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Yang Chang 楊敞

Jan 24, 2012 © Ulrich Theobald

Yang Chang 楊敞 (d. 74 BCE) was a high official of the mid-Former Han period 前漢 (206 BCE-8 CE).

He hailed from Huayin 華陰 (modern Huayin, Shaanxi) and was in the beginning a field officer of general Huo Guang 霍光. When the latter rose to eminence in the central government, Yang Chang was appointed Chamberlain for the National Treasury (dasinong 大司農). During the early years of Emperor Zhao's 漢昭帝 (r. 87-74 BCE) reign he became a witness of the conspiration of Shangguan Jie 上官桀, but did not dare to press charges against the all-powerful regent.

He later was promoted to Censor-in-chief (yushi dafu 御史大夫), and in 75 BCE to Counsellor-in-chief (chengxiang 丞相), concurrently being given the title of Marquis of Anping 安平侯.

When Emperor Zhao died, Yang supported the regent Huo Guang overthrowing the Emperor Liu He 劉賀, Prince of Changyi 昌邑, and enthroning Liu Bingji 劉病已 (known as Emperor Xuan 漢宣帝, r. 74-49 BCE). In the same year Yang Chang died. His posthumous title is Marquis Jing 敬侯.

Source:
Cang Xiuliang 倉修良, ed. (1996). Hanshu cidian 漢書辭典 (Jinan: Shandong jiaoyu chubanshe), 800.