生平事迹

早年

《旧唐书》称张巡为蒲州河东县（在今山西省永济市境）人，《新唐书》称，邓州南阳县人。或称蒲州河东为其祖籍，或称生于邓县，即今河南省邓州市彭桥镇寺北张。

史籍记载，张巡从小博览群书，晓通战阵兵法，年轻时就志气远大，不拘小节，结交的都是理想远大者或宽厚长者，而讨厌和庸俗之辈交往。在开元末年（741年），张巡中进士。当时，他的兄长张晓已是监察御史，兄弟二人皆以文名称重一时。之后张巡以太子通事舍人出任清河（今河北清河县）县令。由于在其任内治绩优良，任满后张巡被召回长安。当时正值杨国忠当权，有人劝他投靠杨国忠，定会被重用，但他却拒绝，答曰：「是方为国怪祥，朝宦不可为也。」于是被调到真源县再当县令。

当时真源县辖地很多土豪劣绅。其中以大吏华南金为首最猖狂，时时欺压百姓，当地流传：「金南口，明府手」的歌谣。张巡到任不久，就把华南金绳之以法，依法处死。张巡为政简约，很受民众拥护。

雍丘抗敌

起兵真源进驻雍丘

天宝十四年（755年）冬，安史之乱爆发。数月后，安禄山就攻陷东都洛阳，称帝，国号为「大燕」。由于大唐王朝承平日久，而安禄山早有反意，声势浩大，于是一些州县的太守、县令早被燕军的气势吓得手足无措，望风而降。

天宝十五年，燕军将领张通晤攻陷宋、曹等州，谯郡（今安徽亳县）太守杨万石投降燕军，而真源县正是在谯郡的辖地内。杨万石降敌后，又逼张巡为长史，并令其向西接应燕军。张巡得知后很气愤，率吏民大哭于真源玄元皇帝祠，然后起兵对抗燕军，响应的有千馀人。

这时候，玄宗任命吴王李祗为灵昌（今河南滑县东）太守，河南都知兵马使，统合河南兵马以抗击安禄山。单父（今山东单县）尉贾贲、阆州刺史等人，带领官兵先到，称为吴王兵，对宋州展开反攻。张通晤败走襄邑（今河南睢县），被顿丘令卢韺所杀。之后，贾贲领兵至雍丘（今河南杞县）与张巡会合，共有两千馀兵。这时的雍丘县令令狐潮已经率全县投向燕军。燕军任令狐潮为军将，率兵向东驰援襄邑。令狐潮击败在襄邑的淮阳军，俘虏了百馀官兵，并将他们囚禁在雍丘，准备杀害，然后又去见燕军大将李庭望。淮阳兵俘虏乘机杀掉守卫，雍丘城内顿时大乱。贾贲、张巡等得以乘乱攻入雍丘。令狐潮弃城逃跑，张巡掳获了令狐潮的妻、子，把他们全部处死。

被围雍丘奇袭敌军

舌战敌将稳定军心

智盗敌粮草人借箭

出城取木诈降退敌

屡破敌军稳守不失

转战宁陵

死守睢阳城

驰援睢阳肃清内奸

一鼓作气鸣鼓扰敌

城壕设伏箭射敌将

有一燕军胡人酋长，率领一千胡兵想招降张巡。于是，张巡先暗中用绳吊下几十名勇士在护城壕中，各持钩、陌刀、强弩，并和他们约好：「闻鼓声而奋。」胡人恃其兵多，未加防备。当胡人行至墙下时，城上鼓声突然响起，城壕下的伏兵突然杀出，将胡兵一举擒获。后面的燕军不知前面的胡人因何出事，想要救人，但都被强弩射退，无法前行。过了一会儿，藏在胡城壕内的勇士又拉著绳索攀回城内。燕军这才知道发生什么事，大为惊谔，从此小心谨慎、按兵不动，围而不攻。

