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Zhang Hong, courtesy name Zigang, was a native of Guangling Commandery (present-day Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province). He was a minister of the Wu Kingdom during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and an advisor to Sun Ce.

Zhang Hong studied in the capital in his early years, and later sought refuge in Jiangdong. When Sun Ce was establishing his power in Jiangdong, Zhang Hong served as Sun Ce's advisor with the position of Zhengyi Xiaowei.

He followed Sun Ce in his campaigns across the land, assisting him in pacifying Jiangdong. In the fourth year of Jian'an (199 AD) during the reign of Emperor Xian of Han, Zhang Hong was sent by Sun Ce to Xuchang to pay tribute to the emperor.

He was retained by the court as a Censor. In 200 AD, after Sun Ce's death, Sun Quan succeeded him and ruled Jiangdong; at that time, Cao Cao planned to conquer Jiangdong from the south.

Cao Cao was dissuaded by Zhang Hong; he listened to Zhang Hong and appointed Zhang Hong as the Eastern Commandant of Kuaiji Commandery, sending him to Jiangdong to persuade Sun Quan to submit to the court.

Zhang Hong was able to leave the capital and return to Jiangdong, where he was highly valued by Sun Quan and appointed as his chief secretary, handling political affairs alongside Zhang Zhao. Zhang Hong once suggested to Sun Quan that the capital be established in Moling (present-day Nanjing, Jiangsu), which Sun Quan agreed to, and the Stone City was built.

In September of the first year of Huanglong (229 AD), Sun Quan moved the capital to Moling and renamed Moling to Jianye.

Zhang Hong was granted special permission to go to Wu County to fetch his family, but he fell ill and died on the way at the age of sixty.

The Western Jin historian Chen Shou praised Zhang Hong's writings as both well-organized and of upright character, deeming him an outstanding talent. Sun Ce treated him with courtesy second only to Zhang Zhao.
This is indeed reasonable; the late Tang Dynasty poet Sun Yuanyan once wrote a poem titled "Wu · Zhang Hong" praising Zhang Hong's strategies for revitalizing Eastern Wu and his extraordinary literary talent.
His poem reads: "Zhang Gong of the East is different from the rest, and together they have implemented strategies that have been praised throughout Wu. Chen Lin arbitrarily calls himself a hero, but his spirit should make even the great shaman tremble."

Zhang Hong was from Guangling County (present-day Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province). In his youth, he traveled to the capital to study under the scholar Han Zong, learning the Book of Changes and the Book of Documents.
He then went to Waihuang to study the *Han Poetry*, *Book of Rites*, and *Zuo Zhuan* with Puyang Kai. Upon returning to his home prefecture, Zhang Hong was recommended as a *maocai* (a scholar of exceptional talent).
General He Jin, Grand Commandant Zhu Jun, and Minister of Works Xun Shuang also recruited him as an aide, but because of the social unrest at the time, Zhang Hong did not accept any of them and instead chose to go south to Jiangdong to avoid trouble.

When Sun Ce first arrived in Jiangdong, Zhang Hong's mother had just passed away, and he was at home in mourning. Sun Ce visited Zhang Hong several times to consult him on current affairs.
Sun Ce believed that the Han Dynasty was in decline and that various warlords were rising up, each holding their own military power. He intended to carry on his father Sun Jian's legacy and accomplish great things.

Sun Ce planned to join Yuan Shu and request to take command of his father Sun Jian's former troops. He then recruited soldiers to attack Wu Commandery (present-day Wu County, Jiangsu) and Kuaiji Commandery (present-day Shaoxing, Zhejiang).

Seeing Sun Ce's eloquent words and heroic demeanor, Zhang Hong was moved by his ambition and offered him advice. Zhang Hong agreed with Sun Ce's analysis.

He further suggested that after occupying Wu Commandery and Kuaiji, he should lead his troops to unify Jingzhou and Yangzhou, and rely on the natural barrier of the Yangtze River to establish a separatist regime.

In the first year of Xingping (194 AD), Sun Ce prepared to travel to Shouchun (present-day Shouxian County, Huainan City, Anhui Province) to visit Yuan Shu, the governor of Yangzhou, and request military assistance to avenge his father, Sun Jian.
Before leaving, he entrusted his mother and younger brother to Zhang Hong. In December of the second year of Xingping (195 AD), Sun Ce was recommended by Yuan Shu to be the General Who Annihilates Bandits.

