Zhang Jue was the founder of the religious Taoist movement called the Way of the Taiping, and he led his followers in the Yellow Turban Rebellion. In the "Ro... [Read more]
Japanese: Shigeru Chiba
Zhang Jue was the founder of the religious Taoist movement called the Way of the Taiping, and he led his followers in the Yellow Turban Rebellion. In the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," it is said a sage gave him tomes titled "Taipingjing," or "Scriptures of the Great Peace." These writings purportedly helped Zhang Jue learn various kinds of sorcery, such as control over weather. Later, Zhang Jue was said to employ various items, such as enchanted water called fúshuǐ, to save many people, and he soon came to call himself "Great Teacher." His reputation helped him build a large following, and the group came to be known as the Yellow Turbans, owing to their headwear.
In the year 184, the Yellow Turbans finally rose up in rebellion against the corrupt Han Dynasty, which mistreated the people and were thought to be the cause of the many disasters plaguing the nation. Zhang Jue gave himself the title "General of Heaven," his younger brother Zhang Bao "General of Earth," and Zhang Liang "General of the People."
But during the conflict, Zhang Jue died of illness. After his death, Zhang Bao and Zhang Liang fell in battle, and the Yellow Turban Rebellion approached its end.
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Though Zhang Jue's ends are noble—bringing peace to the world and happiness to all people—he is ruthless in the means he employs. He will resort to using religion, military force, assassinations, cowardly plots...whatever will get the job done. In essence, he believes one can justify throwing the world into chaos for a time, if it is done in service of bringing peace to the people of the world.
"Misuse this book's teachings, and you will be punished accordingly." True to the sage's warning, the Yellow Turbans who followed Zhang Jue's teachings and caused trouble across China may well have ended up dying miserably before their goals had been realized. Zhang Jue, however, refuses to accept that fact. He believes he is fully in the right, and that there is no such thing as divine punishment for doing the right thing. According to him, any Yellow Turbans of his who happened to die from disease were simply unlucky, nothing more. A troublesome old man who is not only willing to use questionable means, but refuses to reflect or repent if he believes his ends are justified.
