Wang Hui (Tang Dynasty)
Encyclopedia
Wang Hui (died 891
), courtesy name Zhaowen (昭文), formally Marquess Zhen of Langye (琅琊貞侯), was an official of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xizong
.
(r. was asking chancellors to find appropriate husbands for the princesses in the 850s
, placing a loose timeframe on the time of his birth. His family was from Jingzhao Municipality (京兆, i.e., the region of the Tang Dynasty
capital Chang'an
) and claimed ancestry from Wei Wuji (魏無忌) the Lord of Xinling, a famous prince of the Warring States Period
state Wei
, explaining that the line eventually changed its surname to Wang
because it was from a house of kings (and Wang meant "king"). Wang Hui's family also traced its ancestry to the Western Wei
general Wang Pi (王羆), whose descendants then served Sui Dynasty
and Tang. Wang Hui's grandfather Wang Cha (王察) served as a prefectural prefect, and his father Wang Zili (王自立) served as a county magistrate.
s in the Jinshi class in 858
, during Emperor Xuānzong's reign. He started his official career as a copyeditor (校書郎, Xiaoshu Lang) at the archival bureau (秘書省, Mishu Sheng). When the official Shen Xun (沈詢) served as the director of finances, he invited Wang to serve under him as a traveling reviewer. At that time, Emperor Xuānzong, who was looking for appropriate husbands for his daughters, asked the chancellors to look among the officials who had passed the Jinshi examination, and Wang's name was mentioned. Wang, however, did not want to marry into the imperial family, and he met the chancellor Liu Zhuan
to decline on the account of age, as he was already in his 40s, as well as poor health. Liu thus informed Emperor Xuānzong, and Wang was not ordered to marry a princess.
Later, during the reign of Emperor Xuānzong's son Emperor Yizong
, when the former chancellor Linghu Tao
served successively as the military governor (Jiedushi
) of Xuanwu (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng
, Henan
) and then Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou
, Jiangsu
), Wang served as Linghu's secretary. Wang was subsequently recalled to Chang'an to serve as You Shiyi (右拾遺), a low-level advisory official at the legislative bureau (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng), and it was said that while serving there, he submitted petitions making 23 suggestions, causing people to respect him for his insight. When the chancellor Xu Shang
also served as the director of salt and iron monopolies, he invited Wang to serve as an assistant. Later, after Xu was relieved of his chancellor post and made the military governor of Jingnan Circuit (荊南, headquartered in modern Jingzhou
, Hubei
), he wanted Wang to serve under him, but did not dare to ask, as he did not know whether Wang would be willing to leave the capital again. Wang heard about this, and he stated to Xu, "When I had just passed the Jinshi examination, it was you, Lord, who regarded me well. Now that you, Lord, will be receiving a seal and a military command, how can your subordinate not follow you?" Xu was pleased, and he had Wang made his assistant.
particularly respected Wang for his administrative abilities. Wang was later made Sifeng Langzhong (司封郎中), still a supervisory official at the office of civil service affairs, as well as the magistrate of Chang'an County (one of the two counties making up the capital), but as at that time, the ranks of imperial scholars (翰林學士, Hanlin Xueshi) was severely lacking, Xiao had him made an imperial scholar and also Zhifang Langzhong (職方郎中), also a supervisory official at the ministry of civil service affairs; Wang was also put in charge of drafting edicts. He was later made Zhongshu Sheren (中書舍人), a mid-level official at the legislative bureau. Yet later, he was made chief imperial scholar (翰林學士承旨, Hanlin Xueshi Chengzhi) and deputy minister of census (戶部侍郎, Hubu Shilang). While serving as chief imperial scholar, he also successively served as deputy minister of defense (兵部侍郎, Bingbu Shilang) and then Shangshu Zuo Cheng (尚書左丞), one of the secretaries general of the executive bureau (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng).
