this discussion as an implicit criticism of herself, and she ordered Li Chongrun, Li Xianhui, and Wu Yanji to commit suicide.[c][d]

In 702, Wu Zetian induced Li Zhe, his younger brother Li Dan the Prince of Xiang, and Princess Taiping to submit formal petitions to create Zhang Changzong a prince. Wu Zetian formally rejected the petitions, but then created Zhang Changzong the Duke of Ye and Zhang Yizhi the Duke of Heng.

By 703, the Zhangs were displeased with the chancellor Wei Yuanzhong, as Wei had repeatedly rebuffed the promotion of their brother Zhang Changqi (張昌期) and had publicly humiliated another brother, Zhang Changyi (張昌儀). When Wu Zetian suffered a minor illness, the Zhangs became concerned that if Wu Zetian had died, they would be killed by Wei, and therefore falsely accused Wei and a favorite of Princess Taiping, Gao Jian (高戩), of having speculated about Wu Zetian's death.

They persuaded the official Zhang Shuo to falsely corroborate the accusations against Wei, although, once Zhang Shuo was brought into Wu Zetian's presence, he not only recanted the accusation against Wei but further accused the Zhangs of suborning perjury from him. As a result, Wei, Gao, and Zhang Shuo were all exiled, but none of the three suffered death. Zhang Yizhi further accused eight people who held a send-off feast for Wei of treason, but was not successful in getting the eight men executed.

In 704, Zhang Yizhi was accused of corruption, and as a result of the investigation, Zhang Changyi and another brother, Zhang Tongxiu (張同休), were removed from their offices. The imperial censor Song Jing, who had long resented the Zhangs, volunteered to investigate Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong, and Wu Zetian publicly agreed, but then sent Song out of the capital to investigate Qutu Zhongxiang (屈突仲翔) the commandant at You Prefecture (幽州, roughly modern Beijing), giving the case instead to the minister of ceremonies, Cui Shenqing (崔神慶), who knew that she wanted them spared, and therefore cleared them.

Death

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By early 705, Wu Zetian was seriously ill, and the chancellor Zhang Jianzhi, believing that the Zhangs' power threatened Li Xian's succession, entered into a coup plot with the other officials Cui Xuanwei, Jing Hui, Huan Yanfan, and Yuan Shuji. They rose on February 20 and went to see Li Xian. After receiving his assent, took their forces into the palace and killed Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong at Yingxian Courtyard (迎仙院).

Their brothers Zhang Changqi, Zhang Tongxiu, and Zhang Changyi were also killed, and the five men's heads were hung at Tianjin Bridge (天津橋), one of the entries to Luoyang. The officials then forced Wu Zetian to yield the throne to Li Xian (as Emperor Zhongzong), ending the Zhou dynasty and restoring the Tang dynasty.

In 750, during the reign of Wu Zetian's grandson Emperor Xuanzong, Zhang Changqi's daughter submitted a petition defending her father and uncles. With assistance by her cousin, the chancellor Yang Guozhong (whose mother was a sister of the Zhang brothers'), her petition was accepted by Emperor Xuanzong, and he posthumously restored the Zhang brothers' titles.

Notes

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References

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Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong

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Zhang Yizhi (張易之; d. 705) and his half-brother Zhang Changzong (張昌宗; d. 705), collectively known as the Zhang brothers, were male favorites of Empress Wu Zetian during the waning years of her Zhou dynasty interregnum (c. 697–705), rising from entertainers skilled in music and song to politically influential figures who wielded power through personal intimacy with the aging ruler. Nicknamed Wulang ("Fifth Brother") for Yizhi and Liulang ("Sixth Brother") for Changzong, the siblings were in their twenties when they entered the court, distinguished by their delicate beauty, powdered and rouged faces, extravagant attire, and roles as "inner favorites" (neichong) who entertained and advised the empress amid her abolition of the traditional rear palace harem. Granted noble titles—Yizhi as Duke of Heng (恆公) and Changzong as Duke of Puyang (濮陽公)—they amassed wealth and authority, intervening in administrative decisions and imperial succession matters, which fueled contemporary criticisms of corruption, lewd excess, and the erosion of governance under Wu Zetian's rule. Their downfall came swiftly in the Shenlong Coup of 705, when court officials led by Zhang Jianzhi and Cui Xuanwei stormed the palace, executed the brothers by decapitation, and displayed their heads on a bridge, paving the way for the restoration of Tang Emperor Zhongzong and Wu Zetian's forced abdication. This violent end underscored the precariousness of favoritism-based power in Tang politics, where the Zhangs' biographies in official histories like the Jiu Tangshu reflect both their quasi-consort status and the historiographical tension over acknowledging sexual dynamics in imperial relationships.

