Zhang Zhao (Eastern Wu)

Zhang Zhao
張昭
A Qing dynasty illustration of Zhang Zhao
General Who Assists Wu (輔吳將軍)
In office 229 (229)–236 (236)
Monarch	Sun Quan
Chancellor	Gu Yong
General Who Pacifies Distant Lands (綏遠將軍)
In office 221 (221)–229 (229)
Monarch	Sun Quan
Chancellor	Sun Shao (222-225) Gu Yong (from 225)
Army Adviser (軍師) (under Sun Quan)
In office c. 209 (c. 209)–220 (220)
Monarch	Emperor Xian of Han
Chancellor	Cao Cao
Chief Clerk (長史) (under Sun Quan)
In office 200 (200) – c. 209 (c. 209)
Monarch	Emperor Xian of Han
General of the Household Who Pacifies the Army (撫軍中郎將) (under Sun Ce)
In office 190s (190s)–200 (200)
Monarch	Emperor Xian of Han
Chief Clerk (長史) (under Sun Ce)
In office 190s (190s)–200 (200)
Monarch	Emperor Xian of Han
Personal details
Born	156[1] Xuzhou, Jiangsu
Died	236 (aged 80)[1]
Children	Zhang Cheng Zhang Xiu
Occupation	Calligrapher, essayist, military general, politician
Courtesy name	Zibu (子布)
Posthumous name	Marquis Wen (文侯)
Peerage	Marquis of Lou (婁侯)

Zhang Zhao (156–236),^[1] courtesy name Zibu, was a Chinese calligrapher, essayist, military general, and politician. He served as an official of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of China. Born in the late Eastern Han dynasty, Zhang Zhao started his career as a scholar in his native Xu Province before the chaos towards the end of the Eastern Han dynasty forced him to flee south to the Jiangdong (or Wu) region for shelter. In Jiangdong, Zhang Zhao became an adviser to the rising warlord Sun Ce. After Sun Ce's death in the year 200, Zhang Zhao played a key supporting role to Sun Ce's younger brother and successor, Sun Quan, as he consolidated power and his control over the Jiangdong territories. In 208, Zhang Zhao strongly urged Sun Quan to surrender to Cao Cao, a rival warlord, because he believed that they stood no chance against an impending invasion by Cao Cao. However, Sun Quan refused to listen to Zhang Zhao and instead heeded the advice of Lu Su and Zhou Yu. Sun Quan's forces ultimately scored a decisive victory over Cao Cao at the Battle of Red Cliffs in the winter of 208. From 200 until his death in 236, Zhang Zhao served under Sun Quan through the collapse of the Eastern Han dynasty and into the Three Kingdoms period after Sun Quan became the founding emperor of the Eastern Wu state. Throughout his career, Zhang Zhao was known for being a stern, uncompromising and intimidating figure who commanded respect from both his colleagues and Sun Quan. Despite Zhang Zhao's seniority and experience, Sun Quan passed him over twice as a candidate for the position of Imperial Chancellor in 222 and 225 as he believed that Zhang Zhao was so headstrong and stubborn that he would not be able to effectively lead the administration. Nevertheless, Sun Quan paid his due respects to Zhang Zhao as a mentor-like figure who saw him through his formative years to his accession to the throne.