In late 880
, as the major agrarian rebel Huang Chao
was approaching Chang'an, the powerful eunuch Tian Lingzi
, in order to deflect blame for the imperial forces' inability to stop Huang, blamed the leading chancellor Lu Xi
for erroneous strategies and had Lu demoted. (Lu, in response, committed suicide.) Wang and Pei Che
were made chancellors (with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事)) to replace Lu. However, on the same day, news arrived that Huang was about to attack Chang'an. Tian took Emperor Xizong and fled toward Chengdu
, and the officials scrambled to either try to follow the emperor or to hide. Wang tried to follow the emperor in flight, but in his attempt to do so fell into a bush in a valley and was injured. He was captured by Huang's soldiers, who took him back to Chang'an, where Huang had declared himself emperor of a new state of Qi. Huang tried to force Wang to accept a commission in the Qi government, but Wang pretended to have been so severely injured that he could not speak, even when swords were placed against him. Huang had Wang returned to his mansion to recuperate, under close watch, and he sent doctors to treat Wang. After about a month, though, when the guards had relaxed, Wang disguised himself as a merchant and fled to Hezhong (河中, in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi). He submitted a report to Emperor Xizong (who was then at Chengdu), and Emperor Xizong had him remotely made the minister of defense (兵部尚書, Bingbu Shangshu).
Wang was then planning to join the emperor in Chengdu, but he was then commissioned to review the Tang troops in the east. At that time, the chancellor Wang Duo
was in overall command of the operations against Huang, but Tang forces had not been able to gain a decisive victory over Qi. The eunuch monitor of the army, Yang Fuguang
wanted to invite the Shatuo
rebel Li Keyong
to join the Tang cause, and Wang Hui agreed with the proposal. Wang Duo then issued an edict in Emperor Xizong's name pardoning Li Keyong and summoning him to join the Tang imperial cause. After Tang forces, with Li Keyong as a major contributor, defeated Huang and recaptured Chang'an early in 883
, Wang, for his contribution, was made You Pushe (右僕射), one of the heads of the executive bureau.
Meanwhile, Zhaoyi Circuit (昭義, headquartered in modern Changzhi
, Shanxi
) had been going through much turmoil — as the officer Cheng Lin (成麟) had killed the military governor Gao Xun (高潯) in a mutiny in 881
and was in turn killed by another officer, Meng Fangli
. The people of Zhaoyi then asked the eunuch monitor Wu Quanxu (吳全勗) to act as military governor, but Meng rejected this (claiming that a eunuch should not be a governor) and put Wu under house arrest, instead claiming that he wanted the imperial government to send a replacement. The imperial government commissioned Wang Hui to serve as Zhaoyi's military governor. Wang, however, knowing that Meng had full control of three of Zhaoyi's five prefectures (i.e., the ones east of the Taihang Mountains
), believed that he would not be actually able to exercise control, and so declined the commission. The circuit was then instead given to Zheng Changtu
, although Zheng left his post just three months later, leaving Meng in control.
At this time, Chang'an was in shambles due to the warfare, and Emperor Xizong had not returned to Chang'an. Wang was made the director of Daming Palace (大明宮) and acting mayor of Jingzhao, overseeing the recovery effort. It was said that Wang comforted the people, such that the people began to return. However, the powerful individuals inside the palace (i.e., eunuchs headed by Tian) and outside were trying to reconstruct their mansions, and they often infringed on the people's rights. When the people complained, Wang tried to exercise the laws properly against the powerful people, and thus offended them. They thus had another official, Xue Qi (薛杞), made Wang's deputy, with the intent that Xue would strip Wang's actual authority, but Wang, citing the fact that Xue's father had just died and that he should thus be observing a period of mourning, refused to let Xue take office. This further angered the powerful people, and Wang was stripped of his posts and summoned to Chengdu. He was then made a senior advisor to the Crown Prince
— an entirely honorary post as there was no crown prince at the time — and ordered to retire to Hezhong. About three months later, even that honorary post was stripped, although a similar post was conferred after Emperor Xizong returned to Chang'an in 885
, and Wang was recalled to Chang'an, although he declined the post on account of illness. The chancellors, rebuking Wang for not accepting the imperial largess, had him made the prefect of Ji Prefecture (集州, in modern Bazhong
, Sichuan
) and ordered him to report immediately.
