Wang Zhixing
Encyclopedia
Wang Zhixing (758
– August 21, 836), courtesy name Kuangjian (匡諫), formally the Prince of Yanmen (雁門王), was a general of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
. He had long served as an officer at Wuning Circuit (武寧, headquartered in modern Xuzhou
, Jiangsu
) before seizing control of the circuit from the imperially-commissioned military governor (Jiedushi
) Cui Qun
, but subsequently often contributed to imperial campaigns against other generals.
, during the reign of Emperor Suzong
. His family was from Huai Prefecture (懷州, in modern Jiaozuo
, Henan
). His great-grandfather Wang Jing (王靖) and Wang Gui (王瓌) had both served as imperial guard generals, while his father Wang Jin (王縉) served as a staff member for a crown prince
.
It was said that Wang Zhixing was a ferocious warrior while young, and he served as a soldier under Li Wei (李洧) the prefect of Xu Prefecture (徐州, in modern Xuzhou
, Jiangsu
). (Li Wei was the cousin of Li Zhengji
, a warlord that then ruled Pinglu Circuit (平盧, headquartered in modern Tai'an
, Shandong
) de facto independently from the imperial government, and Xu Prefecture was a part of Pinglu.)
Li Zhengji died in 781
, and his son Li Na
, without approval from then-reigning Emperor Dezong
(Emperor Suzong's grandson), took over Pinglu. In response, Li Na aligned himself with several other warlords in similar situations — Tian Yue
, who controlled Weibo Circuit (魏博, headquartered in modern Handan
, Hebei
), Wang Wujun
, who controlled Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang
, Hebei
), and Zhu Tao
, who controlled Lulong Circuit (盧龍, headquartered in modern Beijing
). Li Wei's subordinate, Bai Jigeng (白季庚), then persuaded Li Wei to submit to the imperial government instead, and Li Wei did so. Li Na then went his officer Wang Wen (王溫), along with the Weibo officer Xindu Chongqing (信都崇慶), to attack Xu Prefecture. Li Wei sent Wang Zhixing to seek aid from the imperial government, and Wang Zhixing was said to be so fast in his ability to walk that he got to the imperial capital Chang'an
within five days. Imperial forces were launched, and they defeated the combined Pinglu and Weibo forces, saving Xu Prefecture. After this battle, Wang Zhixing was often given commands to resist Li Na, and he served at Xu Prefecture over 20 years.
In 815
, during the middle of the campaign by Emperor Dezong's grandson Emperor Xianzong
against the warlord Wu Yuanji
, who then controlled Zhangyi Circuit (彰義, headquartered in modern Zhumadian
, Henan
), Li Na's son Li Shidao
, then ruling Pinglu and aligned with Wu, tried to distract the imperial troops to try to save Wu. He decided to attack Xu Prefecture, which had by then been made the capital of Wuning Circuit (武寧). Wuning's military governor Li Yuan (李愿) put Wang in command of an army to resist the Pinglu attack, and Wang repeatedly prevailed against Pinglu troops. (During one of the battles, he captured a Pinglu general's beautiful concubine. Fearing that his own officers would fight over her, he stated, "Having a woman in the army will surely lead to defeat. Although she is innocent, her presence violates military law." He then beheaded her.) In 818
, during the subsequent imperial campaign against Li Shidao, Wang commanded Wuning troops, and they, in conjunction with troops from Zhongwu Circuit (忠武, headquartered in modern Xuchang
, Henan
), defeated Pinglu troops at Jinxiang (金鄉, in modern Jining
, Shandong
). After Li Shidao was eventually killed by his own general Liu Wu
, and Pinglu surrendered, Wang was made the prefect of Yi Prefecture (沂州, in modern Linyi
, Shandong
).
, by which time Emperor Xianzong's son Emperor Muzong
was emperor, Chengde and Lulong Circuits, which had briefly submitted to the imperial government, had again rebelled under the leadership of Wang Tingcou
and Zhu Kerong
, respectively. While preparing for the campaign against Chengde and Lulong rebels, Emperor Muzong, who had heard of Wang Zhixing's prowess on the battlefield, made him the deputy military governor of Wuning, serving under the military governor Cui Qun
(a former chancellor).
