Guo Zhang (died between July 291 and 7 May 300) was a politician of the Western Jin. 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.
Guo Zhang | |
|---|---|
| 郭彰 | |
| General of the Guards (衛將軍) | |
| In office ?–? | |
| Monarch | Emperor Hui of Jin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Unknown Yangqu County, Shanxi |
| Died | between July 291 and 7 May 300 Luoyang, Henan |
| Courtesy name | Shuwu (叔武) |
| Peerage | Marquis of Guanjun County (冠軍縣侯) |
| Posthumous name | Lie (烈) |
Life
editEarly career
editGuo Zhang was a member of the Guo clan of Yangqu County, Taiyuan Commandery. He was a cousin (or an uncle, which, if the case, means that he was also the brother of the Cao Wei general, Guo Huai (郭淮)) of Guo Huai (郭槐), the wife of the prominent Jin minister, Jia Chong. He and Guo Huai were described as close as brother and sister, and he was also on good terms with Jia Chong.[1] He successively served as Regular Mounted Attendant and Master of Writing.
On one occasion, Emperor Wu of Jin 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 Wuhuan. I believe he is worthy of the office."[2]
Service under Empress Jia
editEmperor Wu died in April 290, and was succeeded by his developmentally disabled son, Emperor Hui of Jin. Emperor Hui's wife and Guo Huai's daughter, Jia Nanfeng, 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.[3]
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.[4] 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".[5] 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.[6] When the minister, Liu Song, 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.[7]
In an unspecified year, a fire broke out in the imperial armory in Luoyang. 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, 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.[8]
Guo Zhang died in an unknown year, and he was posthumously given the name "Lie" (烈).[9] In May 300, Empress Jia and her partisans were purged following a coup by the Prince of Zhao, Sima Lun, who had previously won the trust of Guo Zhang and Jia Mi after he moved to Luoyang in 296.
References
edit- ^ (與賈充素相親遇，充妻待彰若同生。) Jin Shu, vol.40
- ^ (武帝欲以琦為佐著作郎，問琦族人尚書郭彰。彰素疾琦，答云：「不識」。帝曰：「若如卿言，烏丸家兒能事卿，即堪為郎矣。」) Jin Shu, vol.94
- ^ (於是賈謐、郭彰權勢愈盛，賓客盈門。謐雖驕奢而好學，喜延士大夫，郭彰...) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.82
- ^ (岐盛說瑋：「宜因兵勢，遂誅賈、郭以正王室，安天下。」) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.82
- ^ (世人稱爲「賈郭」，謂謐及彰也。) Jin Shu, vol.40
- ^ (由是權在羣下，政出多門，勢位之家，更相薦託，有如互市。賈、郭恣橫，貨賂公行。南陽魯褒作《錢神論》以譏之曰：「錢之爲體，有《乾》、《坤》之象，親之如兄，字曰孔方。無德而尊，無勢而熱，排金門，入紫闥，危可使安，死可使活，貴可使賤，生可使殺。是故忿爭非錢不勝，幽滯非錢不拔，怨讎非錢不解，令聞非錢不發。洛中朱衣、當塗之士，愛我家兄，皆無已已，執我之手，抱我終始。凡今之人，惟錢而已！」) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.83
- ^ (頌遷吏部尚書，建九班之制，欲令百官居職希遷，考課能否，明其賞罰。賈、郭用權，仕者欲速，事竟不行。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.83
- ^ (其後武庫火，尚書郭彰率百人自衛而不救火，暾正色詰之。彰怒曰：「我能截君角也。」暾勃然謂彰曰：「君何敢恃寵作威作福，天子法冠而欲截角乎！」求紙筆奏之，彰伏不敢言，眾人解釋，乃止。彰久貴豪侈，每出輒眾百餘人。自此之後，務從簡素。) Jin Shu, vol.45
- ^ (卒，諡曰烈。) Jin Shu, vol.40
- Fang, Xuanling (ed.) (648). Book of Jin (Jin Shu).
- Sima, Guang (1084). Zizhi Tongjian.