Immediately after, though, Tian provoked Wang Chongrong
and Li Keyong into attacking Chang'an, and Emperor Xizong fled to Xingyuan (興元, in modern Hanzhong
, Shaanxi
). The warlord Zhu Mei
, the military governor of Jingnan Circuit (靜難, headquartered in modern Xianyang
, Shaanxi
), took over Chang'an and declared an imperial prince, Li Yun
the Prince of Xiang, emperor. Tian was removed from his post and fled to Chengdu to serve as the eunuch monitor of Xichuan Circuit (西川, headquartered in modern Chengdu), where his brother Chen Jingxuan
was military governor. After Tian's removal, Emperor Xizong sent an edict summoning Wang to serve as the minister of civil service affairs (吏部尚書) and creating him the Marquess of Langye. Wang wanted to report to Emperor Xizong, but the roads were blocked off by Li Yun. Subsequently, Li Yun's edict arrived at Hezhong, also summoning Wang. Wang claimed to have suffered a stroke and to be unable to walk, and he refused to submit to Li Yun. After Zhu was killed by his own subordinate Wang Xingyu
later in the year, and Li Yun was then executed by Wang Chongrong when he fled to Hezhong, Emperor Xizong returned to Chang'an. He made Wang chief imperial censor (御史大夫, Yushi Daifu), but Wang declined on account of illness.
and was succeeded by his brother Emperor Zhaozong
, Wang Hui was again made advisor to the Crown Prince. When he went to the palace to thank Emperor Zhaozong, Emperor Zhaozong stated, "Wang Hui's spirit is still strong. How could he just take the easy way out?" Emperor Zhaozong then made him minister of civil service affairs again. It was said that, even though the Tang imperial government had suffered through many disasters by this point, Wang was still able to sort through the records and grant offices appropriately. He was thereafter made acting Sikong (司空, one of the Three Excellencies
) and You Pushe. He died around the new year 891
and was given posthumous honors.
891
Year 891 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Arnulf of Carinthia defeats the Normans at the Battle of Leuven....
), courtesy name Zhaowen (昭文), formally Marquess Zhen of Langye (琅琊貞侯), was an official of the Chinese
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...
, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xizong
Emperor Xizong of Tang
Emperor Xizong of Tang , né Li Yan , later name changed to Li Xuan , was an emperor of the Tang dynasty of China. He reigned from 873 to 888. He was the fifth son of his predecessor Emperor Yizong and was the elder brother of his successor Emperor Zhaozong...
.
Background
it is not known for certain when Wang Hui was born — although he was said to be in his 40s when Emperor XuānzongEmperor Xuanzong of Tang
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang , also commonly known as Emperor Ming of Tang , personal name Li Longji , known as Wu Longji from 690 to 705, was the seventh emperor of the Tang dynasty in China, reigning from 712 to 756. His reign of 43 years was the longest during the Tang Dynasty...
(r. was asking chancellors to find appropriate husbands for the princesses in the 850s
850s
-Significant people:* Charles the Bald* Louis the German* Lothar* Ethelwulf of Wessex* Bardas* Kenneth I of Scotland* Halfdan the Black* Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi...
, placing a loose timeframe on the time of his birth. His family was from Jingzhao Municipality (京兆, i.e., the region of the 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...
capital Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
) and claimed ancestry from Wei Wuji (魏無忌) the Lord of Xinling, a famous prince of the Warring States Period
Warring States Period
The Warring States Period , also known as the Era of Warring States, or the Warring Kingdoms period, covers the Iron Age period from about 475 BC to the reunification of China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC...
state Wei
Wei (state)
The State of Wei was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. Its territory lay between the states of Qin and Qi and included parts of modern day Henan, Hebei, Shanxi and Shandong...