Origins and Early Careers

Family Background and Entry into Court Service

The brothers Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong were the fifth and sixth sons, respectively, of Zhang Xizang (張希臧), a minor official who had served as a census officer responsible for population registration in a locality. Their family's precise origins and social standing remain obscure in historical records, with no evidence of high nobility or extensive bureaucratic lineage; instead, they appear to have hailed from a modestly positioned household versed in artistic pursuits, which later facilitated their advancement. Exact birth dates for Yizhi and Changzong are unrecorded, though they were young adults by the late 690s during Wu Zetian's rule as emperor of the (proclaimed in 690, though retaining Tang administrative structures). The brothers' physical attractiveness and skills in music and performance distinguished them early, aligning with Tang court traditions that valued such talents for and companionship among elites. In 698, Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong gained entry into imperial service at the court, initially through low-level roles leveraging their aesthetic and performative abilities, which drew the notice of Empress Wu amid her reliance on personal favorites for counsel and leisure in her advancing age. This introduction coincided with Wu's consolidation of power post the Huaiyi , marking a shift toward the Zhangs as emerging intimates rather than established officials. Their ascent bypassed traditional meritocratic exams or , relying instead on direct imperial typical of late Tang inner-court dynamics.

Initial Positions Under Wu Zetian's Administration

In 697, during the reign of as emperor of the , Zhang Changzong was recommended to the court by , the empress's daughter, to serve as a personal companion noted for his beauty and talents in music and dance. Zhang Changzong, then in his early twenties, quickly became a favored attendant, leveraging his position to introduce his elder brother Zhang Yizhi, who shared similar attributes and skills in entertainment. Their initial roles were unofficial and centered on intimate service to , providing amusement and companionship amid her advancing age and political isolation, without formal administrative duties at entry. By 699, Zhang Yizhi secured his first official title as director of the Bureau for Controlling Cranes (Kòng hè jiān, 控鶴監), a responsible for managing elite imperial attendants, entertainers, and select guards who performed ceremonial and leisure functions. Under this appointment, Zhang Yizhi directly supervised Zhang Changzong, who held a subordinate role within the bureau as one of the attendants. This position marked the brothers' transition from purely personal favorites to holders of modest court offices, though still confined to the empress's inner circle rather than high policymaking. These early appointments reflected Wu Zetian's pattern of elevating attractive young men from humble origins— the Zhangs hailed from a family in —into roles that blended service, influence, and proximity to power, setting the stage for their later expansions in authority. Historical records, including the (Jiu Tangshu), document this progression without evidence of merit-based qualifications beyond favoritism.

Rise as Favorites

Introduction to Wu Zetian and Personal Relationships

Zhang Changzong (c. 675–705) and his half-brother Zhang Yizhi (c. 676–705), originating from a modest family background, first entered the imperial court during 's (624–705) reign in the late 690s, when the empress was in her seventies. Zhang Changzong, noted for his striking beauty and proficiency in music and song, was introduced to around 697, reportedly through the mediation of her daughter, , which facilitated his rapid elevation from minor court roles to personal attendant. Shortly thereafter, Changzong recommended his brother Yizhi, who shared similar physical allure and artistic talents, including skill in and performance, leading to Yizhi's comparable favoritism. The brothers' personal relationships with were characterized by intimate companionship, as they resided in the palace and provided entertainment through , dancing, and other refined , often adorning themselves with , rouge, and extravagant attire to appeal to the aging ruler's tastes. Primary historical records, such as the (Jiu Tangshu), describe their roles as entertainers who captivated the empress but remain ambiguous regarding explicit sexual involvement, while the (Xin Tangshu) more directly states that they "gained her favor" through private services extending beyond mere performance. The (Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government), a key chronicle compiling earlier annals, similarly highlights their exclusive access to 's inner quarters, where they monopolized her attention during her declining years, fostering a dependency that blurred lines between personal affection and political leverage. This favoritism, sustained until Wu Zetian's forced abdication in 705, reflected her pattern of elevating male companions for emotional and recreational support amid isolation from traditional hierarchies, though contemporary officials and later historians critiqued the arrangement as indulgent and disruptive to imperial decorum. The brothers' youth and charm contrasted sharply with Wu's advanced age, underscoring a dynamic of mutual reliance where their artistic and possibly amorous attentions offered respite from the rigors of rule, yet sowed seeds of resentment among the bureaucracy.