张巡明白被围下去也不是办法。于是，张巡想出了一条计策：擒敌先擒王，射死燕军主将尹子奇，燕军群龙无首，必将会退兵。但问题是将士们都不认识尹子奇，无法辨认主将。

张巡就命令用蒿草削作箭头，射向燕军。被射中的燕军士兵，十分高兴，以为张巡他们的箭头已射完，就去报告尹子奇。张巡因此认出了尹子奇，即命手下大将南霁云拉弓射杀尹子奇。南霁云本来就是名神箭手。尹子奇正得意间，不料南霁云一箭正中尹子奇左眼。主将重伤，燕军陷入混乱。张巡便率唐军将士趁势出城掩杀过去，大破敌军，差点生擒尹子奇。尹子奇带伤败逃，睢阳之围遂解。

粮尽援绝奇谋迭出

七月初六，尹子奇徵兵数万，又来围攻睢阳。

本来，许远在睢阳积存了六万斛谷物，可以支持军民一年之用，但虢王李巨坚持要把其中一半份给濮阳、济阴二郡。许远坚决反对，但也无济于事。济阴得到粮食后，随即投降燕军。这时，睢阳城中粮食已经吃尽。将士每人每日给米一合（10合为1升），并夹杂著茶纸、树皮而食。睢阳守城将士因为死伤得不到援兵，又得不到粮食救应，所以士兵损耗很大，这时的城内仅剩下一千六百士兵，而且大多都因饥饿疾病而战斗力不足，以致射箭都难以射不准。后来，守军只好罗雀掘鼠，煮盔甲、烹弓弦来充饥。

尹子奇得知城中粮尽，加紧攻城。燕军先是制造一座高大如同半个彩虹的云梯，上面安置了二百精兵，推至城下，想令士兵跳入城内。于是，张巡事先在城墙上凿开三个洞，等待云梯快临近时，先从一洞中伸出一根大木，木头末端上设置一铁钩，钩住云梯使不得退去，由从另一洞中出一根木头，顶住云梯使不得前进；在最后一洞中再伸出一大木，木头上安置了一个铁笼，笼中装著火，焚烧云梯，云梯从中间被烧断，梯上的士卒全部被烧死。

之后，尹子奇又造钩车攻城。燕军用钩车的钩子破坏城上的敌楼，钩子所经之处，敌楼无不崩陷。于是，张巡准备一根大木，在大木的末端安置个连锁，并在锁末安装一个大铁环。当钩车又攻城时，守军就用大木末端的铁环套住钩车的钩头，将钩车拔入城内，折断钩车的钩头，再把车放掉。

其后，燕军又造木驴车攻城。于是，张巡就用熔化的高温铁水灌入木驴。木驴全部被烧毁。

后来，燕军在城的西北角不断堆砌沙土袋和木材，企图构筑成台阶，再登上城去。张巡没有与燕军正面冲突，而在每天晚上把松明、乾草等易燃物扔到尚在堆砌中的阶道上。一连扔了十多日，燕军也始终没有发觉。张巡见时机成熟，选了一个风向有利于的日子，出城与燕军大战，同时派人顺风纵火焚烧台阶，于是熊熊大火冲天燃起，燕军无法救火，经过了二十多天大火才熄灭。

张巡守城，随机应变，雷厉风行。连燕军也被他深深折服，不敢继续攻城，而在城外挖了三道壕沟，并围城设置木栅，想长期围困守军。而张巡也在城内挖了壕沟以防燕军攻入。

睢阳城告急南霁云借兵

到八月，睢阳守军仅剩六百多士兵。多数士兵都是饥饿而死的，仍然生存者大都伤病乏力。于是，张巡、许远分区守城。张巡守城的东北面，许远守东南面。两位主将皆和士兵一样，吃的是茶纸。守军不再出城袭击，只在城上死守。对于前来攻城的燕军，张巡常常晓以大义。结果，先后有二百多人向张巡投诚，为张巡死战。张巡前后说降了很多叛将，无不为张巡死战。其中，有燕军将领的李怀忠等人。

这时候，御史大夫贺兰进明接替李巨任河南节度使，并屯兵在临淮，许叔冀在谯郡、尚衡在彭城，三人皆对睢阳战况拥兵观望，不施援手。张巡见城中状况日益危机，命南霁云率三十骑兵突围而出，到临淮向节度使贺兰进明告急。

