Zhang Yan (Three Kingdoms)

Chinese
t=張燕
s=张燕

Zhang Yan, né Chu Yan (褚燕), also known as Zhang Feiyan (張飛燕), was the leader of Heishan bandits. He was a native of Zhending, Changshan commandery (modern Baoding).

He was born Chu Yan. Because he was fast, and agile, and brave, his men called him "Feiyan", meaning "Flying Swallow".

Not much was known about him historically until 185, when he and Zhang Niujue (張牛角, Oxhorn Zhang -- a nickname), another bandit leader, raided the town of Yingtao (癭陶). Zhang Niujue was killed, but before he died, he ordered his men to obey Feiyan as their new leader. Yan thus changed his surname to Zhang to honour Zhang Niujue.

His force steadily grew in strength, until they were said to be a million in number. They became known as the Heishan bandits. All the commanderies north of the Yellow River were exposed to their attacks and the court could do nothing to stop them.

In 193, Zhang Yan fought to a stalemate against Lü Bu -- who at the time was serving nominally under Yuan Shao and undertook his quest to pacify various regions neighboring the Taihang Mountains.

In 199, he responded to Gongsun Zan's request for help in the Battle of Yijing. Before he arrived, Gongsun Zan was destroyed by Yuan Shao.

In 204, he made contact with Cao Cao, who at the time was warring against Yuan Shao's sons Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang. Cao Cao appointed him General Who Pacified the North (Pingbei Jiangjun 平北將軍).

In summer 205, after the Yuans were destroyed, Zhang Yan officially surrendered to Cao Cao and was made Marquis of Anguo Village (安國亭侯).

ee also

*Three Kingdoms
*Personages of the Three Kingdoms
*"Records of Three Kingdoms"
*"Romance of the Three Kingdoms"

References

*de Crespigny, Rafe. [http://dspace.anu.edu.au/html/1885/42048/peace1_index.html "To Establish Peace: being the Chronicle of the Later Han dynasty for the years 189 to 220 AD as recorded in Chapters 59 to 69 of the Zizhi tongjian of Sima Guang". Volume 1.] Faculty of Asian Studies, The Australian National University, Canberra. 1996. ISBN 0-7315-2526-4.
*de Crespigny, Rafe. [http://dspace.anu.edu.au/html/1885/42048/peace2_index.html "To Establish Peace: being the Chronicle of the Later Han dynasty for the years 189 to 220 AD as recorded in Chapters 59 to 69 of the Zizhi tongjian of Sima Guang". Volume 2.] Faculty of Asian Studies, The Australian National University, Canberra. 1996. ISBN 0-7315-2536-1.
*de Crespigny, Rafe. [http://dspace.anu.edu.au/html/1885/42048/HuanLing_index.html "Emperor Huan and Emperor Ling being the Chronicle of the Later Han dynasty for the years for the years 157 to 189 AD as recorded in Chapters 54 to 59 of the Zizhi tongjian of Sima Guang". Volume 2.] Faculty of Asian Studies, The Australian National University, Canberra. 1996. ISBN 0-7315-0655-3.
*Sima, Guang. ""