Subsequently, Wang Zhixing was commissioned to command 3,000 elite Wuning soldiers against the Chengde and Lulong rebels. Cui was apprehensive of the soldiers' support of Wang, and made a request to the imperial government that Wang be made military governor, or otherwise be given a post at Chang'an. Before the imperial government could respond, Wang became aware of Cui's suspicions toward him. When, in spring 822
, Emperor Muzong ended the campaign by pardoning Wang Tingcou and Zhu and the troops from the circuits were sent back to their homes, Wang Zhixing, ahead of the scheduled return time, led the troops back to Wuning. Cui became fearful and, while sending messengers to welcome the troops, ordered them to drop their arms and armor and enter Xu Prefecture unarmed. Wang Zhixing refused and approached the prefectural capital. His supporters opened the city gates to welcome him. He executed a number of people who opposed him and entered the headquarters. He bowed to Cui and the eunuch
monitor of the army, and stated, "This is what the troops want. I have no control over them." He then prepared a sendoff for Cui, his secretary, and attendants, and escorted them to Yongqiao. He then seized the money, silk, and textiles stored at Wuning by the directorate of salt and iron monopolies, as well as the tributes that the circuits were submitting to the emperor that were passing through Wuning. He also seized two thirds of the assets of businessmen in or passing through the circuit. He also sent 2,000 soldiers to attack Hao Prefecture (濠州, in modern Chuzhou
, Anhui
); its prefect Hou Hongdu (侯弘度) abandoned it and fled. The imperial government felt that it had no ability to attack Wang, and Emperor Muzong thus made him the military governor of Wuning.
, Henan
) expelled Li Yuan (who was then Xuanwu's military governor) under the leadership of Li Jie (李㝏), Wang Zhixing aided Gao Chengjian (高承簡) the prefect of Song Prefecture (宋州, in modern Shangqiu
, Henan
), who was resisting Li Jie's attacks. With Wang's help, Gao was able to repel Li Jie's attacks, and subsequently, with other imperial troops converging on Xuanwu, Li Jie was killed by his own subordinates.
While at Wuning, Wang used the wealth that he gathered to bribe powerful imperial officials, to rehabilitate his reputation. As a result, he received a number of honorific titles. In 824
, by which time Emperor Muzong's son Emperor Jingzong
were emperor, Wang requested permission for him to let people take tonsure
(i.e., to become Buddhist monks) at Si Prefecture (泗州, in modern Huai'an
, Jiangsu
), to seek divine favors for Emperor Jingzong. Emperor Jingzong initially agreed. As a result, people were rushing to Si Prefecture to take tonsure, to avoid taxes; the fees they paid caused Wang to become even more wealthy. When Li Deyu
the governor of Zhexi Circuit (浙西, headquartered in modern Zhenjiang
, Jiangsu
) submitted an objection and pointed out that if this continued, Zhexi and its neighboring circuits would lose some 600,000 battle-capable young men, Emperor Jingzong ordered a stop to the practice.
In 826
, after the death of Li Quanlüe (李全略) the military governor of Henghai Circuit (橫海, headquartered in modern Cangzhou
, Hebei
), Li's son Li Tongjie
seized control of the circuit and sought to succeed his father. In 827
, Emperor Jingzong's brother and successor Emperor Wenzong
offered to make Li Tongjie the military governor of Yanhai Circuit (兗海, headquartered in modern Jining) and a former military governor of Henghai, Wu Chongyin
, the military governor of Henghai, Li Tongjie refused. As the imperial government subsequently prepared for war against Henghai, Wang offered to attack Henghai without imperial expenditure. (Typically, when circuits send troops on imperial campaigns, the imperial government paid for the soldiers' expenses.) Emperor Wenzong agreed, and subsequently commissioned Wang and several other nearby military governors to converge on Henghai. Subsequently, when Wu died while still on the campaign, Emperor Wenzong made Li Huan (李寰) the military governor of Baoyi Circuit (保義, headquartered in modern Linfen
, Shanxi
) the military governor of Shanxi, at Wang's request, and further bestowed the honorific chancellor title of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事) on Wang. (When Li Huan subsequently was slow in reporting to the battlefront, Emperor Wenzong was forced to replace him with Fu Liangbi (傅良弼).) Meanwhile, Wang was able to capture Di Prefecture (棣州, in modern Binzhou
, Shandong
) and was given the honorific title of acting Situ (司徒, one of the Three Excellencies
).