南霁云出城后，数万燕军前来阻击，南霁云直冲敌众，左右施射，所向披靡，突出重围后仅损失两名骑兵。南霁云先到较近的谯郡向许叔冀求援。许叔冀居然送南霁云几千匹布，而拒绝出兵。南霁云怒不可遏，在马上大骂许叔冀，要与之决战。许叔冀不敢回应。

南霁云又到临淮找节度使贺兰进明。贺兰进明竟说：「今日睢阳不知存亡，兵去何益!」霁云答：「睢阳若陷，霁云请以死谢大夫。且睢阳既拔，即及临淮，譬如皮毛相依，安得不救！」贺兰进明一来妒忌张巡的功名，二来与许叔冀有隙，怕分兵出战后，自己遭许叔冀偷袭，所以百般推托，拒绝出兵。但他欣赏南霁云的勇猛，于是不但不发兵，反而想将南霁云留为己用。他强行留下南霁云，并设歌舞宴会款待。南霁云含著泪说：「昨出睢阳时，将士不粒食已弥月。今大夫兵不出，而广设声乐，义不忍独享，虽食，弗下咽。今主将之命不达，霁云请置一指以示信，归报中丞也。」南霁云说完，用佩刀将一节手指切下。席间众人大都被南霁云感动而泣。南霁云知贺兰进明无出兵之意，就上马而去；将出城时，抽箭射向佛寺浮图，那箭射进佛塔砖面半箭之深，喊道：「吾归破敌，必灭贺兰！此矢所以志也！」

出城后，南霁云又到真源，李贲送给南霁云一百匹马。八月初三夜晚，南霁云到达宁陵，与宁陵城使廉垣一起率领步骑兵三千人，突入叛军重围圈，且战且行，回到了睢阳城下，再与燕军大战，又破坏敌军营帐。因为大雾，张巡这时才听到战声，喊道：「此霁云等声也。」于是打开城门，南霁云赶著从燕军手上劫得的几百只牛进城，而能从外面进入城中的士兵只有千馀人。回到城后将士们得知援军无望，抱头痛哭。叛军得知睢阳已经断绝援军，围攻得更加紧迫。

城破被俘慷慨就义

睢阳被围日久，城中可食之物已经吃尽。有人建议放弃睢阳，向东撤退。张巡和许远商议，认为：「睢阳，江淮之保障，若弃之去，敌必乘胜长驱，是无江、淮也。且我众饥羸，走必不达。古者战国诸侯，尚相救恤，况密迩群帅乎！不如坚守以待之。」（睢阳是江、淮地区的屏障，若弃城撤退，燕军必然长驱南下，侵占江淮地区。再说我军士兵饥饿劳累，撤退必定走不脱。战国时各诸侯还会还互相救援，况且我们周围还有许多朝廷军队的将帅！不如固守待援）

十月初九，燕军攻上城头，将士们已经疲病得不能战斗了。张巡向西面拜了两拜，道:「力竭矣，不能全城，生既无以报陛下，死当为厉鬼以杀敌！」随后，睢阳终于被燕军攻破。

张巡、许远都被俘虏。部下见到张巡，无不恸哭，张巡说：「安之，勿怖，死乃命也。」尹子奇见到张巡后，问道：「闻公督战，大呼辄眦裂血面，嚼齿皆碎，何至是？」张巡答道：「吾欲气吞逆敌，顾力屈耳。」尹子奇大怒，用刀撬开张巡的嘴巴，只见嘴里仅有牙齿三四颗。张巡骂道：「我为君父死，尔附敌，乃犬彘也，安得久！」尹子奇佩服张巡的气节，本想不杀他，但有部下劝止道：「彼守节者也，终不为用。且得士心，存之，将为后患。」于是，尹子奇用刀子胁迫张巡投降。张巡始终不肯屈服。其馀大将三十六人，无一愿降。于是尹子奇把张巡与南霁云、雷万春、姚訚等三十六人全部杀害。张巡临刑前，神色自若，面不改色，慷慨赴难，时年四十九岁。许远则被押送往洛阳，在途中被杀。