Accumulation of Titles and Privileges

In the late 690s, following their introduction to 's court, Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong began accumulating official positions that granted them oversight of palace functions. Zhang Yizhi was appointed director of the Reining Cranes Institute (Konghe Jian, 控鶴監), responsible for managing a cadre of imperial attendants, with Zhang Changzong serving as vice director in the same bureau. These roles positioned them at the center of daily imperial operations, affording privileges such as direct access to the empress and control over personnel selections within the inner palace. By 702, their influence prompted officials to petition to elevate Zhang Changzong to princely rank, a request she formally denied to avoid overt dynastic implications. Instead, she conferred noble titles upon both brothers: Zhang Changzong as Duke of Ye (Ye Gong, 鄴公) and Zhang Yizhi as Duke of Heng (Heng Gong, 恆公). Accompanying these honors were material rewards, including estates and stipends, which further entrenched their wealth and status, allowing them to patronize allies and amass personal networks beyond traditional bureaucratic bounds. These accumulations of titles and privileges reflected Wu Zetian's reliance on the brothers for counsel and companionship in her advanced age, granting them exemptions from standard merit-based scrutiny and enabling unchecked involvement in administrative recommendations. Historical records indicate such elevations were atypical for low-born entrants like the Zhangs, who originated from minor provincial stock, highlighting the personal favor's role in bypassing conventional hierarchies.

Exercise of Power

Administrative Roles and Decision-Making Influence

Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong, leveraging their close personal relationship with Wu Zetian, secured official appointments that positioned them within the imperial administrative apparatus, though these were often ceremonial or low-to-mid ranking compared to established chancellors. Zhang Yizhi received the role of director of imperial attendants (huangmen shi) in 699 CE, granting him oversight of court protocols and direct control over access to the empress's presence, which amplified his intermediary influence in bureaucratic matters. Zhang Changzong, introduced to the court earlier in 697 CE through Princess Taiping's recommendation, was elevated to titles including Taizi Zhilang (aide to the crown prince) and later vice minister-level posts, such as in the Ministry of Justice, enabling involvement in judicial and advisory functions. These positions, accumulated rapidly between 697 and 705 CE, provided formal legitimacy to their otherwise informal authority, allowing them to mediate between Wu Zetian and the bureaucracy amid her increasing reliance on them due to age-related frailty. In decision-making, the brothers exerted de facto control over state affairs as Wu Zetian delegated responsibilities to them in her later reign (post-700 CE), including vetting official appointments, policy endorsements, and punitive measures against rivals. They frequently bypassed senior chancellors by presenting arguments directly to the empress, shaping outcomes in personnel and factional disputes; for instance, in 700 CE, Zhang Yizhi persuaded Wu Zetian to bar descendants of Sui official Yang Su from capital service, retaliating against Yang Yuanxi's perceived slights toward the Zhang family. By 703 CE, their resentment toward Chancellor Wei Yuanzhong—stemming from his public rebuke of their brother Zhang Changyi—led them to fabricate treason charges, resulting in Wei's arrest and temporary removal from power, illustrating their sway over judicial processes and high-level dismissals. Such interventions, documented in Tang-era annals, prioritized personal vendettas over meritocratic norms, contributing to administrative paralysis as even Wu clan princes sought their favor to navigate court politics. Their influence peaked in 704–705 CE, when , weakened by illness, entrusted them with broader oversight of edicts and resource allocation, though this drew covert opposition from officials who viewed their roles as usurpations of legitimate authority. Traditional accounts, such as those in the , portray these decisions as driven by favoritism rather than competence, with the brothers accused of manipulating edicts for personal gain; however, their ability to sustain power until the 705 CE coup underscores a causal reliance on 's personal trust amid factional instability, rather than institutional reforms. No evidence indicates they held supreme chancellorial (zaixiang) authority, but their veto-like input on appointments effectively centralized decision-making through the inner court, eroding the outer bureaucracy's autonomy.

