Former Liang (前涼) 西平, 涼 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 301–376 | |||||||||
.jpg) Former Liang in the northwest | |||||||||
| Status | Vassal of Eastern Jin, Han Zhao, Later Zhao, Former Qin | ||||||||
| Capital | Guzang | ||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||
| Duke/Prince | |||||||||
• 301–314 | Zhang Gui | ||||||||
• 314–320 | Zhang Shi | ||||||||
• 320–324 | Zhang Mao | ||||||||
• 324–346 | Zhang Jun | ||||||||
• 346–353 | Zhang Chonghua | ||||||||
• 353 | Zhang Yaoling | ||||||||
• 353–355 | Zhang Zuo | ||||||||
• 355–363 | Zhang Xuanjing | ||||||||
• 363–376 | Zhang Tianxi | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
• Zhang Gui's appointment as Inspector of Liang Province | 301 | ||||||||
• Zhang Shi's retention of Emperor Min's reign era | 318 | ||||||||
• Zhang Mao's acceptance of Prince of Liang title | 323 | ||||||||
• Zhang Jun's proclamation as Acting Prince of Liang | 345 | ||||||||
• Zhang Zuo's formal rejection of Eastern Jin suzerainty | 354 | ||||||||
• Zhang Xuanjing's formal acceptance of Eastern Jin suzerainty | 361 | ||||||||
• Disestablished | 26 September[1][2] 376 | ||||||||
• Zhang Tianxi's death | 406 | ||||||||
| Currency | Chinese coin, Chinese cash (Wu Zhu) | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Today part of | China Kyrgyzstan Mongolia | ||||||||
The Former Liang (Chinese: 前涼; pinyin: Qián Liáng; 301[a]–376) was a dynastic state, one of the Sixteen Kingdoms, in Chinese history. It was founded by the Zhang family of the Han ethnicity. Its territories included present-day Gansu and parts of Ningxia, Shaanxi, Qinghai and Xinjiang.
All rulers of the Former Liang remained largely titularly under the court of the Eastern Jin dynasty as the Duke of Xiping except Zhang Zuo who proclaimed himself wang (prince/king). However, at times the other Former Liang rulers also used the wang title when imposed on them when they were forced to submit to their powerful neighbour states—initially the Han-Zhao, then the Later Zhao, and finally the Former Qin. As the early rulers did not explicitly declare their independence, the official year of Former Liang's establishment is up to interpretation, but no earlier than 301, the year when Zhang Gui was appointed Inspector of Liang province.
In 327, the Gaochang commandery was created by the Former Liang under Zhang Jun. After this, significant Han settlement occurred in Gaochang, a major, large part of the population becoming Han.[3]
In 376, the final ruler of Former Liang Zhang Tianxi surrendered to Former Qin, ending the state. However, in the aftermath of Former Qin's defeat at the Battle of Fei River in 383 and Emperor Fu Jian's death in 385, the general Lü Guang who controlled of the region declared his own era name for 386, thus establishing the Later Liang.
Also in 386, Zhang Tianxi's son Zhang Dayu (張大豫) claimed governorship of Liang province, and tried to re-establish Former Liang with the aid of Wang Mu (王穆), who was the Colonel of the Chang River Regiment (長水校尉) under Former Qin. In the autumn of 387 however, Lü Guang defeated and executed Zhang Dayu.