守一城而捍天下

在睢阳城破前，唐肃宗已诏中书侍郎张镐代贺兰进明为河南节度使。张镐得知睢阳危机，率兵日夜兼程，赶往睢阳救援，并同时发文书往浙东李希言、浙西司空袭礼、淮南高适、青州邓景山四位节度使以及谯郡太守闾丘晓，共同发兵救援睢阳。闾丘晓在谯郡，距离最近，但素来傲慢张狂，竟然不从军令，没有出兵。等张镐赶到时，睢阳已被攻陷三日。张镐一怒之下，召来闾丘晓，用杖刑将其毙命。

睢阳破城七天后被唐军收复。十天以后，唐军组织大反攻，广平王李俶一举收复东都洛阳（当时为安史燕军的大燕都城）。

睢阳之战，张巡在内无粮草，外无援兵之下，面临强敌，临敌应变，屡屡制胜。从757年1月开始，到757年10月陷落，张巡用不足万人守军，在睢阳苦守了十个月，有力地牵制了燕军；若算上在雍丘之战、宁陵之战，则共与燕军共对抗了二十一个月。史书载，共经历大小四百多战，斩叛将三百馀人，累计歼敌人十馀万。由于张巡的坚守，阻挡了燕军南下，使得富庶的江淮地区得以保全，保住唐朝的税赋重镇；此外牵制了大量叛军，又为唐军组织战略反攻赢得了宝贵时间。当时的翰林学士李翰等人认为：巡蔽遮江淮，沮敌势，天下不亡，其功也。

张巡死后，唐肃宗下诏，追赠张巡为扬州大都督，许远荆州大都督，封其为邓国公，史称张中丞；赠张巡妻为申国夫人，赐帛百；又宠张巡子孙，拜张巡儿子张亚夫为金吾大将军；又免除雍丘、睢阳徭役、兵役两年。大中年间，更将张巡的画像置于凌烟阁上。此后，历代仍有对张巡加封。

特徵

张巡身高七尺，须髯长得如同神像一般，每当发怒会须髯尽张。他记忆力超群，阅读书籍不超过三遍，终身不忘；与人见一面，问过姓名，就能记住对方的名字。

张巡文才出众，聪悟过人，写文章从不打稿，年纪轻轻就进士及第，与他兄长张晓当时都是以「文行知名」。

张巡为人仗义、重气节，如得知朋友生活困窘，他必会倾资周济。

用兵特点

• 张巡用兵灵活，不拘泥古法，善于临敌应变，出奇制胜。他命令部下的将领，按各自的战术教习战法，认为：「古者人情敦朴，故军有左右前后，大将居中，三军望之以齐进退。今胡人务驰突，云合鸟散，变态百出，故吾止使兵识将意，将识士情，上下相习，人自为战尔。」（古人战法朴素，所以部队分前后左右军，主将在中军，全军都听主将号令调动。现在面对的胡人，擅长突袭，行军忽散忽合，变化不定。所以要求部队能够临敌应变，我让士卒了解将领的意图，将领熟悉士兵情况。这样兵、将都相互了解，部队各自为战，不也很好吗！）

• 死守孤城的部队，补给往往不能保证。张巡以「取之于敌」的方法解决被围孤城的后勤补给问题。自从与燕军交战，张巡部队所用的军械、盔甲、武器，都是从敌军中缴获，从来没自己修理制造过。

• 每次作战，张巡都身先士卒，亲临前线。有将士要后退，张巡就立在阵地上对说：「我不去此，为我决战。」（我绝不离去，你们回去为了我与燕军决战）战士们被他感动，没有再敢后退的，无不奋力死战，以一挡百，直到击退敌人的进攻。

• 张巡平常待人诚恳，胸怀坦荡，同时也号令严明，赏罚分明，能与部下士兵们同甘共苦，所以全军上下无不拼死效力。

评价

• 唐韩愈、宋王安石、岳飞、陆游、文天祥等人对张巡的忠君爱国的精神均有诗文赞颂。

• 据史书记载，张巡防守睢阳，城被围日久，守军无粮，曾被迫吃人充饥：

「茶纸既尽，遂食马；马尽，罗雀掘鼠；雀鼠又尽，巡出爱妾，杀以食士，远亦杀其奴；然后括城中妇人食之，继以男子老弱。」（出自《资治通鉴第二百二十卷唐纪三十六》）

「巡出爱妾曰：『诸君经年乏食，而忠义不少衰，吾恨不割肌以啖众，宁惜一妾而坐视士饥？』乃杀以大飨，坐者皆泣。巡强令食之，远亦杀奴僮以哺卒……初杀马食，既尽，而及妇人老弱凡食三万口。人知将死，而莫有畔者。城破，遗民止四百而已。」（出自《新唐书卷二百五十列传第一百一十七》）

