Background
Zhang Wenguan was born in 606, during the reign of Emperor Yang of Sui. His family was originally from what would eventually become Bei Prefecture (貝州, part of modern Xingtai, Hebei), but moved to what would eventually become Wei Prefecture (魏州, roughly modern Handan, Hebei) early in Zhang Wenguan's life. He lost his father when he was young, and was said to serve his mother and older brother(s) appropriately. Early in the reign of Emperor Taizong of Tang (r. 626-649, Zhang passed the imperial examination and was made a military advisor to the secretary general of Bing Prefecture (并州, roughly modern Taiyuan, Shanxi), Li Shiji. Li valued his service greatly, and on one occasion stated, "Zhigui is the modern day Guan Zhong and Xiao He. I am not as capable as he is." At one point, when Li was set to visit Emperor Taizong at the capital Chang'an, Zhang and two other officials held a feast for Li. Li gave a sword to one of the officials and a jade belt to the other, but gave Zhang nothing. Zhang was surprised and asked Li the reason. Li responded:
There is no fault I find in you. One of them is indecisive, so I gave him a sword to encourage him to be more decisive. The other is careless, and so I gave him a belt to encourage him to rein himself in. Your abilities will mean that you will lack nothing. What can I give you?Li later recommended Zhang for his talents, and Zhang was made a reserve official at the water bureau of the department of public works. At that time, his older brother Zhang Wencong (張文琮) was serving as the deputy minister of census -- and the departments of public works and census were both under the executive bureau of government (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng). According to regulations, brothers were not supposed to serve at the same bureau of government, and so Zhang Wenguan was soon made the magistrate of Yunyang County (雲陽, in modern Xianyang, Shaanxi).
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