2 replies to this topic

[general_jiang]

Hi All!
I would like to know more about Zhang Shicheng, the salt merchant who rebelled against the Yuan and later on Zhang Shicheng declared himself King Chengwang and the dynasty of 'Zhou'.
It's quite hard to find any information about him.

Anybody can give information about him? I got to know his name from a wuxia novel. Ping Zong Xia Ying Lu. the novel made Zhang Shicheng as a good guy. what about him in a real history?

Thanks alot.

[shawn]

Well for one thing, he was one of the contenders fighting for emperor against Chen Youliang and Zhu Yuanzhang.

[wan sui yeh]

Zhang ShiCheng basically is one of the three main contenders for the empire during the last years of the Yuan dynasty. He is baiscally a salt merchant who is fed up with the corrupted officials that exploited him, and raise the banner of resistant against the uan government. He begin his rebellion around the grand canal region and his power grew. Although, a rebel Zhang ShiCHeng is bascially an opportunist who change sides from rebellion to submission to the yuan goverment. His lack of consistency in his cause sopil his reputation. He is basically an uncultivated man but love being pretentious in playing the role of the scholar general. He finally establish himself as emperor with the dynastic title of Zhou, and began to increase his terroterial hold by expansion soutwards towards Jiangsu and northern zhejiang. With the fall of Chen You LIang at the hands of Zhu Yuan ZHang, he remains the only serious contender for the throne to ZHu. Later, ZHu Yuan ZHang defeated him in battle, and due to his refusal to surrender, he was beaten to death with clubs.