「巡乃出其妾，对三军杀之，以飨军士。曰：『诸公为国家戮力守城，一心无二，经年乏食，忠义不衰。巡不能自割肌肤，以啖将士，岂可惜此妇，坐视危迫。』将士皆泣下，不忍食，巡强令食之。乃括城中妇人；既尽，以男夫老小继之，所食人口二三万，人心终不离变。」（出自《旧唐书·卷一百九十四》

平叛后，就有人议论此事，认为：与夫食人，宁若全人？（与其人吃人，还不如投降以保存人的性命）

如〈柏杨曰〉：「美国和墨西哥战争时，大卫·克拉克先生，曾经死守阿拉姆城，但他先疏散没有战斗力的老弱妇孺，然后徵求『与城共存亡』的志愿军，经过一场惨烈的攻守战，全城被屠，跟睢阳之围的故事，中国家喻户晓一样，阿拉姆之围的故事，美国也家喻户晓。然而，阿拉姆之围，可歌可泣，睢阳之围，我们没有歌，只有泣，那是已瘦成一把骨头的女人和孩子们，被暴官们宰杀时痛彻骨髓的哀泣。中国人没有生命的尊严，在恶君凶臣、强盗匪徒眼中，一文不值；就是在所谓圣君贤相、忠臣义士，以及高级知识份子眼中，也不过是使他成功的一种手段。每一思及，悲愤交集。」

当时的翰林学士李翰等人则认为：张巡率兵以少敌众，以弱制强，保住江淮地区，以等待陛下派出援军，但援军到达，张巡已被杀害。他的功劳实在是太大了。但有的人认为张巡杀人而食有罪，死守睢阳城是愚蠢行为，对于这种贬善扬恶，只写缺点而抛弃功绩的行为，我暗自痛心。张巡固守睢阳城的原因，是想等待其他的军队来救援，救兵不到但城中粮尽，只好杀人而食人，这是违背他意愿的。假如张巡在当初守城已有杀人而食的意愿，杀害了几百人而来保全天下，我还认为他是功过相当。何况现在是违背他意愿呢！

日本著名作家田中芳树在其著作《中国武将列传》中认为，未能保证粮食补给，对此朝廷也应负有责任。

家庭

• 兄：张晓，监察御史

• 姐：嫁陆氏，号「陆家姑」，先张巡被害

• 妻：赐申国夫人

• 子：张亚夫，拜金吾大将军

• 子：张去疾，贞元时受官

信仰

张巡就义后，其殉国事迹很快沿大运河、长江、淮河一带传开，豫苏皖浙各地纷纷为之建庙立祠。其后，道教又尊张巡为「保仪大夫」（或保仪尊王），张巡成为收灾降福，惩恶扬善，统领神兵的大神。

河南商丘睢阳区建有张巡祠。安史之乱平定后，唐朝为纪念张巡、许远建的「双庙」。后又改建为「五王庙」，加了南霁云、雷万春、贾贲三人。北宋时，添加了姚訚，改称「协忠祠」。后黄河缺堤，祠堂被大水冲毁。明朝正德年间重建，称为「六忠祠」。1991年，又迁往商丘城南门外改称「张巡祠」。

苏浙、闽粤、港澳与台湾、新加坡等地，相当尊崇张巡，单是浙江桐庐就有张巡庙九座，福建省泉州安溪县人，则视之为茶叶保护神，称之尪公。相传农历五月廿五日为「尪公诞」，一些地方的庙宇会在这天会祭祀张巡，举行「迎尪公」仪式。

