Early career

Zhang Mao first appeared in history in 308 when his father, Zhang Gui (張軌), the first Zhang Duke of Xiping and governor of Liang Province (涼州, modern central and western Gansu), suffered a stroke and was unable to speak, and therefore had Zhang Mao act as governor during his illness. When the unrelated Zhang Yue (張越) and Cao Que (曹怯) tried to take advantage of Zhang Gui's illness to have him replaced, the Zhangs resisted and convinced the powerful Sima Mo (司馬模) the Prince of Nanyang that Zhang Gui should remain governor. At this time, Zhang Gui's oldest son and Zhang Mao's older brother Zhang Shi (張寔), who had previously been at Chang'an, returned to Liang Province and defeated and killed Cao, reaffirming the Zhangs' rule over the province.

During the subsequent governorship of Zhang Shi, Zhang Mao was one of his trusted generals. In 320, the magician Liu Hong (劉弘), who had spread rumors that the gods wished for him to be the ruler of Liang Province, convinced two of Zhang Shi's guards Yan She (閻涉) and Zhao Ang (趙卬) to assassinate Zhang Shi. Zhang Mao had Liu Hong arrested and executed by drawing and quartering. Because Zhang Shi's son Zhang Jun was still young (13 at the time), Zhang Shi's subordinates requested that Zhang Mao take over as governor and the Duke of Xiping, and he did so. He also issued a general pardon for the people in his domain – and this act is the main reason why his rule is commonly considered to mark the independence of Former Liang.

As ruler

Zhang Mao initially continued to claim to be a Jin vassal, as a governor and a duke. He appointed Zhang Jun, his nephew, as his heir. (Historical accounts are not clear whether Zhang Mao had sons of his own.) In 321, he started the construction of an impressive tower known as Lingjun Tower (靈鈞台), but after Yan Zeng (閻曾) persuaded him that it was too costly and that Zhang Gui would have disapproved, he stopped the construction.

In 322, Zhang Mao had his general Han Pu (韓璞) seize the Longxi (隴西) and Nan'an (南安, together roughly modern Dingxi, Gansu) Commanderies – which appeared to be then under nominal Han Zhao control, while Han Zhao forces were battling the rebel Chen An, extending his domain east of the Yellow River.

However, in 323, after the Han Zhao emperor Liu Yao defeated Chen An, he continued on and reached the Yellow River, claiming to be ready to cross it. Zhang went into a battle posture, but negotiated peace, agreeing to submit to Han Zhao authority and offering tributes of horses, livestock, and jewels. Liu Yao created him the Prince of Liang and granted him the nine bestowments. Subsequently, Zhang Mao resumed the construction on Lingjun Tower, stating that its construction was necessary for defensive purposes, and strengthened the defenses of the capital Guzang (姑臧, in modern Wuwei, Gansu).

In summer 324, Zhang Mao grew ill. He told his nephew Zhang Jun to remain faithful to Jin, and also ordered that he not be buried as a prince, since his princely title was not granted by the Jin emperor. He died soon thereafter.

Era name

Most historical sources indicate that Zhang Mao, like his brother Zhang Shi, continued to use Emperor Min of Jin's era name Jianxing (both to show continued allegiance to Jin and to distance himself from Emperor Yuan of Jin and his line) but some sources indicate that he changed era name to Yongguang (永光 yǒng guāng 320–323). A current theory is that his era name was used internally while the Jianxing era name was used when communicating with other states.

生平

永嘉二年（308年）張軌患病不能說話，時兄長張寔仍在朝中，故張茂就代父管理涼州事務。建興元年（312年），南陽王司馬保曾經請張茂作自己的從事中郎，後又推薦他任散騎侍郎、中壘將軍，但張茂都不應命。次年，張茂被徵召為侍中，但張茂以父親年老為由推辭。不久，改拜平西將軍、秦州刺史。

建興八年（320年），張寔被部下所殺，因其子駿年幼，張茂就代攝其位，殺劉弘數百名同黨。時涼州府推舉張茂為大都督、太尉、涼州牧，但張茂不肯受，只以使持節平西將軍、涼州牧職位，又以張寔子張駿為撫軍將軍、武威太守、西平公。。

建興十年（322年），張茂派韓璞率兵佔領隴西南安郡境，並在當地置秦州。建興十一年（323年），前趙劉曜派部將劉咸攻冀城，呼延晏攻桑壁，時臨洮人翟楷及石琮等又驅逐其地方官員響應劉曜，劉曜本人更發兵二十八萬五千人沿黃河列陣百多里，張茂設在黃河沿岸守戍的軍隊望風奔逃，劉曜更聲言面率大軍渡河，直攻姑臧，遂震動河西。張茂聽從參軍馬岌所言出屯姑臧城東的石頭，在聽參軍陳珍分析劉曜其實不會盡力攻涼後，便派陳珍出兵救援在冀城的韓璞。劉曜亦自知其強大的兵力有三分之二是因為人們怯於其聲威而來，主力軍隊已經相當疲累，難以渡河進攻，於是一直按兵不動，想用聲威脅服張茂。張茂最終派使者向前趙稱藩，進獻大量物品，劉則授張茂使持節、假黃鉞、侍中、都督涼南北秦梁益巴漢隴右西域雜夷匈奴諸軍事、太師、領大司馬、涼州牧、領西域大都護、護氐羌校尉。封涼王。

建興十二年（324年）張茂病死，享年四十八歲。前涼私下為張茂上諡號成公，劉曜則遣使贈太宰，諡成烈王。後來張祚稱帝，追尊張茂為成王，廟號太宗。張茂臨終時交代張駿「謹守人臣之節，無或失墜」。因張茂無子，張駿就被推舉繼位。

性格特徵

張茂為人謙虛恭敬，且又好學，不因為利祿而動心，又有志向及節操，有決定大事的能力。當時有一個人叫賈摹，不但出身涼州大姓，他也是張寔妻子的弟弟，勢力很大。曾經有一首童謠這樣說：「手莫頭，圖涼州。」張茂以此誘殺賈摹，終令涼州豪門大族不敢橫行，更有助前涼張氏對涼州的管治。

注釋