Zhang Song

Historical Record

Zhang Song, courtesy name Yongnian (the Records of the Three Kingdoms does not record his courtesy name; this is supplied by the novel), was a man of Shu commandery and once served as Aide-de-Camp of Yi Province. In the sixteenth year of the Jian'an era (211 CE), the Governor of Yi Province, Liu Zhang, on hearing that Cao Cao was about to send Zhong Yao and others to campaign against Zhang Lu of Hanzhong, was inwardly afraid. Zhang Song counseled Liu Zhang, pointing out that Cao Cao's troops were strong, and that if Cao Cao used the pretext of campaigning against Zhang Lu to scheme for Yi Province, no one could withstand him. He advised Liu Zhang to invite Liu Bei, who bore a deep enmity toward Cao Cao, to come and campaign against Zhang Lu, so as to strengthen Yi Province and withstand Cao Cao. Liu Zhang adopted Zhang Song's advice and sent Fa Zheng with four thousand men to welcome Liu Bei, presenting him with vast gifts of wealth before and after ^c:1694.

Earlier, Zhang Song had been dispatched by Liu Zhang to go to Xu to have audience with Cao Cao. However, Cao Cao had by then already pacified Jing Province and defeated Liu Bei, and was self-satisfied; he treated Zhang Song without much courtesy, leaving Zhang Song resentful ^c:1693. On his return, Zhang Song disparaged Cao Cao to Liu Zhang, urging him to break off relations with Cao Cao and advising friendship with Liu Bei. Liu Zhang heeded Zhang Song's advice, sent Fa Zheng to make contact with Liu Bei, and later had Fa Zheng and Meng Da deliver several thousand troops to help Liu Bei in defense. Zhang Song also pointed out to Liu Zhang that the various generals of the province, such as Pang Xi and Li Yi, presumed on their merit and were arrogant, and might harbor disloyal intent; and that if Liu Bei were not invited into Shu, Yi Province would face the predicament of foreign foes and inner turmoil. Liu Zhang again followed him and sent Fa Zheng to invite Liu Bei into Shu ^c:1693.

After Liu Bei entered Shu, Zhang Song, together with Fa Zheng, Pang Tong, and others, secretly plotted; they once advised Liu Bei to seize Liu Zhang at the meeting at Fucheng, but Liu Bei held that the matter was too grave to be acted on hastily ^c:1694. In the seventeenth year of the Jian'an era (212 CE), Cao Cao campaigned against Sun Quan, and Sun Quan sought aid from Liu Bei. Liu Bei used this to demand over ten thousand troops and supplies from Liu Zhang, claiming he would go east to aid Sun Quan. Liu Zhang agreed to provide only four thousand troops, and gave only half of the other supplies. Seeing that Liu Bei was slow to take Yi Province, Zhang Song wrote to Liu Bei and Fa Zheng, urging them to act quickly. Zhang Song's elder brother, the Administrator of Guanghan, Zhang Su, fearing the calamity would reach himself, denounced Zhang Song's plot to Liu Zhang. On learning of it, Liu Zhang arrested and beheaded Zhang Song, and from this the rift between Yi Province and Liu Bei arose ^c:10522.

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhang Song is given more vivid traits of character and dramatized episodes. He is portrayed as an ugly man, "with a jutting brow and pointed head, a snub nose and protruding teeth, less than five feet tall, his voice like a bronze bell" ^c:1696, yet learned and possessed of a prodigious memory, forgetting nothing he saw, and sharp in debate. In the novel, Zhang Song offered Liu Zhang a plan, advising him to send someone to Xu to persuade Cao Cao to attack Zhang Lu and so relieve the threat to Yi Province. Zhang Song volunteered to go himself, secretly carrying a map of the geography of Sichuan ^c:1696.

At Xu, Zhang Song met with Cao Cao's coldness and arrogance. Because of his poor looks and his blunt words, Cao Cao disliked him greatly ^c:10482. In his conversation with Yang Xiu, Zhang Song displayed extraordinary talent and self-assurance. He not only sneered at Cao Cao's New Book of Mengde, declaring it the work of some nameless writer of the Warring States period that even a three-foot child of Shu could recite from memory, but recited it through on the spot, astonishing Yang Xiu ^c:10490. At a review of the troops on the parade ground, Zhang Song, facing Cao Cao's fifty thousand crack soldiers, did not abandon his satirical bent, bluntly declaring that Cao Cao's being "without equal under Heaven" was built upon such defeats as the attack on Lü Bu at Puyang, the battle with Zhang Xiu at Wancheng, the encounter with Zhou Yu at Red Cliffs, and the meeting with Guan Yu at Huarong, enraging Cao Cao and nearly getting himself beheaded ^c:10493.