Afterwards, Sun Ce submitted a memorial to the court, appointing Zhang Hong as the Commandant of the Right. Zhang Hong followed Sun Ce to attack Danyang Commandery. Sun Ce wanted to personally go to the front lines to fight.
Zhang Hong advised against it, saying that the commander-in-chief was a strategist and the lifeblood of the army, and should not be easily deployed to fight the enemy on the battlefield.

Zhang Hong advised Sun Ce to take care of his health and prioritize the overall situation, so that officials and the people would feel at ease and free from fear.

In the fourth year of Jian'an (199 AD) during the reign of Emperor Xian of Han, Sun Ce sent Zhang Hong to Xuchang to pay tribute to the emperor. Cao Cao wanted to appease and win over Sun Ce.
He then submitted a memorial to Emperor Xian of Han appointing Sun Ce as General Who Subdues Rebels and enfeoffing him as Marquis of Wu, and appointing Zhang Hong as Imperial Censor. During this period, Kong Rong, the Minister of the Imperial Treasury, and others treated Zhang Hong with great kindness.

In April of the fifth year of Jian'an (200 AD), Sun Ce was assassinated while hunting. His younger brother Sun Quan succeeded him and ruled Jiangdong.

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao considered using the opportunity to launch a military campaign against Jiangdong. Zhang Hong advised against it, suggesting that launching a campaign while others were holding a funeral should be avoided.
This was contrary to ancient morality; moreover, if it failed, it would only create another enemy; it would be better to take this opportunity to treat Sun Quan well. Cao Cao heeded Zhang Hong's advice.
He then submitted a memorial to the court, appointing Sun Quan as General Who Subdues the Barbarians and concurrently as Governor of Kuaiji Commandery. Cao Cao wanted to use Zhang Hong to persuade Sun Quan to surrender and submit to the court, so he appointed Zhang Hong as Commandant of the Eastern Region of Kuaiji Commandery.

At that time, Cao Cao was serving as Minister of Works and wanted to win over Zhang Hong. He not only praised him highly but also gave him a new title and honors, and hired him as a staff member.

Later, Zhang Hong was appointed as the governor of Jiujiang Commandery. However, Zhang Hong cherished the kindness of his former lord Sun Ce and was unwilling to betray him, so he soon resigned due to illness.

When Zhang Hong returned to Wu County from the capital, Lady Wu believed that Sun Quan was still too young, so she entrusted Zhang Hong and Zhang Zhao to assist him.

Zhang Hong was a thoughtful and meticulous individual who immediately rectified any oversights he discovered, handling all matters he was aware of with utmost care. Sun Quan later appointed Zhang Hong to serve under Dong Xi, the Commandant of Yangwu.
Some people believe that Zhang Hong was originally appointed by Cao Cao and worry that he has ulterior motives, but Sun Quan does not care.

In 209 AD, the fourteenth year of the Jian'an era, Sun Quan led his army to besiege Hefei. Zhang Hong was appointed as the chief clerk of the general's office and accompanied the army on the campaign. Hefei remained unconquered after a prolonged siege.
Sun Quan wanted to personally lead the army to defeat the enemy. Zhang Hong advised him that weapons are instruments of death. War is inherently dangerous, and now Sun Quan, relying on his superior courage...
His underestimation of the powerful enemy caused worry among the entire army. While Sun Quan's personal charge into battle might indeed have resulted in the slaying of the enemy general,

Pulling down their banners and displaying power on the battlefield is the duty of a subordinate general, not a lord's responsibility. Zhang Hong hoped Sun Quan could suppress Meng Ben...

He possessed the courage of Xia Yu and was dedicated to establishing an imperial dynasty and vying for supremacy. Upon hearing this, Sun Quan decided to withdraw his troops and no longer insisted on leading them into battle.

The following year, Sun Quan wanted to launch another military campaign. Zhang Hong dissuaded him, saying that since ancient times, monarchs who were ordained by Heaven, even with divine protection,

While this allows for the dissemination of civil administration's benevolence, it also necessitates leveraging military achievements to establish prestige. However, true success requires seizing the opportune moment and acting decisively.

Establish prestige. Now, Sun Quan has encountered a once-in-four-hundred-years calamity for the world, and has already established the merit of helping the Han Dynasty to save the nation from peril.

If we could temporarily focus on the army, allowing the soldiers to rest and recuperate, reclaim wasteland, strengthen agricultural production, appoint virtuous and capable individuals, and implement lenient and preferential policies.

