Tomb of Zhang Yanghao

Tomb of Zhang Yanghao

The Tomb of Zhang Yanghao is a cultural relic protection unit of Shandong Province.

The Tomb of Zhang Yanghao is located in Jinan, Shandong Province. It lies to the east of Xiluo River, to the west of Qinghe North Road, and is embraced by ponds to the south and north. The tomb is earthen, standing 1.9 meters high. The site includes four family tombs, four tombstones erected during the Ming and Qing dynasties, two stone-carved stone lions, one “Ling Stone” — one of the “Four Marvelous Stones,” and one stone turtle. The area is planted with pine, cypress, poplar, and willow trees, forming a lush forest. In 1979, the tomb was listed as a municipal-level key cultural relics protection unit; in 1995, it was listed as a provincial-level key cultural relics protection unit. It has now been officially turned into a park.

The Zhang Yanghao Tomb Park faces a small artificial lake. Surrounded by weeping willows and lush grass by the clear water, although it is close to a busy road, the park remains tranquil and green. It’s common to see elders and children strolling hand in hand here, enjoying a peaceful time.

In May 2011, it was said that Beihu Lake would be constructed nearby in the coming years. Beihu Lake will connect to Daming Lake to the south and Xiaqing River to the north, and Shuitun North Road will pass through the park, incorporating the Zhang Yanghao Tomb within it, making it the largest garden-style lake near Beiyuan Street. The construction of Beihu Lake is highly anticipated.

Zhang Yanghao, courtesy name Ximeng, art name Yunzhuang, was a native of Jinan (now part of Shandong Province), the 23rd-generation descendant of Zhang Jiugao, the younger brother of the famous Tang Dynasty chancellor Zhang Jiuling. Renowned since his youth, he was recommended at the age of 19 to serve as the education magistrate of Dongping. He held various official positions including Magistrate of Tangyi County, Censorate Official, Hanlin Academician, Minister of Rites, and Consultant of the Secretariat. Witnessing the corruption of the Yuan upper ruling class, he cited the need to care for his aging parents as a reason to resign from office in the second year of Emperor Yingzong's Zhi reign (1322), and repeatedly declined subsequent summons. In the second year of Emperor Wenzong's Tianshun reign (1329), amid a severe drought in Guanzhong, he was specially appointed as the Vice Commissioner of Shaanxi Provincial Administration, and thus “distributed all his family possessions” and “set off immediately upon taking office” (as recorded in the “History of Yuan”), rushing to his post overnight. He died of overwork just four months after arriving. He was posthumously honored as Marquis of Bin and given the posthumous title Wen Zhong. His sanqu (a form of lyric poetry) often depicted the pastoral and reclusive life after leaving office.

Historical Records

Zhang Yanghao, courtesy name Ximeng, was a native of Jinan (now part of Shandong Province). As a child, he demonstrated integrity. Once, when he saw someone drop paper money on the road and the person had already left, he chased them down to return it. At the age of ten, he studied diligently without pause. His parents, worried about his overexertion, tried to stop him, but Zhang Yanghao would silently recite texts during the day and read by lamplight behind closed doors at night. When the Inspector of Shandong, Jiao Sui, heard of this, he recommended Zhang to be the education magistrate of Dongping. Later, while traveling to the capital, he submitted writings to the high-ranking official Buhumu, who was greatly impressed and recruited him as a clerk in the Ministry of Rites, also recommending him to the Censorate. One day, when Zhang fell ill, Buhumu personally visited his home to check on him. Seeing the bare walls, Buhumu sighed and said, “This is truly a worthy official.” When Zhang became an official clerk under the prime minister, he was appointed as the Magistrate of Tangyi County. People said the official residence was inauspicious, and no one who lived there could avoid misfortune, but Zhang moved in anyway. He was the first to demolish over thirty illicit temples and abolished the monthly court appearances of former thieves, saying, “They are all common people, driven to theft by hunger and cold. Having already punished them, to continue calling them thieves is to cut off their path to redemption.” Many of the thieves were moved to tears and pledged to one another, “Let’s not betray Magistrate Zhang.” There was a man named Li Hu who had committed murder, and his gang was violent and harmful, making life unbearable for the people. Previous magistrates dared not confront them. When Zhang arrived, he brought all of them to justice, much to the delight of the populace. Even ten years after he left office, a monument was still erected in his honor.

When Emperor Renzong was still in the Eastern Palace, he summoned Zhang to serve as Director of the Imperial Library, but before Zhang arrived, he was reassigned to be a Literature Officer and then appointed as a Censorate Official. Initially, when the establishment of the Ministry of Revenue was proposed, Zhang spoke against its inconvenience. After its establishment, he criticized the reforms for disrupting governance and endangering the nation. The censorate officials suppressed his opinions, so he openly declared, “In the past, when Sangha was in power, the censors remained silent, and nearly all were implicated. Now that the censors have spoken up, yet their words are not heard, what use is the censorate?” At the time, Emperor Wuzong was preparing to personally preside over the Southern Suburb Sacrifice but fell ill and sent ministers in his place. A sudden strong wind arose, causing many to freeze to death. At the sacrifice site, Zhang publicly stated, “The wrong people were sent to perform the sacrifice, hence Heaven has shown its displeasure.” This greatly displeased the current prime minister. When the ministry officials proposed appointing censorate officers, Zhang sighed and said, “A constable is assigned to catch thieves. Even if he is incompetent, would you let the thieves choose their own constables?” He then submitted a memorial of over ten thousand words criticizing current policies: first, excessive rewards; second, lax criminal restrictions; third, undervalued titles and ranks; fourth, weak oversight by the censorate; fifth, excessive construction projects; sixth, frivolous decrees; seventh, too many avenues for favoritism; eighth, overly extravagant customs; ninth, unchecked heterodox teachings; tenth, lenient criteria for selecting chancellors. His words were direct and incisive, intolerable to those in power. He was then appointed as a Hanlin Attendant, but was later framed and dismissed, with orders for the censorate and ministry not to employ him again. Fearing persecution, Zhang changed his name and went into hiding.