Meanwhile, by this point, Wang was cruel to his soldiers. Meanwhile, his officer Shi Xiong
was considered a fierce soldier and treated soldiers well. The soldiers were therefore considering expelling Wang and replacing him with Shi. When Wang became aware of this, Wang requested that Shi be promoted for his battlefield achievements. Emperor Wenzong agreed, and made Shi the prefect of Bi Prefecture (壁州, in modern Bazhong
, Sichuan
). As soon as Shi left Wuning, Wang slaughtered some 100 officials who were friendly to Shi, and accused Shi of treason, requesting Shi's execution. Emperor Wenzong, while aware that this was a false accusation, could not resist Wang. He declared Shi guilty, but did not execute Shi, instead exiling Shi to Bai Prefecture (白州, in modern Yulin, Guangxi
).
In winter 829
, Wang went to Chang'an to pay homage to Emperor Wenzong. He was subsequently made the military governor of Zhongwu Circuit as well as the prefect of its capital prefecture Xu Prefecture (許州). In 833
, he was made the military governor of Hezhong Circuit (河中, headquartered in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi
), as well as the mayor of its capital Hezhong Municipality. In 835
, he was made the military governor of Xuanwu and the prefect of its capital Bian Prefecture (汴州). He died in 836
and was given posthumous honors. He was buried near the eastern capital Luoyang
, and it was said that some 1,000 officers from the four circuits he served attended the funeral. His son Wang Zai
later became a well-known general as well.
758
Year 758 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 758 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* Emperor Junnin succeeds Empress Kōken on the...
– August 21, 836), courtesy name Kuangjian (匡諫), formally the Prince of Yanmen (雁門王), was a general 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...
. He had long served as an officer at Wuning Circuit (武寧, headquartered in modern Xuzhou
Xuzhou
Xuzhou , otherwise known as Pengcheng in ancient times, is a major city in and the fourth largest prefecture-level city of Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China...
, 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...
) before seizing control of the circuit from the imperially-commissioned 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...
) Cui Qun
Cui Qun
Cui Qun , courtesy name Dunshi , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xianzong.- Background :Cui Qun was born in 772, during the reign of Emperor Daizong...
, but subsequently often contributed to imperial campaigns against other generals.
Background and early career
Wang Zhixing was born in 758758
Year 758 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 758 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* Emperor Junnin succeeds Empress Kōken on the...
, during the reign of Emperor Suzong
Emperor Suzong of Tang
Emperor Suzong of Tang , personal name Li Heng , né Li Sisheng , known as Li Jun from 725 to 736, known as Li Yu from 736 to 738, known briefly as Li Shao in 738, was an emperor of the Tang Dynasty and the son of Emperor Xuanzong...
. His family was from Huai Prefecture (懷州, in modern Jiaozuo
Jiaozuo
Jiaozuo is a prefecture-level city in northern Henan province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yellow River, it borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the south, Xinxiang to the east, Jiyuan to the west, Luoyang to the southwest, and the province of Shanxi...
, 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...
). His great-grandfather Wang Jing (王靖) and Wang Gui (王瓌) had both served as imperial guard generals, while his father Wang Jin (王縉) served as a staff member for a 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....
.
It was said that Wang Zhixing was a ferocious warrior while young, and he served as a soldier under Li Wei (李洧) the prefect of Xu Prefecture (徐州, in modern Xuzhou
Xuzhou
Xuzhou , otherwise known as Pengcheng in ancient times, is a major city in and the fourth largest prefecture-level city of Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China...
, 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...
). (Li Wei was the cousin of Li Zhengji
Li Zhengji
- Background :Li Huaiyu was born in 733, during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. He was born in Tang's Pinglu Circuit...
, a warlord that then ruled Pinglu Circuit (平盧, headquartered in modern Tai'an
Tai'an
Tai'an is a prefecture-level city in western Shandong province, People's Republic of China.Centered around Mount Tai, the city borders the provincial capital of Jinan to the north, Laiwu to the northeast, Zibo to the east, Linyi to the southeast, Liaocheng to the extreme west and Jining to the south...
, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
) de facto independently from the imperial government, and Xu Prefecture was a part of Pinglu.)
Li Zhengji died in 781
781
Year 781 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 781 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* July 31 – The oldest recorded eruption...
, and his son Li Na
Li Na (Tang Dynasty)
Li Na , formally the Prince of Longxi , was a general of the Chinese Tang Dynasty. Inheriting the post from his father Li Zhengji, he served as the military governor of Pinglu Circuit semi-independently from the imperial government.- Background :Li Na was born in 758, during the reign of...
