Ministers › Chief Ministers

Zhang Tingyu

Grand Secretary and Grand Councillor under three Qing emperors who, as director-general, saw the official History of Ming through to completion in 1739.

Also known as Zi Hengchen · Posthumous name Wenhe

Roles: Chief MinistersHistorian

Zhang Tingyu, courtesy name Hengchen, was a native of Tongcheng in Anhui and the son of Grand Secretary Zhang Ying; he took his jinshi degree in 1700. Serving the Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong emperors, he rose to Grand Secretary and Grand Councillor and helped shape the Grand Council under Yongzheng. As director-general of the History of Ming he oversaw the final text, printed and presented in 1739, which is why the standard history bears his name as compiler. Posthumously named Wenhe, he was the only Han official of the Qing to be enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

Life and times

1672BornQing
1755 CEDied

Works

Literature · Prose355
Literature · Sayings33
1. Regarding Death as a HomecomingQingIdiom found in the Han Feizi and the History of Ming: facing death as calmly as going home
2. Vanished Without a Trace in the Palace FireQingIdiom in the History of Ming on the Jianwen Emperor: lost from sight as the palace burned
3. Everything in Its Proper OrderQingIdiom echoing the History of Ming on Wu Zhong: planning neat as a well-field grid
4. Not a Patch of Skin Left WholeQingIdiom in the History of Ming on Yang Lian: tortured until not a patch of skin was whole
5. Siding with One's Faction and Attacking DissentersQingIdiom from the History of Ming: Wei Zhongxian's men frame Yang Lian for factionalism
6. +25 more
  1. Settling Matters as Swiftly as Flowing WaterQingIdiom from the History of Ming: young Zhu Yuanzhang wins over rival generals
  2. Outspoken Words and Searching JudgementsQingIdiom from the History of Ming: Zuo Guangdou speaks out and sifts the worthy
  3. Danger Arising at One's ElbowQingIdiom from the History of Ming: Yang Lian warns of the eunuch's palace troops
  4. Enemy Ramparts Round the Capital: Yu Qian Declines RewardQingIdiom from the History of Ming: enemy forts ringing the capital, a time of grave danger
  5. Shops Undisturbed: Xu Da Takes the Yuan CapitalQingFamous line from the History of Ming: Xu Da takes Dadu and the shops stay open
  6. A Petty and Contemptible VillainQingIdiom from the Ming History's life of Yang Lian: a petty villain who holds a court in thrall
  7. Holding Nothing but an Empty TitleQingIdiom from the Ming History's life of Han Lin'er: a sovereign in name alone
  8. Earning Pardon Through MeritQingIdiom from Ming documents and the Ming History: a disgraced commander redeems himself in battle
  9. Unstoppable Wherever It MarchesQingIdiom in the Ming History's account of Japan: an army no one could stand against
  10. Seize the Throat, Strike the VoidQingIdiom from the Grand Historian, used by Xu Da: strike the weak point the enemy leaves bare
  11. Only Forward, Never BackQingIdiom from the Ming History's account of Japan: an army forbidden ever to fall back
  12. Implicating Others Like Spreading Roots and Creeping VinesQingIdiom from the Ming History's life of Hu Weiyong: a purge that spread like roots and vines
  13. Making Camp at Every Step of the AdvanceQingIdiom from the Ming History's life of Li Rusong: a retreating army that fortified every stage
  14. Power of Life and Death: Yang Lian Indicts Wei ZhongxianQingIdiom in the History of Ming: Yang Lian reminds the emperor whose power it is
  15. Hating Evil as a Personal Foe: Zhou Shunchang of SuzhouQingIdiom in the History of Ming: Zhou Shunchang's fierce hatred of wrongdoing
  16. Inheriting the Throne and Upholding the Laws: the Longqing EmperorQingAphorism from the History of Ming: the Longqing Emperor as a ruler who kept the inherited order
  17. Betraying the Public Good for Private Ends: the Wanli Edict of 1572QingAphorism from the History of Ming: officials who betray the public good for private ends
  18. Attacked Front and Rear: Wang Shouren Strikes at NanchangQingIdiom from the History of Ming: Wang Shouren refuses to be caught between two enemy forces
  19. Fierce Outside, Faint Within: Confucius on the Hollow BullyQingIdiom from the Analects: a stern face hiding a faint heart, like a thief at the wall
  20. It Is My People Who Suffer: the Chongzhen Emperor on Coal HillQingAphorism from the History of Ming: the last Ming emperor's lament as the capital fell
  21. Listening with an Open Mind: the Yongle Emperor and His Grand SecretariesQingIdiom from the History of Ming: the Yongle Emperor hears his ministers with an open mind
  22. Inside and Outside in League for Evil: Wei Guangwei and Wei ZhongxianQingIdiom from the History of Ming: a grand secretary and a eunuch collude inside and out
  23. Hands in Sleeves, Looking On: Gao Panlong and the Red Pill CaseQingIdiom from the History of Ming: Gao Panlong condemns ministers who look on in a crisis
  24. At His Wits' End: Shi Xing and the Japanese Invasion of KoreaQingIdiom from the History of Ming: the war minister at a loss when Japan invaded Korea
  25. Striking Like a Whirlwind and a Lightning BoltQingIdiom from the History of Ming: Qi Jiguang's lightning campaigns against the pirates