家世

出身清河張氏，北魏太山太守張岱，自河內徙清河。岱曾孫幸，後魏青州刺史、平陸侯。生准，東青州刺史，襲侯。准生靈真。真生彞，隋末徙魏州昌樂。

• 高祖：張彞字慶賓，後魏光祿大夫、侍中、平陸孝侯。

• 曾祖：張始均，字孝衡，尚書郎。

• 祖父：張晏之，字熙德，北齊北徐州刺史、恭公。生謁者大夫乾威、陽城令乾雄。

• 伯父：張乾威（墓誌記載為張虔威）字元敬，隋謁者大夫攝江都贊治。生張元爽、張文收、張文璹。

• 父親：張乾雄（虔雄），隋壽春、陽城令。生張文禧、張文琮、張文瓘。

張文瓘生于隋煬帝大業二年（606年），祖上是貝州武城人，但大業末年搬家到魏州昌樂。早孤，事母兄以孝友聞名。唐太宗貞觀（626年—649年）初年，中明經，補并州長史李世勣參軍。李世勣很重視他，曾說：「稚圭是當今的管仲、蕭何，我比不上他。」一次李世勣去京城長安入朝面聖時，張文瓘和兩位屬僚設宴為他餞行。李世勣分別把佩刀和玉帶送給那兩個屬僚，卻沒給張文瓘任何東西。張文瓘生疑，問及緣由，李世勣答：「你沒有過錯。某人猶豫不決，我給他佩刀鼓勵他果斷；某人放誕不檢點，所以我給他玉帶希望他約束自己。若說你的才能，你將來什麼都不會缺，還用我送你嗎？」李世勣後來舉薦張文瓘之才，張文瓘累遷水部員外郎。其兄張文琮時任戶部侍郎，兄弟倆都在尚書省，違背了封建舊制，于是張文瓘不久就被出為雲陽令。

唐高宗年間

龍朔年間，張文瓘累授東西台舍人、參知政事。顯慶年間，張文瓘在東台舍人任上曾奉詔校勘四部群書。乾封二年（667年）四月，在東台舍人任上被授同東西台三品，為實質宰相，兼知左史事。當時，唐高宗建造蓬萊、上陽、合璧等宮，國庫空虛，還養了一萬匹廄馬以為征討四夷之軍用。張文瓘因而以隋煬帝的類似行為招致民怨和亡國之事警告高宗，高宗因而減少了數千廄馬，賜張文瓘繒錦百段。總章二年（669年）二月，遷東台侍郎。同中書門下三品成為宰相銜，從張文瓘開始。

咸亨二年（671年）正月，高宗幸東都洛陽，留皇太子李弘監國，令戴至德、張文瓘、李敬玄等侍臣輔佐之。三年（672年），官名複舊，改授黃門侍郎，兼太子左庶子，因李弘多病，事務多由同為兼太子左庶子的戴至德、張文瓘和右庶子蕭德昭決斷。十月，檢校大理卿（等同最高法院法官），依舊為同中書門下三品知政事。張文瓘有效且公平地複查案卷，不到十天就決斷疑案四百餘條，即使被他判處有罪的人也無怨言，他還能為無罪之人翻案。他曾患病，等待他複查案卷的囚犯都為他祈禱，希望他立即好起來恢復工作。當時人稱他執法公平寬大，堪比唐太宗年間著名的大理少卿戴胄。上元二年（675年）八月，拜侍中，九月，兼太子賓客。囚犯們得知他升遷不再擔任大理卿，都悲傷地哭了。有時他臥病在家，宰相們對高宗奏事，高宗便問他們是否已和張文瓘商議過，若答未曾，則派他們去張文瓘府上共同商議，若答已商議過，則都准奏。

儀鳳年間，張文瓘與左僕射劉仁軌、右僕射戴至德、中書令李敬玄、右庶子郝處俊、黃門侍郎來恆、左庶子高智周、右庶子李義琰、吏部侍郎裴行儉、馬載、兵部侍郎蕭德昭、裴炎、工部侍郎李義琛、刑部侍郎張楚、金部郎中盧律師等奉敕刪緝刑法格式，並于二年（677年）二月九日撰定《永徽留本司格後》十一卷奏上。三年（678年）九月，張文瓘病重，得知高宗準備討伐新羅，乘輿入見，對高宗說：「現在我們正在防禦吐蕃入侵。新羅雖然不順，卻沒有犯境。若分兵東征，臣擔心政府和百姓都承受不住。」高宗聽從了，取消討伐新羅。同月，張文瓘病故，謚懿。因他曾侍奉先于675年就去世並被追封為孝敬皇帝的李弘，唐高宗敕他陪葬李弘陵墓恭陵。