, without approval from then-reigning Emperor Dezong
Emperor Dezong of Tang
Emperor Dezong of Tang , personally name Li Kuo , was an emperor of the Chinese Tang Dynasty and the oldest son of his father Emperor Daizong. His reign of 26 years was the third longest in the Tang dynasty...
(Emperor Suzong's grandson), took over Pinglu. In response, Li Na aligned himself with several other warlords in similar situations — Tian Yue
Tian Yue
Tian Yue , formally the Prince of Jiyang , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who, from 782 to 784, claimed the title of Prince of Wei independent from the Tang regime...
, who controlled Weibo Circuit (魏博, headquartered in modern Handan
Handan
Handan is a prefecture-level city located in the southwestern part of Hebei Province of China.- History :Handan was the capital of the State of Zhao during the Warring States period , after the capital moved from Zhongmu. The city was conquered by the State of Qin after the virtual annexation of...
, 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...
), Wang Wujun
Wang Wujun
Wang Wujun , courtesy name Yuanying , né Monuogan , formally Prince Zhonglie of Langye , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a long-time Jiedushi of Chengde Circuit during the reign of Emperor Dezong and ruling Chengde in a de facto independent manner...
, who controlled 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...
), and Zhu Tao
Zhu Tao
Zhu Tao , formally the Prince of Tongyi , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who initially served imperial causes during the reigns of Emperor Daizong and Emperor Dezong, but later turned against imperial rule in alliance with Wang Wujun, Tian Yue, and Li Na...
, who controlled Lulong Circuit (盧龍, headquartered in modern Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
). Li Wei's subordinate, Bai Jigeng (白季庚), then persuaded Li Wei to submit to the imperial government instead, and Li Wei did so. Li Na then went his officer Wang Wen (王溫), along with the Weibo officer Xindu Chongqing (信都崇慶), to attack Xu Prefecture. Li Wei sent Wang Zhixing to seek aid from the imperial government, and Wang Zhixing was said to be so fast in his ability to walk that he got 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...
within five days. Imperial forces were launched, and they defeated the combined Pinglu and Weibo forces, saving Xu Prefecture. After this battle, Wang Zhixing was often given commands to resist Li Na, and he served at Xu Prefecture over 20 years.
In 815
815
Year 815 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Bulgaria and the Byzantine Empire sign the Treaty of 815 in Constantinople....
, during the middle of the campaign by Emperor Dezong's grandson Emperor Xianzong
Emperor Xianzong of Tang
Emperor Xianzong of Tang , personal name Li Chun , né Li Chun , was an emperor of the Chinese Tang Dynasty...
against the warlord Wu Yuanji
Wu Yuanji
Wu Yuanji was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who tried to control Zhangyi Circuit without approval from Emperor Xianzong after the 814 death of his father Wu Shaoyang, who had governed the circuit in a de facto independent manner from the imperial government...
, who then controlled Zhangyi Circuit (彰義, headquartered in modern Zhumadian
Zhumadian
Zhumadian is a prefecture-level city in southern Henan province, People's Republic of China. It borders Xinyang to the south, Nanyang to the west, Pingdingshan to the northwest, Luohe to the north, Zhoukou to the northeast, and the province of Anhui to the east.Its population is 7,230,744 at the...
, 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...
), Li Na's son Li Shidao
Li Shidao
Li Shidao was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who, as the successor to his brother Li Shigu, ruled Pinglu Circuit in a de facto independent manner from the imperial government...
, then ruling Pinglu and aligned with Wu, tried to distract the imperial troops to try to save Wu. He decided to attack Xu Prefecture, which had by then been made the capital of Wuning Circuit (武寧). Wuning's military governor Li Yuan (李愿) put Wang in command of an army to resist the Pinglu attack, and Wang repeatedly prevailed against Pinglu troops. (During one of the battles, he captured a Pinglu general's beautiful concubine. Fearing that his own officers would fight over her, he stated, "Having a woman in the army will surely lead to defeat. Although she is innocent, her presence violates military law." He then beheaded her.) In 818
818
Year 818 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.-Europe:* Al-Andalus: Grave rebellion in the suburbs of Cordoba against the Umayyads.- Religion :...
, during the subsequent imperial campaign against Li Shidao, Wang commanded Wuning troops, and they, in conjunction with troops from Zhongwu Circuit (忠武, headquartered in modern Xuchang
Xuchang
Xuchang is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province in Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe to the southeast, and Pingdingshan to the southwest....