, explaining that the line eventually changed its surname to Wang
Wang (surname)
Wang is a Chinese family name and one of the most common surnames in the world. It is ranked 8th in the Hundred Family Surnames, and first in the People's Republic of China's National Citizen ID Information System . Wang is ranked as the most common surname in mainland China, with 92.88 million...
because it was from a house of kings (and Wang meant "king"). Wang Hui's family also traced its ancestry to the Western Wei
Western Wei
The Western Wei Dynasty followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei, and ruled northern China from 535 to 556.After the Xianbei general Yuwen Tai killed the Northern Wei emperor Yuan Xiu, he installed Yuan Baoju as emperor of Western Wei while Yuwen Tai would remain as the virtual ruler...
general Wang Pi (王羆), whose descendants then served Sui Dynasty
Sui Dynasty
The Sui Dynasty was a powerful, but short-lived Imperial Chinese dynasty. Preceded by the Southern and Northern Dynasties, it ended nearly four centuries of division between rival regimes. It was followed by the Tang Dynasty....
and Tang. Wang Hui's grandfather Wang Cha (王察) served as a prefectural prefect, and his father Wang Zili (王自立) served as a county magistrate.
Early career
Wang Hui passed the imperial examinationImperial examination
The Imperial examination was an examination system in Imperial China designed to select the best administrative officials for the state's bureaucracy. This system had a huge influence on both society and culture in Imperial China and was directly responsible for the creation of a class of...
s in the Jinshi class in 858
858
Year 858 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Louis the German invades West Francia, hoping to secure Aquitaine from his brother Charles the Bald, but fails....
, during Emperor Xuānzong's reign. He started his official career as a copyeditor (校書郎, Xiaoshu Lang) at the archival bureau (秘書省, Mishu Sheng). When the official Shen Xun (沈詢) served as the director of finances, he invited Wang to serve under him as a traveling reviewer. At that time, Emperor Xuānzong, who was looking for appropriate husbands for his daughters, asked the chancellors to look among the officials who had passed the Jinshi examination, and Wang's name was mentioned. Wang, however, did not want to marry into the imperial family, and he met the chancellor Liu Zhuan
Liu Zhuan
Liu Zhuan , courtesy name Ziquan , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving briefly as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xuānzong.- Background and early career :...
to decline on the account of age, as he was already in his 40s, as well as poor health. Liu thus informed Emperor Xuānzong, and Wang was not ordered to marry a princess.
Later, during the reign of Emperor Xuānzong's son Emperor Yizong
Emperor Yizong of Tang
Emperor Yizong of Tang , né Li Wen , later changed to Li Cui , was an emperor of the Tang dynasty of China. He reigned from 859 to 873. Yizong was the eldest son of Emperor Xuānzong...
, when the former chancellor Linghu Tao
Linghu Tao
Linghu Tao , courtesy name Zizhi , formally the Duke of Zhao , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. He was the leading chancellor during the last nine years of the reign of Emperor Xuānzong, but was removed from his chancellor position after Emperor Xuānzong's death, subsequently...
served successively as 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 Xuanwu (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...
) and then Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou
Yangzhou
Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yancheng to the northeast, Taizhou to the east, and Zhenjiang across...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
), Wang served as Linghu's secretary. Wang was subsequently recalled to Chang'an to serve as You Shiyi (右拾遺), a low-level advisory official at the legislative bureau (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng), and it was said that while serving there, he submitted petitions making 23 suggestions, causing people to respect him for his insight. When the chancellor Xu Shang
Xu Shang
Xu Shang , courtesy name Yisheng or Qiuqing , formally Viscount of Dongguan , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Yizong of Tang.- Background :...
also served as the director of salt and iron monopolies, he invited Wang to serve as an assistant. Later, after Xu was relieved of his chancellor post and made the military governor of Jingnan Circuit (荊南, headquartered in modern Jingzhou
Jingzhou
Jingzhou is a prefecture-level city in Hubei Province, People's Republic of China. The city is located on the banks of the Yangtze River.Its population is 5,691,707 at the 2010 census whom 1,154,086 in the built up area made of 3 urban districts.-Geography:Jingzhou occupies an area of...
, Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
), he wanted Wang to serve under him, but did not dare to ask, as he did not know whether Wang would be willing to leave the capital again. Wang heard about this, and he stated to Xu, "When I had just passed the Jinshi examination, it was you, Lord, who regarded me well. Now that you, Lord, will be receiving a seal and a military command, how can your subordinate not follow you?" Xu was pleased, and he had Wang made his assistant.
