Wang Ying (Tang Dynasty)
Encyclopedia
Wang Ying (died 877
) was a rebel military officer of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
who, from 875
to 877, roamed and pillaged the modern Zhejiang
and Fujian
region.
, he was serving as the defender of Langshan (狼山, in modern Nantong
, Jiangsu
), serving under Zhao Yin
the military governor (Jiedushi
) of Zhenhai Circuit (鎮海, headquartered in modern Zhenjiang
, Jiangsu
). That year, he and 68 other officers had accomplishments in battle, but Zhao refused to give them material rewards, rewarding them only with titles. When Wang and the others sought material rewards with no success, they mutinied with Wang as their leader, seizing weapons from the armory and then pillaging the nearby areas, quickly expanding their army to almost 10,000 in size. Wang's army captured Su (蘇州, in modern Suzhou
, Jiangsu
) and Chang (常州, in modern Changzhou
, Jiangsu
) Prefectures, and further established a fleet that allowed them to go up and down the Yangtze River
and the East China Sea
coast without obstruction. They thus were able to easily pillage the regions of Zhenhai, Zhedong (浙東, headquartered in modern Shaoxing
, Zhejiang
), and Fujian (福建, headquartered in modern Fuzhou
, Fujian
).
, then-reigning Emperor Xizong
commissioned the general Gao Jie (高傑) to lead a fleet against Wang Ying, but there was no indication that Gao had any real success against Wang. However, Wang soon tried to negotiate with Lu Shi (魯寔) the prefect of Wen Prefecture (溫州, in modern Wenzhou
, Zhejiang
), seeking resubmission to and recommission from the imperial government. Lu supported Wang's suggestion, and the imperial government initially accepted. However, it ordered that Wang give up his army and go to the imperial capital Chang'an
to pay homage to the emperor, before he could be given a commission. Wang did not immediately turn down the proposal, but tried to delay his departure for half a year. He then requested to be the defender of Wanghai (望海, in modern Ningbo
, Zhejiang
). The imperial government refused the request, and instead commissioned him as an officer of the imperial guards, and further stated that Wang would be allowed to keep all the treasures that he had pillaged.
In spring 877
, Wang decided to turn on Lu. He enticed Lu to come onto his ship and seized Lu, and Lu's soldiers fled. Upon hearing that Lu had been captured, the imperial government commissioned the general Song Hao (宋皓) to be the commander of some 15,000 men against Wang. Meanwhile, though, Wang captured Wanghai, and then pillaged Ming (明州, in modern Ningbo) and Tai (台州, in modern Taizhou, Zhejiang
) Prefectures. He captured Tai Prefecture, forcing the prefect of Tai, Wang Bao (王葆), to withdraw to Tangxing (唐興, in modern Taizhou). In reaction, Emperor Xizong further ordered Zhenhai, Zhedong, and Fujian Circuits to contribute ships in the operations against Wang.
) used compact arrows — fired from a bamboo trunk — to shoot Wang to death, ending his rebellion.
877
Year 877 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The Danes take Exeter, England.* A flotilla of 120 Danish ships is lost in a storm off Swanage....
) was a rebel military officer 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...
who, from 875
875
Year 875 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* December 29 – Charles the Bald, king of West Francia, is crowned emperor....
to 877, roamed and pillaged the modern Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
and Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
region.
Genesis of Wang Ying's rebellion
It is not known when Wang Ying was born or what his geographic origin was. As of 875875
Year 875 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* December 29 – Charles the Bald, king of West Francia, is crowned emperor....
, he was serving as the defender of Langshan (狼山, in modern Nantong
Nantong
Nantong is a prefecture-level city in Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China. Located on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, near the river mouth, Nantong is a vital river port bordering Yancheng to the north, Taizhou to the west, Suzhou and Shanghai to the south across the river, and...
, 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...
), serving under Zhao Yin
Zhao Yin
Zhao Yin , courtesy name Dayin , formally the Count of Tianshui , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Yizong and Emperor Yizong's son Emperor Xizong....
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 Zhenhai Circuit (鎮海, headquartered in modern Zhenjiang
Zhenjiang
Zhenjiang is a prefecture-level city in the southwest of Jiangsu province in the eastern People's Republic of China . Sitting on the southern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the west, Changzhou to the east, and Yangzhou across the river to the north.Once...
, 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...
). That year, he and 68 other officers had accomplishments in battle, but Zhao refused to give them material rewards, rewarding them only with titles. When Wang and the others sought material rewards with no success, they mutinied with Wang as their leader, seizing weapons from the armory and then pillaging the nearby areas, quickly expanding their army to almost 10,000 in size. Wang's army captured Su (蘇州, in modern Suzhou
Suzhou
Suzhou , previously transliterated as Su-chou, Suchow, and Soochow, is a major city located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province in Eastern China, located adjacent to Shanghai Municipality. The city is situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Taihu Lake and is a part...
