Zhang Gao (張鎬) (died 764), courtesy name Congzhou (從周), formally the Duke of Pingyuan (平原公), was a Chinese musician and politician who lived during the Tang dynasty. He served as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Suzong. He was known for his blunt suggestions, which eventually led to his removal as chancellor.
Background
It is not known when Zhang Gao was born, but it is known that his family was from Bo Prefecture (博州, roughly modern Liaocheng, Shandong). His great-grandfather Zhang Shanjian (張善見), grandfather Zhang Wuding (張武定), and father Zhang Zhigu (張知古) all served as prefectural-level officials. Zhang Gao himself was said to be handsome and ambitious, and he often conversed about the affairs of the military and statecraft. He was also said to have studied the Confucian classics but was also devoted to fishing and hunting. In his youth, he studied under the Tang dynasty scholar and official Wu Jing (吳兢), and Wu respected him. Later, when Zhang Gao travelled to the Tang capital Chang'an, he lived in a solitary room and did not associate much with others. However, he liked to drink and played the Guqin. If honored men at court invited him to feast, he would go for the sole purpose of getting drunk.
Toward the end of Tianbao era (742-756) of Emperor Xuanzong, the chancellor Yang Guozhong wanted to retain talented men on his staff. He summoned Zhang and, after meeting him, recommended Zhang to be Zuo Shiyi (左拾遺), a low-level official at the examination bureau of government (門下省, Menxia Sheng). After the general An Lushan rebelled in 755 and established his own state of Yan, Yang often consulted Zhang on military matters, and it was at the recommendation of Zhang and another consultant, Xiao Xin (蕭昕), that Yang made another official, Lai Tian (來瑱), a general, and Lai enjoyed some successes against Yan forces. In summer 756, Yan forces approached Chang'an, forcing Emperor Xuanzong to flee toward Chengdu. Zhang followed Emperor Xuanzong on foot to Chengdu.
During Emperor Suzong's reign
Emperor Xuanzong's son and crown prince Li Heng, however, did not follow him to Chengdu but fled to Lingwu instead, where he was declared emperor (as Emperor Suzong of Tang). When the news reached Emperor Xuanzong, he recognized Emperor Suzong as emperor and took the title of Taishang Huang (retired emperor). He sent a number of officials, including Zhang Gao, to attend to Emperor Suzong, and in 757, Zhang reached Emperor Suzong's makeshift court at Fengxiang (鳳翔, in modern Baoji, Shaanxi). As Emperor Suzong was impressed by Zhang's suggestions, he made Zhang Jianyi Daifu (諫議大夫), a consultant at the examination bureau. He soon further promoted Zhang to be Zhongshu Shilang (中書侍郎), the deputy head of the legislative bureau (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng) and gave him the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事), making him a chancellor de facto. At that time, Emperor Suzong retained several hundred Buddhist monks to recite sutras day and night, hoping to draw divine favor, and their voices carried within and without the makeshift palace. Zhang, wanting to end the practice, spoke to Emperor Suzong:
Emperor Suzong was said to agree with his words, but historical accounts did not indicate whether the practice stopped. Meanwhile, as Emperor Suzong believed Zhang to be capable in both civilian and military matters, he soon made Zhang the military governor (jiedushi) of Henan Circuit (河南, roughly modern Henan and Shandong) and commander of the forces in the region, replacing Helan Jinming (賀蘭進明). Zhang knew that, at that time, the general Zhang Xun and the city that he was defending, Suiyang, were under heavy siege, and he therefore tried to march his troops at twice the speed to try to save Suiyang. He also ordered the generals in the region to report to Suiyang to try to save it, but by the time that he arrived in the locale, Suiyang had already fallen, and Zhang Xun was killed by the Yan general Yin Ziqi (尹子奇). In anger, Zhang Gao summoned one of the generals who had disobeyed his order and who had refused to try to save Suiyang, Luqiu Xiao (閭丘曉) and executed Luqiu by caning. Subsequently, after a joint Tang and Huige force recaptured the Tang eastern capital Luoyang (the force had recaptured Chang'an earlier), Zhang and five military governors under his command, Lu Jiong (魯炅), Lai Tian, Li Zhi (李祇) the Prince of Wu, Li Siye, and Li Huan (李奐), recaptured the commanderies throughout the Henan and Hedong (河東, i.e., modern Shanxi) region, except for two commanderies where the Yan generals Neng Yuanhao (能元皓) and Gao Xiuyan (高秀巖) held out. He was created the Duke of Nanyang.