During Emperor Xizong's reign
Later, when Gao Shi (高湜) oversaw the office of imperial censors (御史臺, Yushi Tai), he had Wang Hui recalled to Chang'an to serve as a supervising censor Shi Yushi Zhiza (侍御史知雜), as well as Zhifang Yuanwailang (職方員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of civil service affairs (吏部, Libu). From that latter position, Wang was later promoted to Kaogong Langzhong (考功郎中), a supervisory official at the ministry of civil service affairs. The chancellor Xiao FangXiao Fang
Xiao Fang , courtesy name Sidao , formally the Marquess of Lanling , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xizong.- Background :...
particularly respected Wang for his administrative abilities. Wang was later made Sifeng Langzhong (司封郎中), still a supervisory official at the office of civil service affairs, as well as the magistrate of Chang'an County (one of the two counties making up the capital), but as at that time, the ranks of imperial scholars (翰林學士, Hanlin Xueshi) was severely lacking, Xiao had him made an imperial scholar and also Zhifang Langzhong (職方郎中), also a supervisory official at the ministry of civil service affairs; Wang was also put in charge of drafting edicts. He was later made Zhongshu Sheren (中書舍人), a mid-level official at the legislative bureau. Yet later, he was made chief imperial scholar (翰林學士承旨, Hanlin Xueshi Chengzhi) and deputy minister of census (戶部侍郎, Hubu Shilang). While serving as chief imperial scholar, he also successively served as deputy minister of defense (兵部侍郎, Bingbu Shilang) and then Shangshu Zuo Cheng (尚書左丞), one of the secretaries general of the executive bureau (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng).
In late 880
880
Year 880 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Religion :* Pope John VIII issues the bull Industriae Tuae, creating an independent ecclesiastical province in Great Moravia with Archbishop Saint Methodius as its head...
, as the major agrarian rebel Huang Chao
Huang Chao
Huang Chao was the leader of the Huang Chao Rebellion , known in mainland China as the Huang Chao Revolution in China that seriously weakened the once mighty Tang Dynasty of China...
was approaching Chang'an, the powerful eunuch Tian Lingzi
Tian Lingzi
Tian Lingzi , courtesy name Zhongze , formally the Duke of Jin , was a powerful eunuch during the reign of Emperor Xizong of Tang...
, in order to deflect blame for the imperial forces' inability to stop Huang, blamed the leading chancellor Lu Xi
Lu Xi
Lu Xi , courtesy name Zisheng , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving two terms as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xizong...
for erroneous strategies and had Lu demoted. (Lu, in response, committed suicide.) Wang and Pei Che
Pei Che
Pei Che , courtesy name Shenyuan , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Xizong and the pretender to the throne Li Yun. After Li Yun was defeated and executed, Pei was also executed for his service under Li Yun.- Background :It...
were made chancellors (with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事)) to replace Lu. However, on the same day, news arrived that Huang was about to attack Chang'an. Tian took Emperor Xizong and fled toward Chengdu
Chengdu
Chengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status...
, and the officials scrambled to either try to follow the emperor or to hide. Wang tried to follow the emperor in flight, but in his attempt to do so fell into a bush in a valley and was injured. He was captured by Huang's soldiers, who took him back to Chang'an, where Huang had declared himself emperor of a new state of Qi. Huang tried to force Wang to accept a commission in the Qi government, but Wang pretended to have been so severely injured that he could not speak, even when swords were placed against him. Huang had Wang returned to his mansion to recuperate, under close watch, and he sent doctors to treat Wang. After about a month, though, when the guards had relaxed, Wang disguised himself as a merchant and fled to Hezhong (河中, in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi). He submitted a report to Emperor Xizong (who was then at Chengdu), and Emperor Xizong had him remotely made the minister of defense (兵部尚書, Bingbu Shangshu).
