Feng Yuxiang was the largest warlord in the northwest region during the Republic of China period, with 400,000 troops under his hands, so who was the second person under Feng Yuxiang's hands? This person is Zhang Zhijiang, who is also the head of the Five Tigers in the Northwest.
Zhang Zhijiang liked to dance knives and guns since he was a child, and showed a very high talent in the field of martial arts, and soon became a very famous martial arts master in the township. Just when the Qing court learned from western countries to form a new army, Zhang Zhijiang's father saw that his son did not like to learn, so he sent him to serve as a soldier.
Because of his martial arts foundation, Zhang Zhijiang soon gained a foothold in the army and was promoted because of his military achievements. It was also during this period that Zhang Zhijiang became acquainted with Feng Yuxiang, and the two became friends. Later, the Xinhai Revolution broke out, and the two participated in the Luanzhou Uprising together, but unfortunately this uprising ultimately failed, and both Feng Yuxiang and Zhang Zhijiang were dismissed.
However, Feng Yuxiang was promoted by his uncle Lu Jianzhang, and soon got a high promotion. Zhang Zhijiang, who had no connections, could only go back to his hometown to find an errand, and when Feng Yuxiang was already a brigade commander, Zhang Zhijiang still did nothing. So Zhang Zhijiang went to Feng Yuxiang, and from this time on, Zhang Zhijiang's career began to be smooth.
Yuan Shikai claimed to be the empress, Zhang Zhijiang and Feng Yuxiang were ordered to fight against the defending army led by Cai Yi, because they knew that what Yuan Shikai was doing was against the sky, so Zhang Zhijiang and Feng Yuxiang did not move with Cai Yizhen, and simply joined the defending army after a small fight.
With the death of Yuan Shikai, various Beiyang warlords have risen, Zhang Zhijiang and Feng Yuxiang chose to rely on their direct lineage, and began to slowly grow their strength in the northwest region, after a long period of fighting and annexation, Feng Yuxiang finally dominated the northwest, and Zhang Zhijiang was naturally indispensable. Among them, the five people who helped Feng Yuxiang the most were called the Five Tigers of the Northwest, namely Zhang Zhijiang, Li Mingzhong, Lu Zhonglin, Song Zheyuan, and Liu Yufen, of which Zhang Zhijiang ranked first.
After the defeat in the Central Plains War, Feng Yuxiang was electrified and went to the Soviet Union to study and study. At this time, Feng Yuxiang handed over the Northwest Army to Zhang Zhijiang's management. However, after losing Feng Yuxiang, the Northwest Army was very chaotic, and although Zhang Zhijiang was the elder of the Northwest Army, he could not say anything in front of everyone. Coupled with the attacks of other forces on the Northwest Army, Zhang Zhijiang's heart was exhausted, and Feng Yuxiang returned to China. After Feng Yuxiang returned to power, Zhang Zhijiang suffered from stroke because of his previous fatigue and has since retreated to the second line.
However, Zhang Zhijiang, who retired, was not idle, and also held some civilian positions in the War of Resistance. Later, he also served as the curator of the National Art Museum, and in 1936, he participated in the Tenth Olympic Games, which was a sensation.