明清时期，福建安溪县张巡信仰，随著移民传入台湾，在台各地奉祀。台湾民间称之为「张王爷」、「张千岁」、「尪公」，在台湾则一般与许远共祀，称为双忠，张巡也有保仪尊王（少数庙宇与清水祖师同称为护国尊王）等尊称。台北市文山区集应庙奉祠「保仪尊王」张巡，木栅忠顺庙奉祠保仪大夫亦为「张巡」，当地老一辈仍称自己为河洛人，使用河洛话，称「集应庙」为「尪公庙」（河洛指的是河南洛阳）。

轶事

清朝王渔洋《池北偶谈》记载：张巡在安史之乱中被围困，城中无粮食，遂杀一妾，以肉分食诸军士。后来，张巡一直转世为名臣，其妾的冤魂终于在等待一千年后，杀了张巡转世的后身－徐蔼。

元朝陶宗仪所著《说郛‧十八卷下》记载南宋绍兴三十一年冬季时，张巡许远曾奉天帝之命显圣退敌，史称造角林之捷。金门地区则传说此次大捷后，张巡被追封「厉王」，因此金门地区称呼张巡为「厉王爷」。

注释

Background

Zhang Xun was born in 709, during the reign of Emperor Zhongzong of Tang. He was described as over 1.9 meters tall and had an imposing look. The official histories Old Book of Tang and New Book of Tang disagreed about the location where Zhang's family was from, with the Old Book of Tang indicating that the family was from Pu Prefecture (蒲州, roughly modern Yuncheng, Shanxi) and the New Book of Tang indicating that the family was from Deng Prefecture (邓州, roughly modern Nanyang, Henan). It was said that he was studious in military strategies in his youth and had great ambitions. It was also said that he only associated with those he considered to be gentlemen, and therefore he was not well known. He passed the imperial examinations late in the Kaiyuan era (713–741) of Emperor Zhongzong's nephew Emperor Xuanzong, and initially served on the staff of Emperor Xuanzong's crown prince Li Heng before being made the magistrate of Qinghe County (清河, in modern Xingtai, Hebei). He was said to have served capably at Qinghe, and while there, paid much attention to assisting those who needed help. After his term of service was over, he returned to the Tang Dynasty capital Chang'an. At that time, the governmental affairs were dominated by the chancellor Yang Guozhong, and Zhang's friends encouraged him to meet Yang to ask for another office. Zhang refused, stating that it was inappropriate for an imperial subject to be a flatterer. He later served as the magistrate of Zhenyuan County (真原, in modern Zhoukou, Henan). It was said that at that time, the large clans of the county were both powerful and treacherous, and one of the local officials from one of those clans, Hua Nanjin, was so dominant at the county government that the people often said, "What comes from Hua Nanjin's mouth is as good as what comes from the hand of the government." After Zhang arrived at Zhenyuan, he executed Hua for his abuse of power but pardoned Hua's associates, who were able to correct their ways. He also governed the county simply, and the people favored his governance. His older brother Zhang Xiao was also an imperial official, and both were known for their literary talent.

During the Anshi Rebellion

Battle of Yongqiu

Late in 755, while Zhang Xun was still serving at Zhenyuan County, the general An Lushan rebelled at Fanyang Circuit (范阳, headquartered in modern Beijing) and quickly advanced south to capture the Tang eastern capital Luoyang, where he declared himself the emperor of a new state of Yan. One of his generals, Zhang Tongwu, advanced east from Luoyang and led to the submission of a number of Tang officials, including Zhang Xun's superior Yang Wanshi, the governor of Qiao Commandery (谯郡, roughly modern Zhoukou). Yang forced Zhang Xun to become his secretary general and lead a delegation to welcome Zhang Tongwu. Once Zhang Xun gathered the delegation, however, instead of following Yang's orders, he led the delegation to the temple of Laozi—whom the Tang emperors considered an ancestor and posthumously honored as Emperor Xuanyuan—and led the delegation in a tearful worship of Laozi, before declaring continued loyalty to Tang and opposition against Yan. Several thousands of officials and common citizens followed him. He selected 1,000 men and took them to Yongqiu, where fellow Yan-resistor Jia Bi (贾贲) had taken up position to defend against the Tang-official-turned-Yan-general Linghu Chao (令狐潮). (Yongqiu had been Linghu's outpost when he surrendered to Yan, but once Linghu left the city on a campaign, the city turned against LInghu and submitted to Jia.) When Linghu counterattacked, Jia died in battle, and Zhang became solely in command of Tang forces in defense of Yongqiu. He sent a letter submitting to the general in command of the Tang troops in the region, Li Zhi (李祇) the Prince of Wu, and Li Zhi bestowed him the title of imperial censor to give him official command of the forces at Yongqiu.

