Zhang Shicheng: A Warlord in the Red Turban Army and the Great Zhou Regime

Brief Introduction

Zhang Shicheng (1321–1368), courtesy name Jiǔsī (九思), was a salt worker from Baiju Salt Works in Taizhou. Amidst the wave of peasant uprisings at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, he served as a key leader of a major faction within the Red Turban Army, rising up against the Yuan. In 1356, he captured Gaoyou and established a regional warlord state. In 1363, he accepted the Yuan court's enfeoffment as the "Prince of Cheng" (诚王), changed the era name to "Zhizheng" (至正), and established the state name as "Great Zhou" (or "Wu"). Holding the prosperous lower Yangtze River region and refusing to submit as a vassal, Zhang Shicheng became a critical obstacle to Zhu Yuanzhang's campaign to unify the country, which would eventually become the Ming Dynasty.

Core Knowledge Points

1. Origins as a Salt Worker and the Context of the Uprising

Zhang Shicheng was not a traditional scholar or aristocrat but came from the lower class of coastal salt works. At the end of the Yuan Dynasty, frequent disasters plagued the Jianghuai region, and the heavy quota for official salt production placed an unbearable burden on the salt workers of Baiju Works. Zhang Shicheng and his younger brothers, Zhang Zhaoxiong and Zhang Maoze, raised troops. Initially, they attached themselves to Liu Futong's Red Turban Army but gradually developed into an independent power. This background reveals that the social contradictions at the end of the Yuan Dynasty were not only about class oppression but also involved the plunder of local economic resources.

2. Establishing a Base in Gaoyou and the Great Zhou Regime

In 1356, Zhang Shicheng seized Gaoyou and styled himself as the "Prince of Cheng," establishing the state name "Great Zhou" and changing the era name to "Tianyong" (天佑). He briefly used the era name "Zhizheng" to signal an ambiguous relationship with the Yuan court, but later reverted to "Tianyong." Gaoyou, located at a hub on the Grand Canal, was easy to defend and difficult to attack, becoming the core fortress of his regime. Subsequently, he progressively captured Pingjiang (Suzhou), Huzhou, Songjiang, and other places, controlling the economic lifeline of the lower Yangtze River region.

3. Confrontation with Zhu Yuanzhang and His Fate

The Jiangsu-Zhejiang region held by Zhang Shicheng was the wealthiest region in the country at the time, posing a massive strategic threat to Zhu Yuanzhang. Zhu's policy toward Zhang shifted from initial courtship (enfeoffing him as Prince of Wu) to total elimination. In 1367, General Xu Da led an army to attack Zhang Shicheng. In 1368, Pingjiang fell, Zhang Shicheng surrendered, and was later escorted to Yingtian Prefecture (Nanjing), where he hanged himself. The end of his regime marked the basic conclusion of the fragmentation among warlords at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, clearing the main obstacles for the establishment of the Ming Dynasty.

Relation to Xuzi Zhitongjian and Historical Sources

A specific clarification is needed: *Zhang Shicheng was primarily active in the mid-to-late 14th century (the transition from the Yuan to the Ming Dynasty), whereas Xuzi Zhitongjian (Continued Comprehensive Mirror to Aid in Governance) was compiled by the Qing dynasty scholar Bi Yuan and covers the period from the Sixteen Kingdoms and Five Hu to the Chen Dynasty, ending in 589 AD. Therefore, Zhang Shicheng is not included in Xuzi Zhitongjian.*

This is a common misconception. Detailed accounts of Zhang Shicheng are mainly found in:
1. Ming Taizu Shilu (Veritable Records of Emperor Taizu of Ming): As the official history of the Ming Dynasty, it records in detail Zhu Yuanzhang's campaign against Zhang Shicheng.
2. Yuan Shi (History of the Yuan) and Xin Yuan Shi (New History of the Yuan): These record Zhang Shicheng's early uprising and his relationship with the Yuan court.
3. Ming Qi Bei Lue and other historical compilations: While these focus on the late Ming period, they also include retrospectives on previous dynasties.
4. Local Gazetteers: Such as the Gaoyou County Gazetteer and the Suzhou City Gazetteer, which provide detailed records of Zhang Shicheng's activities in Gaoyou and Suzhou.

If a user intends to understand the positioning of "peasant uprisings at the end of the Yuan Dynasty" within the official historical canon, they can refer to the "Records of the Zhizheng Era" in the Annals of the History of the Yuan. These annals mention warlords such as the Red Turban Army and Fang Guozhen, with Zhang Shicheng often being mentioned alongside them as a significant figure. Therefore, when searching for historical materials related to "Zhang Shicheng," one should focus on the Ming Shi (History of the Ming) and Yuan Shi (History of the Yuan), rather than the Xuzi Zhitongjian.