Song Hun Song Hun ( 宋混 ) ( died 361 ) was a regent of the Chinese state Former Liang . During the reign of the violent and capricious Zhang Zuo , Song Hun served as a general , even though he constantly feared Zhang Zuo , because his older brother Song Xiu ( 宋修 ) had previously had a conflict with Zhang Zuo . In 355 , when Zhang Guan rose against Zhang Zuo , Song started an uprising of his own against Zhang Zuo as well , and quickly arrived at the capital Guzang ( 姑臧 , in modern Wuwei , Gansu ) . Zhang Guan ' s brother Zhang Ju ( 張琚 ) and son Zhang Song ( 張嵩 ) then started an uprising inside the city and opened the gates to welcome Song ' s forces in . Zhang Zuo ' s own troops turned on him and killed him . Song and Zhang Ju jointlly declared Zhang Zuo ' s nephew , Zhang Xuanjing ( whose older brother Zhang Yaoling was the legitimate ruler before Zhang Zuo seized the throne from him and killed him ) , the Duke of Xiping , a Jin - created title that his ancestors had carried for generations . When Zhang Guan subsequently arrived , Zhang Guan became regent , and Song was a key assistant . Zhang Guan overruled Song ' s decision and had Zhang Xuanjing claim a title that Jin had never conferred — Prince of Liang . Zhang Guan ' s regency was a dictatorial one , and he suspected people of conspiring against him . He was particularly suspicious of Song , since Song was loyal to the state institutions , and Zhang Guan wanted to eventually take over as ruler himself . In 359 , he therefore planned to kill Song Hun and his brother Song Cheng ( 宋澄 ) . Song Hun heard this and started an uprising , declaring that Zhang Guan had committed treason and that he had authorization from Zhang Xuanjing ' s grandmother Princess Dowager Ma to kill him . Their forces battled inside the city , but Song Hun ' s forces prevailed , and Zhang Guan and Zhang Ju committed suicide . He slaughtered their clan . Song Hun was considered an able and tolerant regent — even , for example , commissioning one of Zhang Guan ' s bodyguards , Xuan Lu ( 玄臚 ) , who had , during the battle , tried to kill him with a spear but failed and was captured , as a trusted officer . Under his decision , Zhang Xuanjing relinquished the title Prince of Liang and again claimed the Jin - created title Duke of Xiping . Song himself was created the Marquess of Jiuquan . In 361 , Song Hun grew ill , and Zhang Xuanjing and Princess Dowager Ma visited him personally , asking whether his son Song Linzong ( 宋林宗 ) should succeed him if he died . Song Hun noted that Song Linzong was young and weak in personality , and that Song Cheng might be an appropriate choice — but also warned that Song Cheng ' s reaction was slow and needed to be watched closely . Song Hun warned Song Cheng and his own sons that they needed to be humble and faithful to the state , and he told many officials the same . He soon died , and it was described that the commoners on the street were all mournful and weeping . Song Cheng became regent , but just several months later , the general Zhang Yong ( 張邕 ) , who was unhappy that Song Cheng became regent , overthrew Song Cheng and slaughtered the Song clan . Zhang Yong and Zhang Xuanjing ' s uncle Zhang Tianxi served as coregents , and soon Zhang Tianxi killed Zhang Yong ( claiming , inter alia , to be avenging the Songs ) , but eventually overthrew Zhang Xuanjing himself in 363 and took the throne .