, 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...
), defeated Pinglu troops at Jinxiang (金鄉, in modern Jining
Jining, Shandong
Jining is a prefecture-level city in southwestern Shandong province, People's Republic of China. It borders Heze to the southwest, Zaozhuang to the southeast, Tai'an to the northeast, and the provinces of Henan and Jiangsu to the northwest and south respectively...
, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
). After Li Shidao was eventually killed by his own general Liu Wu
Liu Wu
Liu Wu , formally the Prince of Pengcheng , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, whose killing of his superior, the warlord Li Shidao, and subsequent submission to the imperial government, were the high point of Emperor Xianzong's campaign to end warlordism...
, and Pinglu surrendered, Wang was made the prefect of Yi Prefecture (沂州, in modern Linyi
Linyi
Linyi is a prefecture-level city in the south of Shandong province, People's Republic of China. The largest prefecture-level city in Shandong both by area and total population, Linyi borders Rizhao to the east, Weifang to the northeast, Zibo to the north, Tai'an to the northwest, Jining to the...
, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
).
Seizure of Wuning Circuit
In 821821
Year 821 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Tang Mu Zong becomes emperor of China.* First recorded session of the Parliament of Croatia- Byzantine Empire :...
, by which time Emperor Xianzong's son Emperor Muzong
Emperor Muzong of Tang
Emperor Muzong of Tang , personal name Li Heng , né Li You , was an emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China. He reigned from 821 to 824. Emperor Muzong was the son of Emperor Xianzong...
was emperor, Chengde and Lulong Circuits, which had briefly submitted to the imperial government, had again rebelled under the leadership of Wang Tingcou
Wang Tingcou
Wang Tingcou , formally the Duke of Taiyuan , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who, in 821, during the reign of Emperor Muzong, took over control of Chengde Circuit and thereafter ruled it in a de facto independent manner from the imperial government...
and Zhu Kerong
Zhu Kerong
Zhu Kerong , formally the Prince of Wuxing , was a military governor of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who ruled Lulong Circuit independent of the imperial authority during the reigns of Emperor Muzong and Emperor Jingzong, until he and his son Zhu Yanling were killed by their own soldiers in...
, respectively. While preparing for the campaign against Chengde and Lulong rebels, Emperor Muzong, who had heard of Wang Zhixing's prowess on the battlefield, made him the deputy military governor of Wuning, serving under the military governor Cui Qun
Cui Qun
Cui Qun , courtesy name Dunshi , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xianzong.- Background :Cui Qun was born in 772, during the reign of Emperor Daizong...
(a former chancellor).
Subsequently, Wang Zhixing was commissioned to command 3,000 elite Wuning soldiers against the Chengde and Lulong rebels. Cui was apprehensive of the soldiers' support of Wang, and made a request to the imperial government that Wang be made military governor, or otherwise be given a post at Chang'an. Before the imperial government could respond, Wang became aware of Cui's suspicions toward him. When, in spring 822
822
Year 822 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Byzantine Empire :* The civil war between Byzantine Emperor Michael II and the general Thomas the Slav continues...
, Emperor Muzong ended the campaign by pardoning Wang Tingcou and Zhu and the troops from the circuits were sent back to their homes, Wang Zhixing, ahead of the scheduled return time, led the troops back to Wuning. Cui became fearful and, while sending messengers to welcome the troops, ordered them to drop their arms and armor and enter Xu Prefecture unarmed. Wang Zhixing refused and approached the prefectural capital. His supporters opened the city gates to welcome him. He executed a number of people who opposed him and entered the headquarters. He bowed to Cui and the eunuch
Eunuch
A eunuch is a person born male most commonly castrated, typically early enough in his life for this change to have major hormonal consequences...
monitor of the army, and stated, "This is what the troops want. I have no control over them." He then prepared a sendoff for Cui, his secretary, and attendants, and escorted them to Yongqiao. He then seized the money, silk, and textiles stored at Wuning by the directorate of salt and iron monopolies, as well as the tributes that the circuits were submitting to the emperor that were passing through Wuning. He also seized two thirds of the assets of businessmen in or passing through the circuit. He also sent 2,000 soldiers to attack Hao Prefecture (濠州, in modern Chuzhou
Chuzhou
Chuzhou is a prefecture-level city in eastern Anhui Province, People's Republic of China. It borders the provincial capital of Hefei to the southwest, Huainan to the west, Bengbu to the northwest, Chaohu to the south, and the province of Jiangsu to the east...
, Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
); its prefect Hou Hongdu (侯弘度) abandoned it and fled. The imperial government felt that it had no ability to attack Wang, and Emperor Muzong thus made him the military governor of Wuning.
Later career
After Wang Zhixing took over Wuning Circuit, however, he participated in the imperial government's campaigns against other rebellious generals. For example, later in 822, when soldiers of neighboring Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern KaifengKaifeng
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...
) expelled Li Yuan (who was then Xuanwu's military governor) under the leadership of Li Jie (李㝏), Wang Zhixing aided Gao Chengjian (高承簡) the prefect of Song Prefecture (宋州, in modern Shangqiu
Shangqiu
Shangqiu is a city in eastern Henan province, Central China. It borders Kaifeng to the northwest, Zhoukou to the southwest, and the provinces of Shandong and Anhui to the northeast and southeast respectively. An ancient city with a rich history, Shangqiu was also the first capital of the Shang...
, 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...
), who was resisting Li Jie's attacks. With Wang's help, Gao was able to repel Li Jie's attacks, and subsequently, with other imperial troops converging on Xuanwu, Li Jie was killed by his own subordinates.
While at Wuning, Wang used the wealth that he gathered to bribe powerful imperial officials, to rehabilitate his reputation. As a result, he received a number of honorific titles. In 824
824
Year 824 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Third Battle of Roncevaux Pass: The Basques and Banu Qasi defeat counts Eblo and Aznar, Frankish vassals....
, by which time Emperor Muzong's son Emperor Jingzong
Emperor Jingzong of Tang
Emperor Jingzong of Tang , personal name Li Zhan , was an emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China. He reigned from 824 to 827...
were emperor, Wang requested permission for him to let people take tonsure
Tonsure
Tonsure is the traditional practice of Christian churches of cutting or shaving the hair from the scalp of clerics, monastics, and, in the Eastern Orthodox Church, all baptized members...
(i.e., to become Buddhist monks) at Si Prefecture (泗州, in modern Huai'an
Huai'an
Huai'an , known as Huaiyin before 2001, is a prefecture-level city in northern Jiangsu province of Eastern China. It borders Suqian to the northwest, Lianyungang to the north, Yancheng to the east, Yangzhou to the southeast, and the province of Anhui to the southwest.The municipality has 4,799,889...
, 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...
), to seek divine favors for Emperor Jingzong. Emperor Jingzong initially agreed. As a result, people were rushing to Si Prefecture to take tonsure, to avoid taxes; the fees they paid caused Wang to become even more wealthy. When Li Deyu
Li Deyu
Li Deyu , courtesy name Wenrao , formally the Duke of Wei , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of brothers Emperor Wenzong and Emperor Wuzong and their uncle Emperor Xuānzong...
the governor of Zhexi Circuit (浙西, 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...
) submitted an objection and pointed out that if this continued, Zhexi and its neighboring circuits would lose some 600,000 battle-capable young men, Emperor Jingzong ordered a stop to the practice.
In 826
826
Year 826 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Religion :* June 24 – The Danish king Harald Klak accepts Christianity.- Deaths :...
, after the death of Li Quanlüe (李全略) the military governor of Henghai Circuit (橫海, headquartered in modern Cangzhou
Cangzhou
Cangzhou is a prefecture-level city in Hebei province, People's Republic of China. Cangzhou's urban center has a population of approximately 514,074 at the 2010 census which correspond to the built up area), while the prefecture-level administrative region in total has a population of 7,134,053...
, 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...
), Li's son Li Tongjie
Li Tongjie
Li Tongjie was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. After the death of his father Li Quanlüe in 826, Li Tongjie tried to take over Henghai Circuit , which his father had been the military governor of, and he rejected a subsequent imperial edict for him to serve at a different circuit...
seized control of the circuit and sought to succeed his father. In 827
827
Year 827 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Beginning of the invasion of Sicily by the Aghlabid dynasty of Ifriqiya . The campaign in the island against Byzantium will take 51 years...
, Emperor Jingzong's brother and successor Emperor Wenzong
Emperor Wenzong of Tang
Emperor Wenzong of Tang , personal name Li Ang , né Li Han , was an emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China. He reigned from 827 to 840. Emperor Wenzong was the second son of Emperor Muzong and younger brother of Emperor Jingzong...
offered to make Li Tongjie the military governor of Yanhai Circuit (兗海, headquartered in modern Jining) and a former military governor of Henghai, Wu Chongyin
Wu Chongyin
Wu Chongyin , courtesy name Baojun , formally Duke Yimu of Zhangyi , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty.- Background :...
