A Chinese Biographical Dictionary/Chang Yüeh
134 Chang Yüeh 張說 (T. 道濟 and 說之). A.D. 667-730. A statesman and poet of the T'ang dynasty. He was born at Lo-yang in Shansi, his mother having dreamt that a jade swallow flew into her lap and that she became pregnant. In youth, his father conceived a dislike to him, and made him do menial work; but Chang Yüeh took every opportunity of improving his mind, and in 689 passed first as a 孝廉方正 "deserving scholar recommended for preferment." Soon afterwards, he obtained an appointment at the Court of the Empress Wu Hou, to whom he did not prove acceptable. For refusing to bear false witness against 魏元忠 Wei Yüan-chung, he was banished in 703 to 欽 Ch'in-chou in Kuangtung. He was recalled by the Emperor Chung Tsung, and the Emperor Jui Tsung made him Minister of State and entrusted to him a chief share in the great measures of goyernment, besides charging him with the preparation of the dynastic history. Under the Emperor Ming Huang his career was one of alternate favour and disgrace; however at his death he was once more a Minister of State. His fame rests chiefly upon his poems, the pathetic beauty of which was said to have improved under the reverses of his later life. He was also distinguished as a painter. Was ennobled as Duke, and canonised as 文貞.