唐德宗年間，張文瓘得續圖凌煙閣。

子孫

• 張漪

• 張潛，揚州長史

　• 張寬，庫部郎中

　• 張㝏，杭州刺史

• 張沛，同州刺史

　• 張成綺，金吾將軍

• 張洽，魏州刺史

　• 張宥，揚州長史

　　• 張袞，虢州刺史

　　　• 張載華，兼御史中丞

　　　　• 張正則

　　　　　• 張知實，字冠仁

　　　　　　• 張保望，字渭叟

　　• 張褒

• 張涉，殿中監、汴州刺史。唐隆政變中被殺

　• 張雕，陸渾丞

　• 張士矩，右司郎中

• 張沖，字孝源，介休令

注釋

Background

Zhang Wenguan was born in 606, during the reign of Emperor Yang of Sui. His family was originally from what would eventually become Bei Prefecture (貝州, part of modern Xingtai, Hebei), but moved to what would eventually become Wei Prefecture (魏州, roughly modern Handan, Hebei) early in Zhang Wenguan's life. He lost his father when he was young, and was said to serve his mother and older brother(s) appropriately. Early in the reign of Emperor Taizong of Tang (r. 626–649), Zhang passed the imperial examination and was made a military advisor to the secretary general of Bing Prefecture (并州, roughly modern Taiyuan, Shanxi), Li Shiji. Li valued his service greatly, and on one occasion stated, "Zhigui is the modern day Guan Zhong and Xiao He. I am not as capable as he is." At one point, when Li was set to visit Emperor Taizong at the capital Chang'an, Zhang and two other officials held a feast for Li. Li gave a sword to one of the officials and a jade belt to the other, but gave Zhang nothing. Zhang was surprised and asked Li the reason. Li responded:

Li later recommended Zhang for his talents, and Zhang was made a reserve official at the water bureau of the department of public works. At that time, his older brother Zhang Wencong was serving as the deputy minister of census—and the departments of public works and census were both under the executive bureau of government (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng). According to regulations, brothers were not supposed to serve at the same bureau of government, and so Zhang Wenguan was soon made the magistrate of Yunyang County (雲陽, in modern Xianyang, Shaanxi).

During Emperor Gaozongs reign

Zhang Wenguan later served successively as a mid-level official at both the legislative bureau (西臺, Xi Tai) and the examination bureau (東臺, Dong Tai). As of 667, he was serving at the examination bureau, when Emperor Gaozong gave him the designation of Tong Dong Xi Tai Sanpin, making him a chancellor de facto. It was said that at the time, the imperial treasury was getting exhausted as Emperor Gaozong was building several palaces — Penglai Palace, Shangyang Palace, and Hebi Palace — as well as requisitioning a large number of horses for the imperial stable for the purposes of using them for military campaigns. Zhang warned Emperor Gaozong that similar activities by Emperor Yang of Sui led to resentment by the people and Sui's downfall, and Emperor Gaozong, in response, reduced the number of imperial horses by several thousands. In 669, Zhang was promoted to be Dong Tai Shilang, the deputy head of the examination bureau, and still a chancellor de facto.

In 672, Zhang was made the chief judge at the supreme court and continued to serve as chancellor as well as a member of the staff of Emperor Gaozong's crown prince Li Hong. It was said that Zhang was efficient and fair at reviewing criminal judgments, quickly ruling on a large number of complex cases. it was further said that those he found guilty had no complaints, and that he was capable of overturning judgments against those who were innocent. When he was ill, the prisoners awaiting review were praying for his health, and he was compared to Dai Zhou, another famed chief judge who served during Emperor Taizong's reign. In 675, he was made Shizhong (侍中), the head of the examination bureau (which by this point had been renamed Menxia Sheng) and a post considered one for a chancellor, and also continued to serve on Li Hong's staff as an advisor. It was said that when the prisoners still awaiting review heard that Zhang was no longer chief judge, they wept bitterly. It was further said that at times when he was ill, when the other chancellors reported their suggestions to Emperor Gaozong, Emperor Gaozong would inquire as to whether they had consulted Zhang. If they responded that they had not, he would require them to go to Zhang's mansion to consult him, before ruling on their proposal.

In 678, Zhang was seriously ill. However, when he heard that Emperor Gaozong was contemplating a campaign against Silla, he rode a litter to the palace and spoke to Emperor Gaozong, "At this time, Tufan is invading and we are defending against the invasion. Although Silla is not sufficiently submissive, it is not attacking our borders. If we divide our forces and attack east, I am afraid that neither the government nor the people can withstand the consequences." After this counsel, Emperor Gaozong cancelled plans to attack Silla. Zhang died later that year and was given the posthumous name of Yi (懿, "benevolent"). As he had served on Li Hong's staff, Emperor Gaozong had him buried with honor near the tomb of Li Hong (who had died in 675 and was posthumously honored an emperor).

Notes and references

• Old Book of Tang, vol. 85.

• New Book of Tang, vol. 113.

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 201, 202.