By obeying the will of Heaven and stepping forward to punish the wicked at the appropriate time, the army could be pacified without being exhausted. Sun Quan once again heeded Zhang Hong's advice and halted the campaign.

In April of the first year of Huanglong (229 AD), Sun Quan ascended the throne as emperor and established the state of Wu.

Initially, Zhang Hong believed that Moling County (present-day Nanjing, Jiangsu Province) had magnificent mountains and rivers and a superior and strategic geographical location, and proposed that Sun Quan make it the seat of government;

When Liu Bei passed through Moling on his way east, he also advised Sun Quan to seize the area, so Sun Quan built the Stone City. In September of the same year, on Zhang Hong's advice, Sun Quan moved the capital to Moling and renamed it Jianye.

Sun Quan sent Zhang Hong back to Wu County to fetch his family, but Zhang Hong died of illness on the way, at the age of sixty. On his deathbed, Zhang Hong left a letter to his son, Zhang Jing, addressed to Sun Quan. In the letter, Zhang Hong advised Sun Quan to heed the advice of virtuous ministers and treat those who dared to speak frankly and loyally with kindness.
Stay away from petty people, governance should not be biased, and one should think thrice before acting. Sun Quan, upon reading Zhang Hong's letter, couldn't help but shed tears.

Chen Shou, a historian of the Western Jin Dynasty, praised Zhang Hong in his "Records of the Three Kingdoms" for his well-organized and upright writings, deeming him an outstanding talent. It was indeed reasonable for Sun Ce to treat him second only to Zhang Zhao.

The late Tang poet Sun Yuanyan wrote a poem titled "Wu Zhang Hong," which reads: "Zhang Gong of the East is different from the others, and together they have implemented strategies to praise the whole of Wu. Chen Lin arbitrarily calls himself a hero, but his spirit should make even a great shaman tremble."

It highly praised Zhang Hong's strategies for governing the country and bringing prosperity to Eastern Wu, as well as his literary talent that surpassed Chen Lin's.

The Southern Song historian Xiao Chang commented that Zhang Hong and Zhang Zhao were known as the "Two Zhangs." Zhang Hong was known for his gentle yet strict personality, while Zhang Zhao was known for his strong and upright personality.

Zhang Hong died first, but his virtues remain; Zhang Zhao died later, and he is praised even more.

Hao Jing, a historian from the late Song and early Yuan dynasties, commented: When Sun Ce went to visit Zhang Hong alone, Zhang Hong joined his ranks and offered him advice, which is comparable to the loyalty between Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang.

Zhang Zhao served two reigns under the Sun family and was second only to Sun Quan in recommending talented individuals from the Central Plains. He advised Sun Quan to move the capital to Moling (present-day Nanjing, Jiangsu Province), demonstrating insight comparable to Lou Jing, the strategist of Emperor Gaozu of Han (Liu Bang).

When Zhang Hong and Zhang Zhao were both advisors, Sun Ce often had one of them stay behind to guard the city while the other accompanied the army on campaigns. After Lü Bu seized Xu Province through a surprise attack, he appointed himself the governor of Xu Province.

He didn't want Zhang Hong, a native of Xuzhou, to continue working for Sun Ce, so he posthumously recommended him as a talented scholar and even sent someone to deliver a document to summon Zhang Hong.

Zhang Hong himself disliked Lü Bu, considering it a humiliation to serve under him. Sun Ce also valued Zhang Hong's talent and hoped he would stay by his side to assist him.
He replied that he refused the assignment, and told Lü Bu that pearls from the sea are treasures everywhere. Talented people from Chu can also be highly valued in Jin.

A valiant and imposing gentleman is pleasing to everyone who meets him; why must he be required to work in this state?

Zhang Hong was appointed as an Imperial Censor. During his time serving in the Han court, he was very close to Kong Rong, the Minister of the Imperial Treasury, and others. Zhang Hong loved literature and was skilled in regular and seal script calligraphy.

He once wrote a letter to Kong Rong, in which he specifically wrote many characters in seal script. Kong Rong replied, saying, "Thank you for writing so many characters in seal script."

Every time I see these words, I chuckle to myself, as if I'm seeing you in person.

Zhang Hong saw a finely crafted nanmu pillow and was very fond of its patterns, even composing a poem in its honor. Chen Lin, far away in the north, saw it and…
He greatly admired it, circulated it widely, and introduced it as the work of his fellow townsman Zhang Hong. Later, Chen Lin's "Ode to the Arsenal" and "On Responding to Circumstances" reached Eastern Wu.
Zhang Hong, after reading it, also found the writing brilliant and wrote a letter to praise it. Chen Lin replied that it was only because he was located in Hebei, isolated from renowned scholars throughout the land, that he could express his opinion.
There are few good writers here, so I guess I can stand out. Such high praise is an exaggeration for me.