Patronage Networks and Economic Activities

The Zhang brothers, leveraging their intimate influence over , cultivated patronage networks that prioritized family members and loyal associates in key administrative roles, thereby consolidating power beyond their official titles. By 703, Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong had extended favoritism to their siblings, including Zhang Changqi and Zhang Changyi, who ascended through recommendations and protections afforded by the empress's court. This nepotistic extension was evident in the brothers' ability to shield relatives from scrutiny, as joint corruption charges in autumn 704 targeted not only Yizhi and Changzong but also Changqi and Changyi for abuses tied to their elevated statuses. Such networks fostered dependency among officials, with even members of the Wu , including princes, reportedly flattering the Zhangs to secure privileges, underscoring the brothers' dominance in dispensing imperial favors. Economically, the Zhangs' activities centered on exploiting administrative leverage for personal enrichment, amassing fortunes through mechanisms like influence peddling and resource allocation, though primary accounts emphasize corruption over formalized monopolies. Accusations in 704 highlighted their role in diverting state resources, with Yizhi and Changzong accused of extorting officials and manipulating appointments to extract bribes, practices that inflated their wealth to levels warranting confiscation post-execution on February 20, 705. Their handling of state affairs, particularly in Wu Zetian's later years when she delegated decisions amid illness, enabled control over fiscal matters, including potential skimming from court expenditures and land grants to allies. While no precise figures survive for their estates, the scale of seized assets reflected systemic graft, as later Tang loyalists decried the brothers' economic predations as symptomatic of late Wu Zhou decay. These practices, rooted in unchecked access to the throne, prioritized kin enrichment over imperial treasury integrity, contributing to broader fiscal strains by 705.

Criticisms and Political Opposition

Accusations of Corruption and Nepotism

In autumn 704, formal accusations of were leveled against Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong, extending to their brothers Zhang Changqi, Zhang Changyi, and Zhang Tongxiu, who held various official positions secured through familial influence. These charges, documented in contemporary court records and later historical annals, alleged that the brothers engaged in and the illicit sale of appointments, amassing personal wealth at the expense of administrative merit. Chancellor Wei Anshi prominently renewed these corruption allegations, pressing for a thorough investigation into the Zhangs' financial dealings and practices. Despite the scrutiny, ordered only partial inquiries, resulting in demotions for the implicated brothers—such as Zhang Tongxiu and Zhang Changyi losing ranks—but no severe penalties for Yizhi and Changzong themselves, who continued to wield significant authority. Critics within the court, including imperial censors and relatives like Prince Li Chongrun, contended that this leniency exemplified , as the Zhangs elevated unqualified kin to high posts, including roles in the imperial secretariat and provincial governance, thereby fostering cliques that prioritized loyalty over competence. Such practices were said to have disrupted bureaucratic efficiency, with reports indicating that paid substantial sums—sometimes thousands of strings of —for titles and exemptions from duties. Traditional accounts, primarily from Song-era compilations drawing on Tang records like the , portray these accusations as emblematic of late court decay, though originating from political rivals opposed to the empress's inner circle, they reflect genuine concerns over favoritism eroding merit-based selection in the examination and appointment systems.

Conflicts with Officials and Factional Rivalries

In 700, Zhang Yizhi came into conflict with the official Yang Yuanxi, a grandnephew of the chancellor Yang Su, after Yang offended him during a court interaction. Zhang retaliated by persuading that descendants of Yang Su's family should be barred from serving in the capital due to historical precedents of their influence, leading to Yang's from . This incident exemplified the brothers' use of imperial favor to target perceived slights, prioritizing personal vendettas over administrative merit. By 703, tensions escalated with senior chancellor Wei Yuanzhong, who had repeatedly blocked promotions for the Zhangs' brother Zhang Changyi and ordered the of a slave belonging to Zhang Yizhi for disturbing the peace. The Zhang brothers, apprehensive that Wei—known for his integrity and opposition to favoritism—would execute them if died amid her declining health, orchestrated false charges against him. They coerced testimony from associates, including claims of a forged letter implicating Wei in plots against the throne, resulting in his arrest, trial, and imprisonment later that year. Wei's resistance highlighted broader factional divides: the Zhangs' , reliant on and Wu's indulgence, versus principled officials advocating Tang restoration and merit-based governance. The brothers extended accusations to eight officials who hosted a farewell for Wei, charging them with , though executions were averted. These disputes fueled wider rivalries within the court, as the Zhangs' interference alienated reformist ministers and Li family loyalists who resented their monopoly on decision-making and resource allocation. Officials like Zhang Jianzhi and Cui Xuanwei, viewing the brothers as symbols of decadence undermining dynastic stability, began covert alliances against them, culminating in the 705 coup. Traditional accounts in dynastic histories portray these conflicts as driven by the Zhangs' insecurity and abuse of power, eroding Wu Zetian's legitimacy in her final years.

