Zhang Ren

Zhang Ren, depiction from the Qing Dynasty

Zhang Ren ( Chinese 張任 / 张任 , Pinyin Zhāng Rèn ; † 213 in Chengdu ) was an officer of the Chinese warlord Liu Zhang at the time of the Three Kingdoms .

Zhang came from a poor family and joined the army of warlord Liu Zhang, who ruled Yi (益州) Province . He was considered ambitious and brave. He was one of the officers Liu Zhang sent into the field against Liu Bei when he turned against Liu Zhang and invaded Zhang's home region of Shu (now Chengdu). However, Zhang's troops were defeated.

In 212 Zhang defended the city of Luo (雒城, in today's Guanghan ) from Liu's troops. In the course of the fighting, Zhang was captured in 213 and brought before Liu Bei, who offered him a position in his army. In The Story of the Three Kingdoms, Zhang Ren replies, “A loyal officer cannot serve two masters. I refuse. ” Liu Bei had him executed.

Individual evidence

^ ^A ^b Rafe de Crespigny : A Biographical Dictionary of Later Han to the Three Kingdoms (23-220 AD) . 1st edition. Brill, Leiden and Boston 2007, ISBN 978-90-04-15605-0 , pp. 1073 .

personal data
SURNAME	Zhang, Ren
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	张任 (Chinese); 張任 (Chinese); Zhāng Rèn (Pinyin Romanization)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	General of the warlord Liu Zhang
DATE OF BIRTH	2nd century
DATE OF DEATH	213
Place of death	Cheng you

[Crespigny1073-1] A ^b Rafe de Crespigny : A Biographical Dictionary of Later Han to the Three Kingdoms (23-220 AD) . 1st edition. Brill, Leiden and Boston 2007, ISBN 978-90-04-15605-0 , pp. 1073 .