因張皇后之故，張氏外戚具有封爵世襲一門二伯－「彭城伯」與「惠安伯」的榮寵。嘉靖八年(1529)，明世宗施行外戚封爵裁革令下，成為唯一倖存的簪纓世族。作為具有兩百多年歷史的皇室勛戚，在各種詭譎變化的朝政中，他們能夠鞏固地位並且屹立不搖，直至明亡。最後「彭城伯」與「惠安伯」皆選擇慷慨殉國，與皇家共存亡，得以見證明代的興盛與衰敗。 ;Thesis researches the development of the royal relatives of Empress Zhang during Ming Dynasty. In the beginning, the paper displays Empress Zhang`s personal history and her family background with their originate to explore her influence on the politics of the early Ming Dynasty and her clan. And then, by analyzing the process of the Zhang`s family ennoblement and descendant observes the real situation of the inheritance and wane of the royal relatives in Ming Dynasty.
Empress Zhang is not from aristocracy but civilian to become the first Empress Dowager. She is dedicated to assisting the Emperors in handing government affairs from Hongxi to Zhengtong for forty-seven years in the court. Therefore, Empress Zhang is praised as the female Yao and Shun as becoming highly appreciated for posterity. She receives appreciation from Emperor Yongle and balances the various sources of power in the harem by peaceful. Not only using her personal political wisdom to win over ministers but also becoming at a core of person for her family with bringing wealth and fame.
Because of Empress Zhang, Zhang′s relatives have two earls - "Pengcheng bo" and "Huian bo". In the eighth year of Jiajing (1529), Emperor Shizong issued a decree with abolishing relatives hereditary, and Zhang′s family became the only surviving aristocratic clan. As a royal family member with a history of more than two hundred years, they can consolidate their position and stand firm until the end of the Ming Dynasty. In the end, "Pengcheng bo" and "Huian bo" both chose to die generously for the country, and lived and died together with the Ming Empire.