Linghu soon returned with a 40,000-strong Yan army, along with other Yan generals Li Huaixian, Yang Chaozong, and Xie Yuantong. Zhang Xun divided his 2,000 men into two groups—a defense group and an attack group, and as Yan forces sieged the city, he launched numerous surprise counterattacks and inflicted losses on Yan forces. Yongqiu was under siege for some 60 days, but Yan forces could not capture Yongqiu and were forced to withdraw.

In spring 756, Linghu returned and put Yongqiu under siege again. During the desperate siege, six of Zhang's officers argued that they should surrender, pointing out that, by that point, Emperor Xuanzong had abandoned Chang'an and fled to Yi Prefecture (益州, roughly modern Chengdu, Sichuan). Zhang feigned agreement, and the next morning, he displayed a portrait of Emperor Xuanzong and led the soldiers in bowing to it, and then summoned the six officers and executed them. It was said that this affirmed the loyalty that the soldiers had for Tang. With Yongqiu not falling to him, Linghu was again forced to lift the siege and withdraw to Chenliu (陈留, in modern Kaifeng, Henan). Meanwhile, when another Yan general, Li Tingwang (李庭望), tried to pass Yongqiu and attack Ningling and Xiangyi (襄邑) (both in modern Shangqiu, Henan), Zhang attacked him and forced him to break off the attack on Ningling and Xiangyi.

In winter 756, Linghu, along with Wang Fude (王福德), again attacked Yongqiu, but was again repelled by Zhang. However, Linghu and Li then built a new fort north of Yongqiu to cut off Yongqiu's supply lines. With several other Tang-held cities in the region falling and Yang Chaozong again ready to attack Ningling, Zhang abandoned Yongqiu and withdrew to Ningling, rendezvousing with Xu Yuan (许远) the governor of Suiyang Commandery (睢阳, roughly modern Shangqiu) at Ningling. They repelled an attack by Yang, forcing him to flee. Zhang was subsequently made the deputy to the military governor (jiedushi) of Henan Circuit, Li Ju (李巨) the Prince of Guo (who had earlier replaced Li Zhi), but when he requested aid from Li Ju, who was then at Pengcheng, Li Ju refused to provide material aid, only commissioning Zhang's subordinates with official titles.

By this point, An Lushan had been assassinated and replaced as the emperor of Yan by his son An Qingxu. After An Qingxu took the throne, he sent the general Yin Ziqi (尹子奇) to attack Suiyang (i.e., the capital of Suiyang Commandery). Xu, who had returned to Suiyang by that point, sought aid from Zhang. Zhang therefore left his officer Lian Tan (廉坦) in charge of defending Ningling and took most of his forces to Suiyang, defending the city together. They repelled Yin's attack initially, but Yin soon regrouped and put Suiyang under siege. Xu, citing the fact that he was a civilian official and not well versed in military matters, bestowed the command of their joint forces on Zhang and became only responsible for logistics, leaving the military matters to Zhang.

Battle of Suiyang

Yin Ziqi launched repeated attacks on Suiyang, each time repelled by Zhang Xun. Meanwhile, though, the food supplies—which Xu Yuan had initially gathered plenty of in anticipation of a siege but which Li Ju had forced Xu to partially give to two other commanderies, Puyang (濮阳, roughly modern Puyang, Henan) and Jiyin (济阴, roughly modern Heze, Shandong)—began to run out. By summer 757, Suiyang was in desperate straits, with the soldiers forced to eat a mixture of rice, tea leaves, paper, and bark. Many suffered from illnesses. Despite this, Zhang continued to fight off attack after attack. He also divided the defense zones with Xu, with him defending the northeast side and Xu defending the southwest side, both spending the days and nights with the soldiers in defending the city. He often called out to the Yan troops, trying to persuade them that the Tang cause was righteous, and it was said that often, Yan soldiers would be touched by his words and surrender and join his troops.