Wang was then planning to join the emperor in Chengdu, but he was then commissioned to review the Tang troops in the east. At that time, the chancellor Wang Duo
Wang Duo
Wang Duo , is a Chinese calligrapher, painter, and poet in Ming Dynasty.Wang was born in Mengjin in the Henan province. His style name was 'Juesi' or 'Juezhi' and his sobriquets were 'Songqiao', 'Chi'an', or 'Yantan Yusou'...
was in overall command of the operations against Huang, but Tang forces had not been able to gain a decisive victory over Qi. The eunuch monitor of the army, Yang Fuguang
Yang Fuguang
Yang Fuguang , formally Duke Zhongsu of Hongnong , was an eunuch general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who was considered a major contributor to the Tang cause in finally defeating Huang Chao's rebellion.- Background :...
wanted to invite the Shatuo
Shatuo
The Shatuo were a Turkic tribe that heavily influenced northern Chinese politics from the late ninth century through the tenth century. They are noted for founding 3 of the 5 dynasties and 1 of the kingdoms during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period....
rebel 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...
to join the Tang cause, and Wang Hui agreed with the proposal. Wang Duo then issued an edict in Emperor Xizong's name pardoning Li Keyong and summoning him to join the Tang imperial cause. After Tang forces, with Li Keyong as a major contributor, defeated Huang and recaptured Chang'an early in 883
883
Year 883 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Oldest known mention of the city of Duisburg.* Monte Cassino is sacked and burned down by the Saracens....
, Wang, for his contribution, was made You Pushe (右僕射), one of the heads of the executive bureau.
Meanwhile, Zhaoyi Circuit (昭義, headquartered in modern Changzhi
Changzhi
Changzhi is a prefecture-level city in Shanxi Province, People's Republic of China. It lies between the city of Huozhou in Shanxi and the city of Hebi in Henan....
, 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....
) had been going through much turmoil — as the officer Cheng Lin (成麟) had killed the military governor Gao Xun (高潯) in a mutiny in 881
881
Year 881 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Charles the Fat is crowned Western Emperor.* Battle of Saucourt-en-Vimeu: Louis III of France routs Norman pirates....
and was in turn killed by another officer, Meng Fangli
Meng Fangli
Meng Fangli was a warlord in the late Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who, from 881 to 889, controlled all or part of Zhaoyi Circuit — the headquarters of which he moved from Lu Prefecture to his home Xing Prefecture — as its military governor...
. The people of Zhaoyi then asked the eunuch monitor Wu Quanxu (吳全勗) to act as military governor, but Meng rejected this (claiming that a eunuch should not be a governor) and put Wu under house arrest, instead claiming that he wanted the imperial government to send a replacement. The imperial government commissioned Wang Hui to serve as Zhaoyi's military governor. Wang, however, knowing that Meng had full control of three of Zhaoyi's five prefectures (i.e., the ones 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...
), believed that he would not be actually able to exercise control, and so declined the commission. The circuit was then instead given to Zheng Changtu
Zheng Changtu
Zheng Changtu , courtesy name Guangye , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. He served as a chancellor in the administration of the pretender Li Yun, who claimed the throne in competition with Emperor Xizong...
, although Zheng left his post just three months later, leaving Meng in control.
At this time, Chang'an was in shambles due to the warfare, and Emperor Xizong had not returned to Chang'an. Wang was made the director of Daming Palace (大明宮) and acting mayor of Jingzhao, overseeing the recovery effort. It was said that Wang comforted the people, such that the people began to return. However, the powerful individuals inside the palace (i.e., eunuchs headed by Tian) and outside were trying to reconstruct their mansions, and they often infringed on the people's rights. When the people complained, Wang tried to exercise the laws properly against the powerful people, and thus offended them. They thus had another official, Xue Qi (薛杞), made Wang's deputy, with the intent that Xue would strip Wang's actual authority, but Wang, citing the fact that Xue's father had just died and that he should thus be observing a period of mourning, refused to let Xue take office. This further angered the powerful people, and Wang was stripped of his posts and summoned to Chengdu. He was then made a senior advisor to the Crown Prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
— an entirely honorary post as there was no crown prince at the time — and ordered to retire to Hezhong. About three months later, even that honorary post was stripped, although a similar post was conferred after Emperor Xizong returned to Chang'an in 885
885
Year 885 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The Vikings besiege Paris.* Godfrith, the Sea King is killed in Lobith...