After the Ministry of Revenue was disbanded, he was finally summoned to serve as an official in the Right Ministry of Affairs. While in Tangyi, the local Mongol official had previously clashed with him. When the official sought a new position, Zhang spoke to the prime minister on his behalf, and the official was given a desirable post. Zhang was later promoted to Hanlin Direct Academician, then changed to Secretary Supervisor. In the early years of the Yanyou era, when the imperial examination system for jinshi degree candidates was established, he served as Vice Minister of Rites in charge of the examinations. When jinshi candidates came to pay their respects, he did not accept their thanks, only advising them, “Gentlemen, just focus on serving the country — why bother with gratitude?” He was promoted to Censorate Academician of Shaanxi Provincial Administration, then changed to Right Ministry Secretary, and appointed as Minister of Rites. When Emperor Yingzong ascended the throne, he was ordered to participate in Secretariat affairs. During the Lantern Festival, the emperor wished to set up a lantern display in the inner palace. Zhang submitted a memorial to the Left Chancellor Bai Zhu. Bai Zhu presented the memorial to the emperor during his remonstration. It roughly said, “Emperor Shizu ruled for over thirty years, and even during the Lantern Festival, the use of lanterns among the common people was restricted. How much more so for the solemnity of the palace and the depth of the inner court, where extra caution should be exercised. The construction of this lantern mountain — I believe the amusement is minor, but the implications are major; the pleasure is shallow, but the risks are deep. I hope Your Majesty will take frugality and long-term planning as models, and regard extravagance and indulgence as warnings.” The emperor was furious, but after reading it, he said happily, “Only Zhang Ximeng would dare to speak thus.” The plan was immediately canceled, and Zhang was rewarded with golden-woven imperial garments and silk to commend his integrity. Later, citing his aging parents, he resigned to care for them. He was summoned to be Minister of Personnel but declined. During the period of mourning for his father, before the mourning period ended, he was again summoned as Minister of Personnel but firmly refused. In the first year of the Taiding era, he was summoned as the Crown Prince’s Tutor and Lecturer of the Imperial Lectures, but he declined again. He was then appointed as the Inspector of Eastern Huai, then promoted to Hanlin Academician, but he declined all appointments.

In the second year of the Tianshun era, amid a great drought in Guanzhong where starving people resorted to cannibalism, he was specially appointed as Vice Commissioner of Shaanxi Provincial Administration. Upon receiving the decree, he immediately distributed all his family’s possessions to the poor in his hometown, set off in a cart, and provided relief to the hungry along the way, burying the dead. Passing by Mount Hua, he prayed for rain at the mountain temple, weeping and bowing until he could not rise. Suddenly, the sky darkened, and it rained for two days. Upon reaching his post, he prayed again at the community altar, and a heavy rain poured down, with water rising three feet before stopping. Crops sprouted on their own, bringing great joy to the people of Qin. At the time, rice cost thirteen strings of cash per dou, but people holding banknotes found them rejected if even slightly faded. When they went to exchange them at the treasury, corrupt officials colluded to give only five or ten for every ten exchanged, making it impossible for days on end, greatly distressing the people. Zhang inspected the treasury and found 1,085,500-plus strings of cash in faded but verifiable notes. He stamped the back of each and created vouchers worth ten and five strings, distributing them to the poor. He instructed rice merchants to sell based on the stamps and exchange them at the treasury for verification. As a result, official corruption was curbed. He also encouraged wealthy locals to contribute grain and submitted a petition to implement a policy allowing grain donations to earn official ranks. Hearing that some people were killing their own children to feed their mothers, he wept bitterly and used his own money to help. For four months in office, he never returned home, staying at the government office, praying to Heaven at night and distributing relief to the hungry during the day, never slackening for a moment. Each time he thought of their plight, he would beat his chest and weep, eventually falling ill and passing away at the age of sixty. The people of Guanzhong mourned him as if they had lost their parents. In the second year of the Shun reign, he was posthumously honored as Loyal and Benevolent Meritorious Official, Duke of Glory and Grace, Acting Chancellor of the Shaanxi Provincial Administration, Pillar of State, posthumously titled Marquis of Bin, and given the posthumous name Wen Zhong. He had two sons: Qiang and Yin, with Qiang passing away earlier.

Scenic Area Address: Xiluohe Road, Tianqiao District, Jinan City

Transportation: Take bus 82 to Liuyun Community Station, walk straight 200 meters to reach the site

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Shandong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units