A Study on the Native Place and Official Career of Zhang Que, a Number One Scholar in the Nan Tang Dynasty

Zhang Que, born in Dexingli, Congxing town, Shaxian county (now called as Gaoqiao village, Gaoqiao town, Shaxian county), was very brilliant and renowned for his ci (a Chinese poetic genre) in his hometown. He became the Number One Scholar in the Imperial Examination in February at the end of the Nan tang Dynasty. At that time a bridge was to be built in the village, so GAO (meaning taking the first place in the exam) was used as the name of the bridge and the village for Zhangque’s success in the examination. After his success, he was appointed as Wenlinglang and also Jiaoshulang in the secretariat department. In the period of Shaoding of the Song Dynasty, Chenwei, the top official and Chaopushi of Nanjian, issued an order to change Chongxing town and Dexingli, the native place of Zhangque, into Xianglan town and Hualongli, and exempted the forced labor there.