Guo Zhang (died between July 291 and 7 May 300) was a politician of the
Western Jin
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. He was a maternal relative of Empress Jia, and after she took power in 291, he and Empress Jia's nephew, Jia Mi, wielded significant power over the imperial court. Guo Zhang and Jia Mi were known by the people of their time as "Jia-Guo" (賈郭), and under the two, the Jin government became increasingly corrupt.
Life
Early career
Guo Zhang was a member of the Guo clan of
Yangqu County
Yangqu County () is a county of Shanxi Province, North China, it is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Taiyuan, the capital of the province, and is both its northernmost and easternmost county-level division.
History
In 19 ...
, Taiyuan Commandery. He was a cousin (or an uncle, which, if the case, means that he was also the brother of the
Cao Wei
Wei () was one of the major Dynasties in Chinese history, dynastic states in China during the Three Kingdoms period. The state was established in 220 by Cao Pi based upon the foundations laid by his father Cao Cao during the end of the Han dy ...
general,
Guo Huai
Guo Huai (died 23 February 255), courtesy name Boji, was a Chinese military general of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He started his career towards the end of the Eastern Han dynasty under the warlord Cao Cao a ...
(郭淮)) of
Guo Huai
Guo Huai (died 23 February 255), courtesy name Boji, was a Chinese military general of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He started his career towards the end of the Eastern Han dynasty under the warlord Cao Cao a ...
(郭槐), the wife of the prominent Jin minister,
Jia Chong
Jia Chong (217 – 19 May 282), courtesy name Gonglü, was a Chinese politician who lived during the late Three Kingdoms period and early Jin dynasty of China. He started his career as an advisor to Sima Shi and Sima Zhao, the regents of the s ...
. He and Guo Huai were described as close as brother and sister, and he was also on good terms with Jia Chong. He successively served as Regular Mounted Attendant and Master of Writing.
On one occasion,
Emperor Wu of Jin
Emperor Wu of Jin (; 236 – 16 May 290), personal name Sima Yan (), courtesy name Anshi (安世), was a grandson of Sima Yi, nephew of Sima Shi and son of Sima Zhao. He became the first emperor of the Jin dynasty (266–420), Jin dynasty a ...
wanted to appoint one of Guo Zhang's relatives, Guo Qi (郭琦), as an Assistant Gentleman Editor, so Emperor Wu asked Guo Zhang for his thoughts on the matter. Guo Zhang hated Guo Qi, so he simply replied, "I do not know". Still, Emperor Wu insisted on giving Guo Qi the position, saying, "If one speaks like a minister, then he is capable of becoming a minister, even if he is a son of
Emperor Hui of Jin
Emperor Hui of Jin (; 259 – January 8, 307), personal name Sima Zhong (司馬衷), courtesy name Zhengdu (正度), was the second emperor of the Western Jin dynasty. Emperor Hui was a developmentally disabled ruler, and throughout his reign, th ...
. Emperor Hui's wife and Guo Huai's daughter,
Jia Nanfeng
Jia Nanfeng (257 – 13 May 300), nicknamed Shi (峕), was a Chinese empress consort. She was a daughter of Jia Chong and the first wife of Emperor Hui of the Jin dynasty and also a granddaughter of Jia Kui. She is commonly seen as a villain ...
, became empress as a result. Guo Zhang was appointed as Guard General of the Right. In 291, Empress Jia successfully overthrew her co-regent, Yang Jun and began ruling Jin behind her husband. Guo Zhang was one of the few people she entrusted in running the state, and together with Empress Jia's nephew, Jia Mi, the two became the most influential figures within the Jin court. Guo Zhang's mansion was often filled with guests, and he was also one of the Twenty-Four Friends of Jingu (金谷二十四友); an inner circle of celebrities consisting of Jia Mi's closest associates.
When Empress Jia deposed Yang Jun, she had done so with the help of the Prince of Chu, Sima Wei. In July 291, Sima Wei's subordinate, Qi Sheng (岐盛), urged him to raise his army and execute Guo Zhang and Jia Mi. Sima Wei was undecided, and before he could act, Empress Jia had him arrested and executed. Guo Zhang eventually became General of the Guards and given the title of Marquis of Guanjun County.
As Guo Zhang and Jia Mi dominated the Jin court, the two were often collectively referred to as "Jia-Guo". Under the two, the court was rampant with corruption and bribery, with many officials competing with each other for wealth. A hermit named Lu Bao (魯褒) wrote a satirical article title "''Discussion on the Divinity of Money"'' (錢神論) to criticize the Jia-Guo administration. When the minister,
Liu Song
Song, known as Liu Song (), Former Song (前宋) or Song of (the) Southern dynasties (南朝宋) in historiography, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China and the first of the four Northern and Southern dynasties#Southern dynasti ...
, proposed a system of nine classes to assess each minister's capability and how they should be rewarded or punished, Guo Zhang and Jia Mi vehemently opposed it as it would diminish their influence. The two were backed by several officials, so the system was not implemented.
In an unspecified year, a fire broke out in the imperial armory in
Luoyang
Luoyang ( zh, s=洛阳, t=洛陽, p=Luòyáng) is a city located in the confluence area of the Luo River and the Yellow River in the west of Henan province, China. Governed as a prefecture-level city, it borders the provincial capital of Zheng ...
. At the time, Guo Zhang had a hundred men under him, but instead of lending them to put out the fire, he was more interested in protecting his own property. One minister,
Liu Tun
Liu Tun (died 311), courtesy name Changsheng, was an official of the Jin dynasty (266–420). During the War of the Eight Princes, he was one of the few ministers entrusted in managing the Eastern Court while Emperor Hui of Jin was kept in Chan ...
, severely questioned him for his action. Guo Zhang angrily said, "Sir, I can easily cut off your horns if I wanted to!" Liu Tun replied, "How dare you use favour to act like a tyrant! Are you going to cut the Son of Heaven's '' faguan'' as well?" Liu Tun attempted to remove Guo Zhang from office, and Guo Zhang was unable to defend himself. Despite everyone else making excuses on behalf of Guo Zhang, Liu Tun refused to relent. After the incident, Guo Zhang was said to have become less extravagant and led a more simple life.
Guo Zhang died in an unknown year, and he was posthumously given the name "Lie" (烈).(卒，諡曰烈。) ''Jin Shu'', vol.40 In May 300, Empress Jia and her partisans were purged following a coup by the Prince of Zhao,
Sima Lun
Sima Lun () (born before 250 – poisoned June 5, 301), courtesy name Ziyi (), was titled the Prince of Zhao () and the usurper of the Jin dynasty from February 3 to May 31, 301. He is usually not counted in the list of Jin emperors due to h ...
, who had previously won the trust of Guo Zhang and Jia Mi after he moved to Luoyang in 296.
Book of Jin
The ''Book of Jin'' is an official Chinese historical text covering the history of the Jin dynasty (266–420), Jin dynasty from 266 to 420. It was compiled in 648 by a number of officials commissioned by the imperial court of the Tang dynasty, ...
Zizhi Tongjian
The ''Zizhi Tongjian'' (1084) is a chronicle published during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127) that provides a record of Chinese history from 403 BC to 959 AD, covering 16 dynasties and spanning almost 1400 years. The main text is ...