Zhang Ji was a general serving under the warlord Dong Zhuo

Dong Zhuo

Dong Zhuo was a politician and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He seized control of the capital city Luoyang in 189 when it was in a state of turmoil following the death of Emperor Ling and a clash between the eunuch faction and some court officials led by...

 during the late Han Dynasty

Han Dynasty

The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...

 era of Chinese history

History of China

Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...

. He was the uncle of Zhang Xiu

Zhang Xiu

Zhang Xiu was a minor warlord during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He eventually surrendered to Cao Cao in 200. Having contributed greatly to the decisive Battle of Guandu and subsequent campaigns against the heirs of Yuan Shao, Zhang Xiu died en route Liucheng on a campaign to...

 and was married to the beautiful Lady Zou. He was promoted to General of Valiant Cavalry before the Coalition against Dong Zhuo formed.

Controlling the emperor

In Luo Guanzhong

Luo Guanzhong

Luo Ben , better known by his style name Luo Guanzhong , was a Chinese writer of the early Ming Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was also known as Huhai Sanren...

's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Romance of the Three Kingdoms, written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based on the events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in...

, Zhang Ji participated in the Battle of Hulao Pass

Battle of Hulao Pass

The Battle of Hulao Pass is a fictional battle described in Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The battle was fought between Dong Zhuo and a coalition of regional warlords and officials as part of the Campaign against Dong Zhuo in 190 during the prelude to the Three...

, which was a defeat for Dong Zhuo's forces. After Dong Zhuo's assassination by Lu Bu

Lü Bu

Lü Bu was a military general and later a minor warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. According to the Records of Three Kingdoms, Lü Bu was highly-skilled in horse-riding and archery, and was thus nicknamed "Flying General"...

, Dong Zhuo's loyalists, led by Li Jue, Guo Si

Guo Si

Guo Si , also known as Guo Duo , was a general serving under the warlord Dong Zhuo during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He assisted Dong in his many campaigns, and was placed under Dong's son-in-law after Dong relocate the imperial capital to Chang'an...

, Fan Chou

Fan Chou

Fan Chou was a general serving under the warlord Dong Zhuo during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history.After Dong Zhuo died by his adoptive son Lü Bu by an assassination plot by Wang Yun. He along with Li Jue, Guo Si, and Zhang Ji defeated Lü Bu then defeated Wang Yun, which they taken...

, and Zhang Ji, defeated Lü Bu

Lü Bu

Lü Bu was a military general and later a minor warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. According to the Records of Three Kingdoms, Lü Bu was highly-skilled in horse-riding and archery, and was thus nicknamed "Flying General"...

 and Wang Yun

Wang Yun

Wang Yun was a Minister over the Masses under Emperor Xian during the late Eastern Han Dynasty of China. During Wang Yun's time, the emperors were mere puppets under the power of eunuchs and warlords. In 192, Wang Yun plotted and successfully staged Lü Bu's assassination of Dong Zhuo, the...

, taking control of the capital, Chang'an

Chang'an

Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...

. Li Jue and Guo Si propose to kill the emperor, but Zhang Ji and Fan Chou persuade them to instead control the emperor, like Dong Zhuo did, and secure power within the Imperial Court. Two years later, they defeated the western army of Ma Teng

Ma Teng

Ma Teng was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He controlled Liang Province together with his sworn brother Han Sui...

 and Han Sui

Han Sui

Han Sui was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. For most of his life he was active in Liang Province and was involved in several rebellions against the Han Dynasty and against the warlord Cao Cao.-Biography:With the backing of the Qiang people who populated much of...

 by starving them.

Defeat

After the capital is moved back to Luoyang

Luoyang

Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...

, which Dong Zhuo had burned, Zhang Ji and his allies are defeated by the White Wave Bandits

White Wave Bandits

White Wave Bandits were remnants of the Yellow Turban Rebellion that rose up in Baibo Gorge in 188. It said they numbered in the hundreds of thousands and even the Imperial Court could not quell them....

, led by Han Xian

Han Xian

Han Xian was the leader of the White Wave Bandits during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was a close friend of cavalry commander Yang Feng. When Li Jue and Guo Si held Emperor Xian of Han hostage, Yang wanted to defeat the rebels however his forces were too weak to hold up...

, Yang Feng

Yang Feng

Yang Feng was a cavalry general during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was also a friend of Han Xian. During the beginning years of the campaign against Dong Zhuo, Dong Zhuo assigned Yang Feng under that of Li Jue...

, Xu Huang

Xu Huang

Xu Huang was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He served the state of Cao Wei, founded by Cao Cao's successor Cao Pi, during the Three Kingdoms period...

, Dong Cheng

Dong Cheng

Dong Cheng was originally a subordinate general of Niu Fu during the late Han Dynasty, and later joined forces with the White Wave Bandits to protect the emperor from the hands of Li Jue and Guo Si. He was also Emperor Xian's father-in-law...

, and Zhu Zhi, who captured Emperor Xian

Emperor Xian of Han

Emperor Xian of Han , personal name Liu Xie, style name Bohe, was the last emperor of the Han Dynasty period of Chinese history...

. An attempt to recover the emperor fails when a secret imperial degree brings Cao Cao

Cao Cao

Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...

 to the battle. Cao Cao's forces defeat the White Wave Bandits and take control of the emperor.

Death

After losing the emperor, Zhang Ji brings his men to Jing Province, which is governed by Liu Biao

Liu Biao

Liu Biao , style name Jingsheng , was a warlord and the governor of Jing Province during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was a member of the extended family of the Han Dynasty emperors...

. Due to a lack of supplies, Zhang Ji and his men attack Jing Province, and Zhang Ji is killed by a stray arrow during the battle. After Zhang's death, his men are either executed or serve Liu Biao, Huang Zu

Huang Zu

Huang Zu was a military general serving under the warlord Liu Biao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was an experienced naval commander, and was most famous for having skillful warriors like Sun Jian and Ling Cao killed in battle.-Background:Huang was born in an influential...

, or later Liu Bei

Liu Bei

Liu Bei , also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...

.

See also

• List of people of the Three Kingdoms