, and Wang was recalled to Chang'an, although he declined the post on account of illness. The chancellors, rebuking Wang for not accepting the imperial largess, had him made the prefect of Ji Prefecture (集州, in modern Bazhong
Bazhong
Bazhong is a prefecture-level city in north-eastern Sichuan province, People's Republic of China.-History:Bazhong was made a prefecture-level city in 1993. Its history, however, goes back much further. During the Xia and Shang Dynasties, it was purportedly a vassal territory of the Liang State. In...
, Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
) and ordered him to report immediately.
Immediately after, though, Tian provoked Wang Chongrong
Wang Chongrong
Wang Chongrong , formally the Prince of Langye , was a warlord of the late Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who controlled Hezhong Circuit...
and Li Keyong into attacking Chang'an, and Emperor Xizong fled to Xingyuan (興元, in modern Hanzhong
Hanzhong
Hanzhong is a municipality in southwest Shaanxi Province, China, occupying a historically significant valley in the mountains between the Xi'an area, home to many Chinese capitals, and the fertile but isolated Sichuan Basin...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
). The warlord Zhu Mei
Zhu Mei
Zhu Mei was a warlord of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. Disillusioned with Emperor Xizong and the powerful eunuch Tian Lingzi, he tried to support Emperor Xizong's distant relative Li Yun the Prince of Xiang as the new emperor, but was soon thereafter killed by his own officer Wang Xingyu.-...
, the military governor of Jingnan Circuit (靜難, headquartered in modern Xianyang
Xianyang
Xianyang is a former capital of China in Shaanxi province, on the Wei River, a few kilometers upstream from Xi'an. It has an area of...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
), took over Chang'an and declared an imperial prince, Li Yun
Li Yun
Li Yun is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 97th of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 61st of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Green Eyed Tiger".-Background:...
the Prince of Xiang, emperor. Tian was removed from his post and fled to Chengdu to serve as the eunuch monitor of Xichuan Circuit (西川, headquartered in modern Chengdu), where his brother Chen Jingxuan
Chen Jingxuan
Chen Jingxuan was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who came to control Xichuan Circuit Chen Jingxuan (陳敬瑄) (d. April 26, 893) was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who came to control Xichuan Circuit Chen Jingxuan (陳敬瑄) (d. April 26, 893) was a general of the Chinese...
was military governor. After Tian's removal, Emperor Xizong sent an edict summoning Wang to serve as the minister of civil service affairs (吏部尚書) and creating him the Marquess of Langye. Wang wanted to report to Emperor Xizong, but the roads were blocked off by Li Yun. Subsequently, Li Yun's edict arrived at Hezhong, also summoning Wang. Wang claimed to have suffered a stroke and to be unable to walk, and he refused to submit to Li Yun. After Zhu was killed by his own subordinate Wang Xingyu
Wang Xingyu
Wang Xingyu was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who controlled Jingnan Circuit from 887 to his death in 895...
later in the year, and Li Yun was then executed by Wang Chongrong when he fled to Hezhong, Emperor Xizong returned to Chang'an. He made Wang chief imperial censor (御史大夫, Yushi Daifu), but Wang declined on account of illness.
During Emperor Zhaozong's reign
Sometime after Emperor Xizong died in 888888
Year 888 was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* January 13 – With the death of Charles the Fat, the Frankish kingdom is split again, and this time permanently...
and was succeeded by his brother 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...
, Wang Hui was again made advisor to the Crown Prince. When he went to the palace to thank Emperor Zhaozong, Emperor Zhaozong stated, "Wang Hui's spirit is still strong. How could he just take the easy way out?" Emperor Zhaozong then made him minister of civil service affairs again. It was said that, even though the Tang imperial government had suffered through many disasters by this point, Wang was still able to sort through the records and grant offices appropriately. He was thereafter made acting Sikong (司空, one of the Three Excellencies
Three Excellencies
The Three Ducal Ministers , also translated as the Three Dukes, Three Excellencies, or the Three Lords, was the collective name for the three highest officials in ancient China...
) and You Pushe. He died around the new year 891
891
Year 891 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Arnulf of Carinthia defeats the Normans at the Battle of Leuven....
and was given posthumous honors.