Wang Gao
Encyclopedia
Wang Gao was a warlord late in the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
, who controlled Yiwu Circuit (義武, headquartered in modern Baoding
, Hebei
) after succeeding his father Wang Chucun
in 895
until his defeat in 900
.
had become the military governor (Jiedushi
) of Yiwu Circuit in 879
, and during Wang Chucun's governance, Wang Gao became deputy military governor (副大使, Fudashi). After Wang Chucun's death in 895
, the soldiers supported Wang Gao to be acting military governor. Then-reigning Emperor Zhaozong
thus commissioned him as acting military governor, and then full military governor. In 897
, Emperor Zhaozong gave Wang Gao the honorary chancellor designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事).
, the major warlord Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng
, Henan
), an archrival to Wang Gao's ally Li Keyong
the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan
, Shanxi
), sent his general Zhang Cunjing (張存敬) north to try to subdue Li Keyong's allies east of the Taihang Mountains
. After first forcing Wang Rong
the military governor of Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang
, Hebei
) to submit, Zhang attacked Yiwu Circuit. Wang Gao sent his uncle Wang Chuzhi to resist Zhang. Wang Chuzhi advocated building fences to try to impede the Xuanwu army's advancement, to tire it out, before engaging the Xuanwu army. However, the officer Liang Wen (梁汶), arguing that the Yiwu army had a numerical advantage, advocated an immediate confrontation. Wang Gong thus ordered one. Zhang, however, crushed the Yiwu army and killed over half of its soldiers; the remaining soldiers escorted Wang Chuzhi and fled back to Yiwu's capital Ding Prefecture (定州).
Faced with his uncle's defeat, Wang Gao fled to Hedong Circuit. (The soldiers subsequently supported Wang Chuzhi as acting military governor, and he was able to secure a peace agreement with Zhu by agreeing to submit to Zhu.) Li Keyong gave him an honorary post. He died early in the Tianfu era (901
-904
).
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
dynasty Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
, who controlled Yiwu Circuit (義武, headquartered in modern Baoding
Baoding
-Administrative divisions:Baoding prefecture-level city consists of 3 municipal districts, 4 county-level cities, 18 counties:-Demographics:The Baoding urban area has a population of around 1,006,000 . The population of the Baoding administrative area is 10,890,000. The considerable majority are...
, Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
) after succeeding his father Wang Chucun
Wang Chucun
Wang Chucun was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who controlled Yiwu Circuit in late Tang. He was one of the main contributors in Tang's eventual defeat of the agrarian rebel Huang Chao....
in 895
895
Year 895 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The seven tribes of the Magyars settle in the Carpathian Basin under the leadership of Árpád...
until his defeat in 900
900
Year 900 was a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* April 21 – Namwaran and his children, Lady Angkatan and Bukah, are granted pardon by the Datu of Tondo, as represented Jayadewa, Lord Minister of Pila, which released them of all their debts as inscribed in the...
.
Background and governance of Yiwu
It is not known when Wang Gao was born. His father Wang ChucunWang Chucun
Wang Chucun was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who controlled Yiwu Circuit in late Tang. He was one of the main contributors in Tang's eventual defeat of the agrarian rebel Huang Chao....
had become the military governor (Jiedushi
Jiedushi
The Jiedushi were regional military governors in China during the Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. Originally set up to counter external threats, the jiedushi were given enormous power, including the ability to maintain their own armies, collect taxes, and pass their...
) of Yiwu Circuit in 879
879
Year 879 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Pope John VIII recognizes the Duchy of Croatia as an independent state....
, and during Wang Chucun's governance, Wang Gao became deputy military governor (副大使, Fudashi). After Wang Chucun's death in 895
895
Year 895 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The seven tribes of the Magyars settle in the Carpathian Basin under the leadership of Árpád...
, the soldiers supported Wang Gao to be acting military governor. Then-reigning Emperor Zhaozong
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang , né Li Jie , name later changed to Li Min , yet later name changed to Li Ye , was the penultimate emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China. He reigned from 888 to 904...
thus commissioned him as acting military governor, and then full military governor. In 897
897
Year 897 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Emperor Uda of Japan is succeeded by Emperor Daigo....
, Emperor Zhaozong gave Wang Gao the honorary chancellor designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事).
Defeat and flight
In 900900
Year 900 was a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* April 21 – Namwaran and his children, Lady Angkatan and Bukah, are granted pardon by the Datu of Tondo, as represented Jayadewa, Lord Minister of Pila, which released them of all their debts as inscribed in the...
, the major warlord Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng
Kaifeng
Kaifeng , known previously by several names , is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, Central China. Nearly 5 million people live in the metropolitan area...
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
), an archrival to Wang Gao's ally Li Keyong
Li Keyong
Li Keyong was a Shatuo military governor during the late Tang Dynasty and was key to developing a base of power for the Shatuo in what is today Shanxi Province in China...
the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan
Taiyuan
Taiyuan is the capital and largest city of Shanxi province in North China. At the 2010 census, it had a total population of 4,201,591 inhabitants on 6959 km² whom 3,212,500 are urban on 1,460 km². The name of the city literally means "Great Plains", referring to the location where the Fen River...
, Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
), sent his general Zhang Cunjing (張存敬) north to try to subdue Li Keyong's allies east of the Taihang Mountains
Taihang Mountains
The Taihang Mountains are a Chinese mountain range running down the eastern edge of the Loess Plateau in Henan, Shanxi and Hebei provinces. The range extends over 400 km from north to south and has an average elevation of 1,500 to 2,000 meters. The principal peak is Xiao Wutaishan...
. After first forcing Wang Rong
Wang Rong
Wang Rong , style name Junchong , was a politician of the Jin Dynasty period of Chinese history.Wang Rong served under Jin as the 3rd East General. Wang Rong participated during the final conquest of Eastern Wu, where he led his army as far as to that of Wuchang...
the military governor of Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang
Shijiazhuang
Shijiazhuang is the capital and largest city of North China's Hebei province. Administratively a prefecture-level city, it is about south of Beijing...
, Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
) to submit, Zhang attacked Yiwu Circuit. Wang Gao sent his uncle Wang Chuzhi to resist Zhang. Wang Chuzhi advocated building fences to try to impede the Xuanwu army's advancement, to tire it out, before engaging the Xuanwu army. However, the officer Liang Wen (梁汶), arguing that the Yiwu army had a numerical advantage, advocated an immediate confrontation. Wang Gong thus ordered one. Zhang, however, crushed the Yiwu army and killed over half of its soldiers; the remaining soldiers escorted Wang Chuzhi and fled back to Yiwu's capital Ding Prefecture (定州).
Faced with his uncle's defeat, Wang Gao fled to Hedong Circuit. (The soldiers subsequently supported Wang Chuzhi as acting military governor, and he was able to secure a peace agreement with Zhu by agreeing to submit to Zhu.) Li Keyong gave him an honorary post. He died early in the Tianfu era (901
901
Year 901 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Africa :* Abu 'Abdullah al-Shi'i leads the rebellion of the Kutama Berbers against the Aghlabid emirate in Ifriqiya ....
-904
904
Year 904 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* The Byzantines under Andronikos Doukas defeat the Arabs near Germanikeia...
).