Downfall

Events Leading to the 705 Coup

In the autumn of 704, renewed accusations of corruption were leveled against Zhang Yizhi, Zhang Changzong, and their brothers Zhang Changqi and Zhang Changyi by officials including Wei Anshi, prompting to order an investigation that ultimately cleared the Zhangs of wrongdoing. This decision intensified resentment among the bureaucracy, as the brothers' unchecked influence over court appointments and imperial decisions was perceived as a threat to the Tang restoration under Wu's son, Li Xian ( Zhongzong). By early 705, , then in her early eighties, fell seriously ill, confining herself to her quarters and restricting access primarily to the Zhang brothers, who assumed control of state affairs, further alarming loyalist officials who feared the siblings might engineer a permanent power grab or sideline Li Xian's succession. Chancellor Zhang Jianzhi (a figure unrelated to the Zhang favorites), alongside allies such as Cui Xuanwei, Huan Yanfan, and military commanders like Li Duozuo, formed a clandestine plot to eliminate the brothers and compel Wu's , viewing their dominance as the culmination of factional excesses that undermined governance. On February 20, 705 (the coup known as the Shenlong Revolution), the conspirators mobilized over a thousand troops to storm the palace, where they confronted and beheaded Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong after a brief resistance, before presenting the severed heads to the bedridden and pressuring her to relinquish the throne to Li Xian, effectively ending her rule without further bloodshed. This swift action capitalized on Wu's frailty and the absence of broader defenses loyal to the Zhangs, reflecting pent-up elite opposition to their nepotistic patronage networks and perceived emasculation of traditional administration.

Execution and Immediate Consequences

On February 20, 705, coup forces led by officials such as Zhang Jianzhi and Cui Xuanwei, acting with the prior assent of the deposed emperor Li Xian, stormed the palace and executed Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong on charges of treason and undue influence over . The brothers, who had amassed significant power through their close relationship with the aging empress, were killed swiftly to neutralize their control over court decisions and prevent resistance. The executions marked the decisive phase of the Shenlong Coup, as the plotters then surrounded Wu Zetian's residence at Changsheng Hall, compelling her to yield the throne while allowing her to retain the imperial title under effective house arrest. Li Xian was immediately restored as Emperor Zhongzong, reinstating the Tang dynasty and terminating Wu Zetian's short-lived Zhou interregnum after 15 years. In the ensuing days, the new regime purged associates of the Zhang brothers, including their kin and retainers, with heads of the executed displayed publicly to signal the restoration of Tang orthodoxy and deter lingering factions. , gravely ill, remained secluded until her death on December 16, 705, after which Zhongzong consolidated power amid initial rewards to the coup principals.

