Wang Shenqi

Biography

Family Background and Early Years

Wang Shenqi's ancestral home was in Liaoxi, and his family later moved to Luoyang. Historical sources record little about his family background beyond indicating that it was a middling local household. In 948, the first year of the Qianyou era of Later Han, Wang, then twenty-four, enlisted and became a member of Privy Commissioner Guo Wei's command. He was described as upright, careful, and steady in his conduct and quickly gained Guo Wei's trust. In 949 he followed Guo in suppressing the rebellion of Li Shouzhen, Military Commissioner of Hezhong. For his service he was appointed deputy commander of the left unit of the hall guard, his first formal military post.

Later Zhou Period

In 951 Guo Wei replaced Later Han and founded Later Zhou as Emperor Taizu. As an old follower from Guo's pre-imperial household, Wang successively served as head of the eastern and western palace ranks, chief of the inner palace guard, and commander of the Iron Cavalry. In 954 Chai Rong, Emperor Shizong of Later Zhou, took the throne, and Wang followed him against Liu Chong of Northern Han. At the Battle of Gaoping he fought fiercely and distinguished himself. He was promoted to military adjudicator of the eastern and western ranks, then transferred to military adjudicator of the Iron Cavalry, and later made chief commander of the right second unit of that force. When Emperor Shizong summoned commanders of the imperial army for a banquet and archery contest in the palace park, Wang repeatedly hit the target and received special praise; he was soon additionally appointed prefect of Qin Prefecture.

In 956 Emperor Shizong personally campaigned in Huainan. Shu Prefecture proved difficult to take. The emperor ordered Guo Lingtu to serve concurrently as prefect and commanded Wang Shenqi and Si Chao to lead elite cavalry against the city. They captured it within one day and night, seized the local prefect, and took large quantities of armor, weapons, and military stores. After Guo Lingtu entered the city, Wang and the others went to relieve Huang Prefecture. Several days later the people of Shu Prefecture drove Guo Lingtu out. When Wang learned of this, he selected light cavalry, marched at night in silence, arrived below the city at dawn, heavily defeated the defenders, and enabled Guo to resume his post. Emperor Shizong rewarded Wang by appointing him roving commander-in-chief.

Wang later defeated Southern Tang forces at Zijin Mountain, was among the first to scale the defenses, and was hit by a stray arrow. He was transferred to chief commander of the right wing of the Konghe force and concurrently made Training Commissioner of Qian Prefecture. During Emperor Shizong's siege of Hao Prefecture, Wang led several thousand volunteers in capturing the enemy's naval camp and taking the outer crescent fortification, after which Hao surrendered. During the attack on Chu Prefecture he served as southern-sector inspector. Predicting that the Huainan troops would flee when the city fell, he placed an ambush in advance. The defenders later broke through the southern gate and fled exactly as expected; Wang's ambushing troops rose on all sides, killed several thousand, and captured more than five thousand. Emperor Shizong awarded him a jade belt, fine horses, and several hundred bolts of silk and brocade. After Huainan was pacified, Wang became chief commander of the right wing of the Iron Cavalry. In 959 he again followed Emperor Shizong in taking Waqiao Pass. After Chai Zongxun, Emperor Gong of Later Zhou, took the throne, Wang was promoted to military adjudicator of the Palace Command and concurrently Military Prefect of Mu Prefecture.

Founding of the Northern Song and Relinquishment of Military Command

In 960 Zhao Kuangyin launched the Chenqiao Mutiny and founded the Song dynasty. As one of the Ten Brothers of the Yishe, Wang Shenqi had supported Zhao's accession and was promoted to Commander-in-Chief of the Palace Command and concurrently Military Commissioner of Taining Circuit. That same year Li Yun, Military Commissioner of Zhaoyi Circuit, rebelled against the Song. Wang accompanied Emperor Taizu's personal campaign and served as overall commander of the forward siege unit of the imperial field army. He was struck by a flying stone during an assault, and Emperor Taizu personally came to inspect his injury. After Ze and Lu prefectures were pacified, Wang transferred to Military Commissioner of Wucheng Circuit. Soon afterward, Li Chongjin, Military Commissioner in Huainan, also rebelled. Wang served as Shi Shouxin's deputy and commander of the forward army in the suppression campaign.

