Zang Zhi 臧質

Zang Zhi 臧質 (400-454), courtesy name Hanwen 含文, was a military officer under the Liu-Song dynasty 劉宋 (420-479), one of the Southern Dynasties 南朝 (420-589).

He was the son of Zang Xi 臧熹 (375-413) and a nephew of Empress Wujing 武敬皇后 (360-408), the main consort of Emperor Wu 宋武帝 (r. 420-422. He hailed from Juxian 莒縣 in the commandery of Dongguan 東莞 (in today's Shandong province) and was Acting Administrator of the Capital Army (zhongjun xing canjun 中軍行參軍). As an expert in the theories on military strategy, he was an important advisor of Emperor Wen 文皇帝 (r. 424-453). In 450, he was made Bulwark-of-the-State General (fuguo jiangjun 輔國將軍) to defend the city of Yuxi 盱眙 against the invading Northern Wei 北魏 (386-534) army. Even if far superior to Zang's troops, the Northern Wei could not storm the city. Zang was rewarded with the post of regional inspector (cishi 刺史) of the province of Yongzhou 雍州.

When Liu Shao 劉劭 (424-453) killed his father, Emperor Wen, Zang Zhi and Liu Yixuan 劉義宣 (415-454), the Prince of Nanjun 南郡, stormed the capital Jiankang 建康 (Nanjing 南京, Jiangsu) to extinguish the usurper. On the accession to the throne of Emperor Xiaowu 宋孝武帝 (r. 453-464), Zang was rewarded with the investiture as Commandery Duke of Shixing 始興郡公 and was made regional inspector of the province Jiangzhou 江州.

Based on his military achievement, he behaved ever more arrogant, and finally allied with Liu Yixuan, and Lu Shuang 魯爽 (d. 454), regional inspector of Yuzou 豫州, and rose in rebellion. The rebels were defeated at Mt. Liangshan 梁山, and Zang died on his flight to Wuchang 武昌.