⬅️ 唐诗 Tang Poems
Zhang Jiuling (张九龄,678-740 AD) was a statesman, a scholar and a poet of Tang Dynasty. He was called "the last prominent chancellor of Tang", best known for his honest and straightforward character. The day when Zhang Jiuling was removed from the chancellor position was regarded by many as the watershed of Emperor Xuanzong's (唐玄宗) reign.
Emperor Xuanzong's reign was called the prime time of Tang Dynasty (or high Tang) and the golden age in the history of China. The peace and prosperity were ended by general An Lushan's rebellion in 755 AD. Nineteen years before his rebellion, general An Lushan once failed to follow a military order and was supposed to be executed by law. Zhang Jiuling suggested emperor Xuanzong carry out the execution. Having met general An before, Zhang saw through An Lushan's temperament and believed if someone in future would bring the empire into turmoil, it must be An Lushan. However, impressed by An's military ability, emperor Xuanzong pardoned An Lushan and let him return to military.
In 755 AD, An Lushan rebelled. The country fell into war and chaos. In just 8 years, the empire lost more than half of its population. After fleeing from capital city of Chang'an, Emperor Xuanzong remembered Zhang Jiuling's suggestion. He sent an envoy to Zhang Jiuling's hometown, to offer sacrifice before Zhang's tomb. One Zhang Jiuling's legacy is the Mei Pass road (梅关古道). Zhang resigned from his post in 716 AD due to a dispute with chancellor Yao Chong. He returned to his hometown Lingnan (岭南),now in Guangdong province. The next year he requested support from imperial court to build a road across Dayu Mountain (大庾岭) to connect Lingnan, a rather remote place at that time, with inland territories. Under his supervision, a 8km long, 5 meter wide route was built on the mountain. At one point workers had to cut through a hill of 30 meters high. Although not a trade route anymore, Mei Pass route has become a cultural relic and a tourist attraction today. Another Zhang Jiuling's legacy is his poems. Five of his poems were selected in the anthology Three Hundred Tang Poems, including this Looking at The Moon and Thinking of Friends and Family Far Away. The first sentence of this poem,"The bright moon rises up from the sea, The whole world shares this moment with thee. (海上生明月，天涯共此时)", is regarded as one of the masterpieces that transcends time.