In 961 Emperor Taizu adopted Zhao Pu's proposal to remove the leading generals from direct command through the policy remembered as Releasing Military Command over a Cup of Wine. Wang Shenqi, Shi Shouxin, Gao Huaide, and other veteran imperial-army commanders relinquished their troops. Wang left the capital to serve as Military Commissioner of Zhongzheng Circuit, governing from Shouchun, present-day Shou County in Anhui. During eight years there, his administration was mild and simple. He spent no more than the annual tax income and did not impose additional demands. When a county magistrate dismissed a recording clerk for misconduct, Wang's staff argued that the magistrate had acted without first consulting the military commission and should be punished. Wang replied that since the Five Dynasties, powerful regional lords had prevented county officials from independently administering local affairs; now that the realm was pacified, he was pleased that a magistrate in his jurisdiction could remove a corrupt subordinate and saw no reason to punish him. Those who heard this reportedly admired his judgment.

Later Years and Death

In 969 Wang followed Emperor Taizu in the campaign against Northern Han at Taiyuan and served as general inspector of the imperial field headquarters. In 970 he transferred to Military Commissioner of Zhongwu Circuit. Emperor Taizu gave him a residence and kept him in the capital. On another occasion the emperor summoned Wang for a banquet and archery contest in the imperial park. Wang repeatedly hit the target and received an imperial horse with a gold saddle and bridle. In 973 Wang and Gao Huaide were both given the title Participant in Determining Government Matters, raising Wang to the status of a military commissioner holding a chief-councillor title.

In 974 Wang suddenly fell seriously ill and could no longer speak. Emperor Taizu personally visited him. Wang died soon afterward at the age of fifty. The emperor again went to his residence and wept in mourning. Wang was posthumously appointed Secretariat Director, made Commandery Prince of Langya, and granted double funeral expenses. On the day of burial, the emperor suspended court in mourning. Wang was later additionally titled Prince of Qin and given the posthumous name Zhengyi.

Major Activities

Founding Merit

Wang Shenqi was one of Zhao Kuangyin's Ten Brothers of the Yishe and had formed a brotherly association with him during the Later Zhou. During the Chenqiao Mutiny, Wang, then military adjudicator of the Palace Command, was an important supporter of Zhao among the imperial troops. After the Song was founded, he became Commander-in-Chief of the Palace Command, one of the highest military commanders in the capital. He later accompanied Emperor Taizu in suppressing the rebellions of Li Yun and Li Chongjin, making major contributions to the consolidation of the early Northern Song state.

Military Ability

Wang spent much of his life on campaign and was known for courage in battle. Under Later Zhou he fought Northern Han and Southern Tang and repeatedly distinguished himself. He captured the strongly defended Shu Prefecture within a single day and night; at Zijin Mountain he was among the first over the defenses despite being hit by an arrow; at Hao Prefecture he led volunteers in taking the naval camp; and at Chu Prefecture he correctly anticipated the enemy's flight and destroyed the escaping force in an ambush. His military ability won the appreciation of both Emperor Shizong of Later Zhou and Emperor Taizu of Song.

Local Administration

During eight years governing Shouchun, Wang followed a mild, undemanding style of administration. He lived within regular tax income and did not impose additional burdens. When a county magistrate independently removed a subordinate official, Wang praised rather than punished the action, arguing that in a pacified realm local magistrates should be able to deal with corrupt officials. This lenient governing style was unusual among military commanders of the Five Dynasties and early Song.

