A grand protector (太守; Mandarin: tàishǒu) was the chief executive of a commandery in imperial China.
At the outbreak of the An Lushan Rebellion in late 755, incumbent grand protectors of the Tang dynasty included Yan Gaoqing of Changshan[1] and Yan Zhenqing of Pingyuan.[2] When Gaoqing sent his son Yan Jiming to raise a call-to-arms across all twenty-four commanderies of Hebei Circuit against An Lushan, he failed to win the support of the other grand protectors, and Grand Protector Zhang Wanqing of Boling even sent an assassin to try to kill him in Qinghe Commandery. He was saved by the Hidden One Li E, however, who pledged himself to his cause.[3][4]