Historical Assessment

Traditional Chinese Historiography

In traditional Chinese historiographical works such as the Jiu Tang shu (Old Book of Tang) and Xin Tang shu (New Book of Tang), Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong are characterized as opportunistic male favorites whose undue influence exemplified moral and administrative decay at the Tang court. These brothers, noted for their physical beauty and talents in music and poetry, rose rapidly through personal ties to Empress Wei (d. 710) and, to a lesser extent, the aging Wu Zetian (r. 690–705), securing titles like Duke of E (for Changzong) and high administrative posts despite limited qualifications. Historians depict them as peddling offices and extracting bribes on a massive scale, with reports of amassing wealth equivalent to thousands of catties of gold through patronage networks that undermined meritocratic Confucian principles. The (Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government), compiled by (1019–1086), further condemns their dominance in the years 704–705, portraying them as monopolizing access to the throne, falsifying imperial edicts, and fostering factionalism that alienated principled officials like Wei Yuanzhong (d. 707). Their effeminate mannerisms—such as applying facial powder and adopting luxurious attire—served as markers of decadence, symbolizing the erosion of yang (masculine, orderly) virtues in favor of yin (excessive, indulgent) influences, a recurring trope in dynastic critiques of late Tang instability. This narrative frames their 705 execution during the Shenlong Coup as a necessary purge, restoring legitimate Li family rule under Emperor Zhongzong (r. 705–710) and averting further chaos. Subsequent Song-era scholars amplified these accounts to caution against the dangers of personal favoritism over institutional checks, viewing the Zhang brothers' tenure as a causal factor in the Tang's vulnerability to coups and interference, though some entries acknowledge their role in suppressing earlier rebellions like the 701 Khitan uprising. Overall, traditional sources privilege from insiders and post-coup memorials, presenting the brothers not as capable administrators but as parasitic figures whose self-enrichment—allegedly including from state granaries and silk monopolies—accelerated systemic graft in an era already strained by fiscal overextension.

Modern Scholarly Perspectives

Modern historians have increasingly scrutinized the traditional vilification of Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong, attributing much of the negative portrayal to Confucian historiographical agendas aimed at discrediting Wu Zhao's rule. In particular, N. Harry Rothschild and Kelsey Granger analyze how later Tang and Song-era chroniclers compiled "twenty-six reasons" for despising the brothers, framing them as corrupt upstarts whose effeminate traits and favoritism symbolized the moral inversion of a female-led regime. This construction, they contend, prioritized ideological purity over empirical evaluation, exaggerating the brothers' role in policy failures to justify the restoration of male Li-Tang orthodoxy. Empirical reassessments highlight that while the Zhangs amassed wealth and positions—such as Zhang Yizhi's appointment as neishi (inner official) around 700—concrete evidence of systemic remains tied to politically motivated accusations in 704, including land grabs and judicial interference reported in sources like the . Scholars like note their talents in music, , and administration may have genuinely aided Wu's cultural initiatives, such as avian symbolism projects, rather than solely undermining ; their influence likely served as a to entrenched bureaucratic factions hostile to Zhou innovations. However, causal analyses caution that their rapid elevation from modest origins to de facto advisors reflects Wu's pragmatic reliance on loyal outsiders amid familial betrayals, not inherent , though it exacerbated factionalism. Contemporary evaluations diverge on their net impact: some, drawing from archaeological and textual cross-verification, view the brothers as competent intermediaries who stabilized Wu's final years against princely intrigue, mitigating rather than causing decline. Others, prioritizing fiscal data from Tang records, uphold partial validity to claims, estimating their networks controlled significant estates by 705, which fueled opposition narratives post-coup. Overall, modern consensus rejects monolithic , favoring contextual readings that account for source biases in official histories compiled under Tang loyalists, thereby reframing the Zhangs as products of Wu's adaptive rather than its sole architects of downfall.

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  23. https://www.historyextra.com/period/medieval/empress-wu-zetian-china-rule-life-reputation/
  24. https://www.encyclopedia.com/women/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/wu-zetian-624-705
  25. https://inf.news/en/history/df592c1bff85b8dcf751f846c5e69b9e.html
  26. https://www.worldhistory.org/Wu_Zetian/
  27. https://ctext.org/datawiki.pl?if=en&res=394856
  28. https://ctext.org/datawiki.pl?if=en&res=710615
  29. https://ctext.org/datawiki.pl?if=en&res=718287
  30. https://www.academia.edu/10654594/Mothers_and_the_Well_being_of_the_State_In_Tang_China
  31. https://san.beck.org/AB3-China.html
  32. https://glorisunglobalnetwork.org/research-support/other-student-support/
  33. https://womenalsoknowhistory.com/individual-scholar-page/?pdb=194567
  34. https://cup.columbia.edu/book/emperor-wu-zhao-and-her-pantheon-of-devis-divinities-and-dynastic-mothers/9780231169387/
  35. https://www.amazon.com/N-Harry-Rothschild-Chinas-Emperor/dp/B008UB9LRO
  36. https://www.asianstudies.org/publications/eaa/archives/wu-zhao-ruler-of-tang-dynasty-china/
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