, 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...
) and Chang (常州, in modern Changzhou
Changzhou
Changzhou is a prefecture-level city in southern Jiangsu province of the People's Republic of China. It was previously known as Yanling, Lanling, Jinling, and Wujin. Located on the southern bank of the Yangtze River, Changzhou borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the west, Zhenjiang to the...
, 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...
) Prefectures, and further established a fleet that allowed them to go up and down the Yangtze River
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
and the East China Sea
East China Sea
The East China Sea is a marginal sea east of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean and covers an area of 1,249,000 km² or 750,000 square miles.-Geography:...
coast without obstruction. They thus were able to easily pillage the regions of Zhenhai, Zhedong (浙東, headquartered in modern Shaoxing
Shaoxing
Shaoxing is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China. Located on the south bank of the Qiantang River estuary, it borders Ningbo to the east, Taizhou to the southeast, Jinhua to the southwest, and Hangzhou to the west. It was once known as "越"...
, Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
), and Fujian (福建, headquartered in modern Fuzhou
Fuzhou
Fuzhou is the capital and one of the largest cities in Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. Along with the many counties of Ningde, those of Fuzhou are considered to constitute the Mindong linguistic and cultural area....
, Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
).
Wang's campaigns
In 876876
Year 876 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Births :* Henry the Fowler, the duke of Saxony from 912 and king of the Germans from 919 until his death...
, then-reigning 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...
commissioned the general Gao Jie (高傑) to lead a fleet against Wang Ying, but there was no indication that Gao had any real success against Wang. However, Wang soon tried to negotiate with Lu Shi (魯寔) the prefect of Wen Prefecture (溫州, in modern Wenzhou
Wenzhou
Wenzhou is a prefecture-level city in southeastern Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China. The area under its jurisdiction, which includes two satellite cities and six counties, had a population of 9,122,100 as of 2010....
, Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
), seeking resubmission to and recommission from the imperial government. Lu supported Wang's suggestion, and the imperial government initially accepted. However, it ordered that Wang give up his army and go to the imperial 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...
to pay homage to the emperor, before he could be given a commission. Wang did not immediately turn down the proposal, but tried to delay his departure for half a year. He then requested to be the defender of Wanghai (望海, in modern Ningbo
Ningbo
Ningbo is a seaport city of northeastern Zhejiang province, Eastern China. Holding sub-provincial administrative status, the municipality has a population of 7,605,700 inhabitants at the 2010 census whom 3,089,180 in the built up area made of 6 urban districts. It lies south of the Hangzhou Bay,...
, Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
). The imperial government refused the request, and instead commissioned him as an officer of the imperial guards, and further stated that Wang would be allowed to keep all the treasures that he had pillaged.
In spring 877
877
Year 877 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The Danes take Exeter, England.* A flotilla of 120 Danish ships is lost in a storm off Swanage....
, Wang decided to turn on Lu. He enticed Lu to come onto his ship and seized Lu, and Lu's soldiers fled. Upon hearing that Lu had been captured, the imperial government commissioned the general Song Hao (宋皓) to be the commander of some 15,000 men against Wang. Meanwhile, though, Wang captured Wanghai, and then pillaged Ming (明州, in modern Ningbo) and Tai (台州, in modern Taizhou, Zhejiang
Taizhou, Zhejiang
Taizhou is a prefecture-level city in middle eastern Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China...
) Prefectures. He captured Tai Prefecture, forcing the prefect of Tai, Wang Bao (王葆), to withdraw to Tangxing (唐興, in modern Taizhou). In reaction, Emperor Xizong further ordered Zhenhai, Zhedong, and Fujian Circuits to contribute ships in the operations against Wang.
Death
However, as Wang Ying returned to Zhenhai to pillage it, the new military governor Pei Qu (裴璩) gathered his forces and initially refused to engage Wang. Instead, Pei enticed Wang's subordinate Zhu shi (朱實) to surrender and had Zhu made a general of the imperial guards. Zhu surrendered with some 6,000 to 7,000 men, causing Wang's forces to begin to disperse. Wang took his remaining forces and returned to Ming Prefecture. As he did, Liu Jurong (劉巨容) the defender of Yongqiao (甬橋, in modern Suzhou, AnhuiSuzhou, Anhui
-Administration:Suzhou administers five county-level divisions, including one district and four counties.*Yongqiao District *Dangshan County *Xiao County *Lingbi County *Si County...
) used compact arrows — fired from a bamboo trunk — to shoot Wang to death, ending his rebellion.