Former Liang

Former Liang (前涼) 西平, 涼
301–376
Former Liang in the northwest
Status	Vassal of Eastern Jin, Han Zhao, Later Zhao, Former Qin
Capital	Guzang
Government	Monarchy
Duke/Prince
• 301–314	Zhang Gui
• 314–320	Zhang Shi
• 320–324	Zhang Mao
• 324–346	Zhang Jun
• 346–353	Zhang Chonghua
• 353	Zhang Yaoling
• 353–355	Zhang Zuo
• 355–363	Zhang Xuanjing
• 363–376	Zhang Tianxi
History
• Zhang Gui's appointment as Inspector of Liang Province	301
• Zhang Shi's retention of Emperor Min's reign era	318
• Zhang Mao's acceptance of Prince of Liang title	323
• Zhang Jun's proclamation as Acting Prince of Liang	345
• Zhang Zuo's formal rejection of Eastern Jin suzerainty	354
• Zhang Xuanjing's formal acceptance of Eastern Jin suzerainty	361
• Disestablished	26 September[1][2] 376
• Zhang Tianxi's death	406
Currency	Chinese coin, Chinese cash (Wu Zhu)
Preceded by Succeeded by Eastern Jin Former Qin
Today part of	China Kyrgyzstan Mongolia

The Former Liang (Chinese: 前涼; pinyin: Qián Liáng; 301^[a]–376) was a dynastic state, one of the Sixteen Kingdoms, in Chinese history. It was founded by the Zhang family of the Han ethnicity. Its territories included present-day Gansu and parts of Ningxia, Shaanxi, Qinghai and Xinjiang.

All rulers of the Former Liang remained largely titularly under the court of the Eastern Jin dynasty as the Duke of Xiping except Zhang Zuo who proclaimed himself emperor (or king). However, at times the other Former Liang rulers also used the king title when imposed on them when they were forced to submit to their powerful neighbour states—initially the Former Zhao, then the Later Zhao, and finally the Former Qin. As the early rulers did not explicitly declare their independence, the official year of Former Liang's establishment is up to interpretation, but no earlier than 301, the year when Zhang Gui was appointed Inspector of Liang province. Historiographers refer to the state as the Former Liang to distinguish it from the Di-led Later Liang, founded in 386, along with the other Liang states of the Sixteen Kingdoms, Southern Liang, Northern Liang and Western Liang.

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