Zhang made one desperate attempt to seek aid. He gave his officer Nan Jiyun (南霁云) 30 cavalry soldiers and had Nan fight his way out of the siege, to head to Linhuai (临淮, in modern Huai'an, Jiangsu) to seek aid from the Tang general Helan Jinming (贺兰进明), who had the strongest Tang force in the area. When Nan arrived at Linhuai, however, Helan refused to render aid—believing that by the time that he arrived at Suiyang, Suiyang would have fallen already and he would have merely put his own army at risk. (Historical accounts also indicated that Helan was jealous of Zhang and Xu, and also feared attacks from another Tang general, Xu Shuji (许叔冀), an ally of the chancellor Fang Guan, to whom Helan was a political enemy.) Instead, Helan tried to keep Nan on his staff, and Nan refused. He headed for Ningling and joined forces with Lian Tan and 3,000 men, then headed back toward Suiyang. However, when they arrived back at Suiyang and tried to fight into the city, they suffered heavy losses, and only 1,000 survived.

Zhang's officers urged him to consider abandoning Suiyang and fleeing east. Zhang and Xu discussed the proposal, but eventually decided to keep defending the city, believing that abandoning Suiyang would allow Yan forces to attack and capture the region between the Huai River and the Yangtze River, and that given how weak their troops were, they could not escape disaster even if they abandoned Suiyang. However, the food supplies further ran out, and they began to have to kill their warhorses for food. After the horses were gone, they ate sparrows and rats. Eventually, Zhang killed his beloved concubine and let the soldiers eat her body. Xu then killed his servants for food as well, followed by the women in the city, and then the non-abled body men. It was said that although everyone knew that he or she would die, no one resisted. Eventually, only 400 people remained in the city.

Death and posthumous recognitions

On November 24, 757, Yan forces scaled the walls of the city, and the Tang forces were unable to fight them off. Suiyang thus fell, and Zhang Xun and Xu Yuan were captured. Yin Ziqi admired Zhang and wanted to spare his life, but Yin's subordinates believed that allowing Zhang to stay alive could potentially foster a mutiny. Yin therefore executed Zhang and 36 key officers under him, including Nan Jiyun and Lei Wanchun (雷万春). Xu was to be delivered to Luoyang, but on the way to Luoyang, Yan soldiers heard that allied Tang and Huige forces commanded by Li Chu the Prince of Chu (the son of Emperor Xuanzong's son Emperor Suzong, who had assumed the throne in the confusion of the Anshi Rebellion) had captured Luoyang, and they killed Xu at Yanshi (偃师, near Luoyang).

After Emperor Suzong returned to Chang'an, he posthumously honored a large number of officials who stayed faithful to Tang and died fighting the Yan forces. However, the matter of whether to honor Zhang and Xu became an immediately controversial matter due to the cannibalism that had occurred at Suiyang. A friend of Zhang's, Li Han, wrote a biography of Zhang's in an impassioned defense of Zhang, arguing that without Zhang's actions, Tang would have lost the war entirely. Li Han was joined in his opinion by several other officials, including Li Shu (李纾), Dong Nanshi (董南史), Zhang Jianfeng Fan Huang (樊晃), and Zhu Juchuan (朱巨川). Emperor Suzong accepted their defense of Zhang's, and honored Zhang, Xu, and Nan in particular, as well as the other officers who died in the siege. He also gave their families great rewards.

A temple was built at Suiyang to honor Zhang and Xu, known as the Double Temple (双庙, Shuang Miao). The pair also sometimes appear as door gods in Chinese and Taoist temples.

Historical views

Zhang Xun and his deeds were highly praised by many later scholars, government officials, and writers. For example, the Song Dynasty official Wen Tianxiang, who was himself greatly praised for his faithfulness to Song and refusal to submit to Yuan Dynasty, listed Zhang in his Song of Righteousness (Zhengqige, 正气歌) as one of the persons to admire for their righteousness. However, some, including the Qing Dynasty scholar Wang Fuzhi, severely criticized him for not only permitting but encouraging cannibalism, and some others, such as the modern historian Bo Yang, while not as critical, nevertheless pointed out the lamentable nature of Zhang's actions.