Now that Wang Lang is here, and Zhang Hong and Zhang Zhao are in Eastern Wu, compared to them, I am like a small witch meeting a great witch, and none of my magic works.

Those familiar with the history of the late Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period should know that there were two famous ministers in Eastern Wu, known as the "Two Zhangs": one was Zhang Zhao from Pengcheng, and the other was Zhang Hong from Guangling.

However, compared to Zhang Zhao, a "minor figure from Jiangdong," Zhang Hong, a prominent official of Eastern Wu who was often mentioned alongside the "Two Zhangs," has a relatively weak presence in historical records.
Many Wu fans overlook him. Why then is Zhang Hong's presence in historical records so weak?

First, the relationship between the brothers Sun Ce and Sun Quan and the literati of Jiangdong (mainly the local gentry of Jiangdong and some gentry who migrated south) was rather delicate.

With the exception of a very few individuals, the civil officials of Eastern Wu generally only began to gain prominence around the second year of the Huangchu era (221 AD), after Sun Quan was enfeoffed as the King of Wu.
For example, Gu Yong, Bu Zhi, and so on. According to historical records, Zhang Hong died in the seventeenth year of Jian'an (212 AD), not at the right time.

Secondly, according to Pei Songzhi's annotations, the division of labor between the "two Zhangs" (Zhang Zhao and Zhang Hong) after they followed Sun Ce was that "one of them was always assigned to guard the area, while the other accompanied them on campaigns."
Zhang Hong was the one who "followed the expedition." Therefore, many of Zhang Hong's early deeds were likely attributed to Sun Ce, a similar situation to Xun You of Cao Wei.

After Sun Quan succeeded to the throne, Zhang Hong, who was appointed as the Eastern Commandant of Kuaiji, was stationed for a long time in the relatively stable lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

Third, according to historical records, Zhang Hong was sent to Xuchang to serve the Eastern Han court controlled by Cao Cao before Sun Ce was assassinated (in the fourth year of Jian'an, Ce sent Zhang Hong to the Xu Palace with a memorial and kept him as a censor).

It wasn't until Sun Quan succeeded to the throne that Zhang Hong, who had been appointed by Cao Cao as the Eastern Commandant of Kuaiji, returned to Jiangdong.

In other words, Zhang Hong at this time not only missed the handover between the Sun brothers, but also held a sensitive official position "appointed by Cao Cao".

This is why Zhang Hong's position within Sun Quan's group was somewhat awkward after his return to Jiangdong. Although Sun Quan outwardly respected Zhang Hong,
However, Sun Quan remained wary of Zhang Hong. It wasn't until around the time of the Battle of Red Cliffs in 208 AD that Zhang Hong regained Sun Quan's true trust.

However, Zhang Hong had less than four years left to live at this time, so his presence in historical records was naturally not strong.

Zhang Hong went to Eastern Wu to seek refuge. At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Yellow River basin was in turmoil, so Zhang Hong went to Eastern Wu, where the situation was relatively stable.

However, some might say that since Eastern Wu and Cao Wei were at war at the Battle of Red Cliffs, Zhang Hong still couldn't escape. We know that the Battle of Red Cliffs took place in Hubei, which was quite far from Eastern Wu's main camp. As a civil official, Zhang Hong wouldn't have gone to the battlefield.

This wasn't because Zhang Hong feared war, but rather because he was unwilling to participate in it, as it would affect his family. If He Jin and others invited Zhang Hong, it was possible that Zhang Hong would directly participate in the war.

Furthermore, He Jin was also a warlord at the time, and other warlords were also vying for his support. As a relative of the emperor, many people did not support He Jin, so Zhang Hong's following He Jin was very disadvantageous for him.

Zhang Hong's final decision to join Eastern Wu was mainly due to the Sun family's high regard for him.

When Zhang Hong sought refuge in Eastern Wu, he joined Sun Ce. At this time, Eastern Wu had just been established, and Sun Ce took Zhang Hong under his wing.
Furthermore, Sun Ce accepted and adopted all of Zhang Hong's suggestions, demonstrating Sun Ce's high regard for and reliance on Zhang Hong. (End of Chapter)