Zhāng Shuō 張說 (667–731)
Zì Dàojì 道濟 (alt. Shuōzhī 説之). Native of Hénán 河南 Luòyáng 洛陽. Enfeoffed Yānguó gōng 燕國公 in Kāiyuán 17 (729). Together with Sū Tǐng 蘇頲 (Xǔguó gōng 許國公) the contemporary couplet YānXǔ shǒubǐ 燕許手筆 (“the brushes of Yān and Xǔ”) meant the two of them were effectively the official drafters of all major zhìgào 制誥 in the early Xuánzōng court.
Top of the Cè xiánliángfāngzhèng 賢良方正 examination of Yǒngchāng 1 (689). A key participant in the 705 court coup that restored Zhōngzōng to the throne; later twice zǎixiàng under Xuánzōng (Kāiyuán 1 = 713 and Kāiyuán 9 = 721). His political career was punctuated by two exiles — to Láizhōu 萊州 in 716 in a dispute with Yáo Chóng 姚崇, and briefly to Yuèzhōu 岳州 in 728 in a dispute with Yǔwén Róng 宇文融. Final office zuǒ chéngxiàng 左丞相 (Left Vice-Director); died in office in Kāiyuán 18 (731), aged 65.
A patron of the rising Kāiyuán generation: his Lìzhèng diàn xiūshūyuàn 麗正殿修書院 (later Jíxián diàn xiūshūyuàn 集賢殿修書院) recruited Hè Zhīzhāng 賀知章, Wáng Hàn 王翰, Lǐ Bái 李白 李白 (briefly), and many of the figures who would shape the High Táng. His extant collection is the Zhāng Yāngōng jí KR4c0009 in 25 juǎn (originally 30 juǎn; 5 juǎn lost before the Sòng), Sìkù-augmented by 60-odd pieces recovered from Wén yuàn yīng huá and Wéncuì.
CBDB records 667–731 (cbdbId 31407); the catalog meta’s 667–730 is one year displaced from CBDB and the standard reference works.