, the military governor of Henghai, Li Tongjie refused. As the imperial government subsequently prepared for war against Henghai, Wang offered to attack Henghai without imperial expenditure. (Typically, when circuits send troops on imperial campaigns, the imperial government paid for the soldiers' expenses.) Emperor Wenzong agreed, and subsequently commissioned Wang and several other nearby military governors to converge on Henghai. Subsequently, when Wu died while still on the campaign, Emperor Wenzong made Li Huan (李寰) the military governor of Baoyi Circuit (保義, headquartered in modern Linfen
Linfen
-Administrative divisions:The prefecture-level city of Linfen is divided in one district, two cities and fourteen counties. The information here presented uses the metric system and data from 2010 Census.-Pollution:...
, 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....
) the military governor of Shanxi, at Wang's request, and further bestowed the honorific chancellor title of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事) on Wang. (When Li Huan subsequently was slow in reporting to the battlefront, Emperor Wenzong was forced to replace him with Fu Liangbi (傅良弼).) Meanwhile, Wang was able to capture Di Prefecture (棣州, in modern Binzhou
Binzhou
Binzhou is a prefecture-level city in northern Shandong province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yellow River with two arms extended to the southern bank, Binzhou borders the provincial capital of Jinan to the southwest, Dezhou to the west, Zibo to the south,...
, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
) and was given the honorific title of acting Situ (司徒, 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...
).
Meanwhile, by this point, Wang was cruel to his soldiers. Meanwhile, his officer Shi Xiong
Shi Xiong
Shi Xiong was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, most known for his participation in two campaigns during the reign of Emperor Wuzong — against the remnants of the Huigu Khanate, and against the warlord Liu Zhen, who controlled Zhaoyi Circuit .- Career at Wuning Circuit :It is not...
was considered a fierce soldier and treated soldiers well. The soldiers were therefore considering expelling Wang and replacing him with Shi. When Wang became aware of this, Wang requested that Shi be promoted for his battlefield achievements. Emperor Wenzong agreed, and made Shi the prefect of Bi Prefecture (壁州, 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...
). As soon as Shi left Wuning, Wang slaughtered some 100 officials who were friendly to Shi, and accused Shi of treason, requesting Shi's execution. Emperor Wenzong, while aware that this was a false accusation, could not resist Wang. He declared Shi guilty, but did not execute Shi, instead exiling Shi to Bai Prefecture (白州, in modern Yulin, Guangxi
Yulin, Guangxi
Yulin is one of the fourteen prefecture-level cities of Guangxi autonomous region, in China.-Geography and climate:Yulin is located in southeastern Guangxi province along the border with Guangdong. It is a hilly basin with a total area of 12,838 sq. km....
).
In winter 829
829
Year 829 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Egbert of Wessex conquers Mercia and is recognized as Bretwalda.* The Saracens ravage the coast of Dalmatia....
, Wang went to Chang'an to pay homage to Emperor Wenzong. He was subsequently made the military governor of Zhongwu Circuit as well as the prefect of its capital prefecture Xu Prefecture (許州). In 833
833
Year 833 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* al-Mu'tasim succeeds his brother Al-Ma'mun as Abbasid caliph....
, he was made the military governor of Hezhong Circuit (河中, headquartered in modern Yuncheng, 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....
), as well as the mayor of its capital Hezhong Municipality. In 835
835
Year 835 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Ragnar Lodbrok rises to power ....
, he was made the military governor of Xuanwu and the prefect of its capital Bian Prefecture (汴州). He died in 836
836
Year 836 was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Abbasid caliph al-Mutasim establishes a new capital at Samarra, Iraq.- Europe :...
and was given posthumous honors. He was buried near the eastern capital Luoyang
Luoyang
Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...
, and it was said that some 1,000 officers from the four circuits he served attended the funeral. His son Wang Zai
Wang Zai
Wang Zai , né Wang Yanzai , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, most well-known for his participation in Emperor Wuzong's campaign against the warlord Liu Zhen, who ruled Zhaoyi Circuit .- Background :It is not known when Wang Yanzai was born, but it is known that he was probably the...
later became a well-known general as well.