After being driven out with cudgels by Cao Cao, Zhang Song turned his route through Jing Province, where he received a grand reception from Liu Bei. Liu Bei's magnanimity and love of scholars stood in sharp contrast to Cao Cao's arrogance, deeply moving Zhang Song. For three days Liu Bei did not bring up the matter of the western lands of Shu; instead, Zhang Song of his own accord presented the map of the geography of the western lands and declared his willingness to act as an inside agent, urging Liu Bei to take Yi Province ^c:1698. In the novel, Zhang Song also recommended Fa Zheng and Meng Da to Liu Bei as confidants to plan the great enterprise of taking Shu together ^c:1698. After returning to Yi Province, he secretly plotted with Fa Zheng and Meng Da and recommended the two to Liu Zhang to go to Jing Province, paving the way for Liu Bei's entry into Shu ^c:1699. During Liu Bei's journey into Shu, Huang Quan and Li Hui remonstrated with Liu Zhang, but Zhang Song overrode all objections, insisting on welcoming Liu Bei into Shu, and on the grounds that "the various generals of the province presume on their merit and are arrogant, each harboring outside intentions," further pressed Liu Zhang to receive Liu Bei ^c:10517.

In the end, Zhang Song wrote to urge Liu Bei to take Yi Province quickly; the letter's words were so vehement that they were discovered by his elder brother Zhang Su and reported. On learning of it, Liu Zhang had Zhang Song beheaded—an episode largely consistent with history ^c:1700.

Key Relationships

* Liu Zhang's faction (serves): Zhang Song was Liu Zhang's Aide-de-Camp and repeatedly offered Liu Zhang counsel, including advising friendship with Liu Bei to oppose Cao Cao and Zhang Lu ^c:1693. In the end, however, he betrayed Liu Zhang, secretly plotting to deliver Yi Province to Liu Bei.
* Liu Bei (advises_in): After meeting with Cao Cao's coldness, Zhang Song turned to Liu Bei. He presented Liu Bei with the map of the geography of Yi Province, promised to act as an inside agent, and actively pushed Liu Bei to take possession of Yi Province ^c:1698.
* Cao Cao (rival_of): Zhang Song came to resent Cao Cao for his arrogance and contempt, and on returning to Shu strenuously disparaged Cao Cao, urging Liu Zhang to break off relations with him ^c:1693. In the novel, he even debated Cao Cao directly, exposing his shortcomings, and nearly lost his life ^c:10493.
* Yang Xiu (rival_of): In the novel, Zhang Song had a brilliant debate with Yang Xiu. With his prodigious memory, Zhang Song recited the New Book of Mengde before the company, astonishing the self-assured Yang Xiu ^c:10490 (novel only).
* Fa Zheng, Meng Da (allies): Zhang Song was close to Fa Zheng and Meng Da, secretly plotting with them to deliver Yi Province to Liu Bei. He recommended the two to Liu Bei as confidants ^c:1698.
* Zhang Su (brother, betrayer): Zhang Song's elder brother Zhang Su, fearing the calamity would reach himself, denounced Zhang Song's plot, leading to Zhang Song's death ^c:10522.

Iconic Scenes

* Audience with Cao Cao at Xu, met with contempt: Zhang Song, on Liu Zhang's orders, went to Xu, but because of his poor looks and blunt words met with Cao Cao's coldness and contempt, which became an important reason for his turning to Liu Bei ^c:1693. In the novel, this scene is depicted far more dramatically, with Zhang Song's debate with Yang Xiu and his recitation of the New Book of Mengde before the company greatly enriching the character ^c:10490 (novel only).
* Mocking Cao Cao on the parade ground, narrowly escaping beheading: In the novel, when Cao Cao flaunted his military strength on the parade ground, Zhang Song, undaunted, bluntly recounted Cao Cao's defeats, enraging him and nearly getting himself beheaded. This scene fully displays Zhang Song's boldness and sharp eloquence ^c:10493 (novel only).
* Presenting the map to Liu Bei at Jing Province, bringing about the entry into Shu: After meeting with Cao Cao's coldness, Zhang Song turned his route through Jing Province and was received courteously by Liu Bei. Moved by Liu Bei's benevolence, he of his own accord presented the map of the geography of Yi Province, promised to act as an inside agent, and strenuously urged Liu Bei to take possession of Yi Province ^c:1698. This was the most crucial turning point in Zhang Song's life, directly bringing about Liu Bei's seizure of Yi Province.
* Plot exposed, beheaded after denunciation by his brother: After Liu Bei entered Shu, Zhang Song wrote to urge Liu Bei to act quickly, but was discovered and denounced by his elder brother Zhang Su. On learning of it, Liu Zhang had Zhang Song beheaded, ending his controversial life ^c:10522. This ending was both the price of his treachery and an embodiment of the caprice of individual fate in a chaotic age.