Relationship with the Emperor

Wang enjoyed a close relationship with Zhao Kuangyin. Emperor Taizu once summoned him to an archery banquet in the imperial park and awarded him an imperial horse with a gold saddle after he repeatedly hit the target. Wang normally could not drink alcohol. At one banquet, after drinking heavily, Emperor Taizu looked upward and prayed that wine was a blessed gift from Heaven and that Wang was his friend from commoner days, destined to share wealth and honor with him; why, then, should Wang be unable to drink? He then ordered Wang to try. Wang drank ten cups without ill effect. Thereafter he could drink freely at imperial banquets, although at home he still could not drink and became ill if he forced himself. The anecdote became a celebrated story of harmonious relations between ruler and minister in the early Song.

Personal Relations

Family

• Lady Cao — wife; titled Grand Lady of the State of Qin.
• Wang Chengyan — son; married Emperor Taizu's daughter Princess Zhaoqing.
• Wang Chengkan, Wang Chengde, Wang Chengyou, Wang Chengjun, Wang Chengwo, Wang Chengxuan, Wang Chengjin, and Wang Chengxiu — sons.
• Wang Shi'an, Wang Shilong, Wang Shixiong, Wang Shirong, Wang Shijing, Wang Shiwen, and others — grandsons.
• Wang Kezheng, Wang Keji, Wang Kechen, and others — great-grandsons.
• Wang Shiyue — great-great-grandson; married Princess Xuguo, daughter of Emperor Yingzong of Song.

Rulers and Ministers

• Guo Wei, Emperor Taizu of Later Zhou — early patron who trusted Wang.
• Chai Rong, Emperor Shizong of Later Zhou — ruler under whom Wang campaigned in north and south.
• Zhao Kuangyin, Emperor Taizu of Song — Yishe brother and ruler; maintained a close relationship with Wang.

Yishe Brothers

• Zhao Kuangyin, Shi Shouxin, Gao Huaide, and the other Ten Brothers of the Yishe.

Colleagues

• Shi Shouxin — fellow Yishe brother; Wang served under him in the campaign against Li Chongjin.
• Gao Huaide — fellow Yishe brother; received the title Participant in Determining Government Matters alongside Wang in 973.
• Si Chao — partner in the attack on Shu Prefecture.

Historical Assessment

Northern Song and Contemporary Assessments

• Emperor Taizu of Song called Wang a “friend from commoner days,” personally visited him during his final illness, wept after his death, and suspended court in mourning, showing exceptional favor.
• The History of Song describes Wang as “steady and substantial, with strategic ability, and especially skilled in riding and archery,” and praises the success of his administration at Xiacai.
• Contemporaries who heard how he handled the county magistrate affair were said to admire him and see in him the bearing of a great minister.

Song and Yuan Periods

• Shao Bowen's Northern Song work Shaoshi Wenjian Lu records that Wang was among the first regional commanders to surrender their military commissions and that he ended his life honorably with chief-councillor status, later being made Prince of Qin and given the posthumous name Zhengyi.
• Li Tao's Southern Song Long Draft of the Continuation of the Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance records Wang's career in detail and affirms his founding merit.
• The Yuan compilers of the History of Song described him as pure and careful in character and highly trusted, emphasizing his caution and loyalty.

Ming and Qing Periods

• Ming historical discussions often treated Wang as a representative beneficiary of the Releasing Military Command over a Cup of Wine policy, viewing his withdrawal from direct military command and peaceful end as prudent.
• Qing scholar Wang Mingsheng, in Critical Discussions of the Seventeen Histories, approved of the favorable outcomes enjoyed by Wang and other early Song meritorious generals after they relinquished military command.

Modern Assessments

• Modern historians often study Wang in the context of the Ten Brothers of the Yishe and early Song political structure, regarding him as an important supporter in Zhao Kuangyin's consolidation of power.
• Some scholars argue that the assignment of Wang and other former commanders to provincial offices after relinquishing military command helped create conditions for the Northern Song policy of elevating civil officials and restraining military power.
• The Wang family intermarried with the Song imperial house for several generations and became a prominent consort family, reflecting the close integration of founding military families with imperial authority in the early Song.