Wang Wan

Biography

Family Background and Early Life

Historical sources do not clearly record Wang Wan's origins or early life. He was active during the reign of King Zheng of Qin and, by 221 BCE at the latest, already held the office of Grand Councilor. Since King Wu of Qin established the offices of Left and Right Grand Councilor, the post was often held by meritorious senior ministers, including Chuliji, Gan Mao, Wei Ran, Fan Ju, and Cai Ze. Wang Wan's elevation to this office suggests that he had probably held an important post under King Zheng, or may have been promoted from Censor-in-chief (another account states that he “was promoted from Censor-in-chief,” but the *Records of the Grand Historian* does not record this). Because of the scarcity of sources, his specific achievements and path of promotion are unknown.

Deliberations on the Imperial Title and the Establishment of the Imperial System

In 221 BCE, the twenty-sixth year of Qin Shi Huang, Qin destroyed the six states and unified the realm. King Zheng of Qin ordered the Grand Councilor, censors, and other officials to deliberate on an imperial title. Wang Wan, Censor-in-chief Feng Jie, Commandant of Justice Li Si, and others jointly memorialized that in antiquity the Five Emperors controlled only limited territories and could not fully command the feudal lords beyond them, whereas the present ruler had raised a righteous army, destroyed violent enemies, pacified the realm, organized the lands within the seas into commanderies and counties, and unified laws and orders in a manner unprecedented even in the age of the Five Emperors. After consulting the erudites, they proposed the honorific “Supreme August,” specified that imperial commands should be called “zhi,” orders “zhao,” and that the Son of Heaven should refer to himself as “zhen.” Qin Shi Huang considered “Supreme August” insufficiently exalted, retained “huang” while adding the ancient title “di,” and adopted the title “Huangdi” (Emperor). He also posthumously honored King Zhuangxiang of Qin as Supreme Emperor, abolished posthumous titles, and styled himself the First Emperor. Although Wang Wan and the others' proposed title “Supreme August” was not adopted, the establishment of the title “Emperor” was a modification of their proposal and reflects Wang Wan's central place in early Qin politics.

The Enfeoffment Debate and the Establishment of the Commandery-County System

In the same year, Wang Wan argued that because the newly conquered regions of Yan, Qi, and Jing were distant, imperial sons should be enfeoffed there as kings in order to pacify them. Qin Shi Huang submitted the matter to the assembled ministers, most of whom considered the proposal expedient. Only Commandant of Justice Li Si opposed it. Citing the Zhou experience, in which enfeoffed lords fought one another and the Son of Heaven could not restrain them, Li Si advocated the commandery-county system instead. He argued that imperial sons and meritorious ministers could be richly rewarded from public tax revenues and thereby kept under control, whereas establishing feudal lords would be disadvantageous. Qin Shi Huang ultimately accepted Li Si's view, divided the realm into thirty-six commanderies, and implemented the commandery-county system. Wang Wan's proposal was rejected, but the debate became an early direct confrontation between the commandery-county system and the system of enfeoffment in the history of Chinese political institutions and had far-reaching influence. Wang Wan's position represented the views of part of the old aristocracy, but it cannot simply be reduced to the label “old slave-owning aristocracy” (a characterization found in other accounts but lacking support in historical sources).

Later Years and Death

In 219 BCE, the twenty-eighth year of Qin Shi Huang, Wang Wan still participated in the Langye Terrace Inscription as Grand Councilor and was listed among the ministers. After this, the *Records of the Grand Historian* contains no further record of his activities. His year of death is unknown. Around 213 BCE, the thirty-fourth year of Qin Shi Huang, Feng Quji is said to have succeeded as Right Grand Councilor and Li Si to have become Left Grand Councilor (this account appears in another account, but the *Records of the Grand Historian* does not explicitly record Wang Wan's death date or the date of Feng Quji's succession). Although Wang Wan's political proposal was not adopted, later historians continued to record his participation in the institutional formation of the early Qin state.

Major Activities

Participation in Deliberations on the Imperial Title

In 221 BCE, the twenty-sixth year of Qin Shi Huang, Wang Wan, as Grand Councilor, joined Censor-in-chief Feng Jie and Commandant of Justice Li Si in deliberating on the imperial title. They proposed “Supreme August,” but Qin Shi Huang chose “Emperor” himself and established the exclusive imperial forms of address and command “zhi,” “zhao,” and “zhen.” The process is recorded in the “Basic Annals of Qin Shi Huang” in the *Records of the Grand Historian* and was an important episode in Wang Wan's political career.

Advocacy of the System of Enfeoffment

In the same year, Wang Wan argued that Yan, Qi, and Jing were distant and recommended enfeoffing imperial sons there as kings to pacify the regions. Li Si opposed the proposal during court deliberations, and Qin Shi Huang accepted Li Si's recommendation to implement the commandery-county system. Although Wang Wan's proposal was rejected, it reflected a major early-Qin debate over local administrative institutions and had important implications for the later development of Chinese political institutions.

Participation in the Langye Terrace Inscription

In 219 BCE, the twenty-eighth year of Qin Shi Huang, Qin Shi Huang toured eastward, ascended Mount Langya, and erected a stone inscription praising Qin rule. Wang Wan, as Grand Councilor, was named among the ministers and, together with Wang Li and others, praised Qin Shi Huang's achievement in unifying the realm, organizing it into commanderies and counties, and bringing peace. The Langye Terrace Inscription and the accompanying list of ministers are important sources for the study of Qin political institutions, and Wang Wan's inclusion also confirms his prominent position in early Qin politics.

Personal Relations

• Historical sources do not record Wang Wan's family background. His children and descendants are likewise not clearly documented.
• Wang Wan served at court alongside Censor-in-chief Feng Jie, Commandant of Justice Li Si, and others, and together they participated in major matters such as deliberations on the imperial title. Historical sources do not directly describe their personal relationships, but they were colleagues at court.
• Qin Shi Huang: Wang Wan served as Grand Councilor under Qin Shi Huang and participated in deliberations on the imperial title and the Langye Terrace Inscription. In the debate over the system of enfeoffment, Qin Shi Huang ultimately accepted Li Si's proposal rather than Wang Wan's, but Wang Wan remained trusted and was not demoted for holding a different view.
• King Zhuangxiang of Qin: Wang Wan and the other officials deliberated on posthumously honoring King Zhuangxiang as Supreme Emperor, demonstrating reverence for Qin Shi Huang's father and ancestors.
• Li Si: Wang Wan and Li Si held directly opposing positions on the system of enfeoffment: Wang Wan advocated the system of enfeoffment, while Li Si advocated the commandery-county system. The *Records of the Grand Historian*, however, only records their differing proposals and does not state that the two men were personally “at odds” or in conflict. other accounts's claim that “Wang Wan and Commandant of Justice Li Si were extremely hostile to each other” lacks support in historical sources and is a fabrication.

Historical Assessment

Qin / Contemporary

• Qin Shi Huang: In the debate over the system of enfeoffment, Qin Shi Huang did not directly assess Wang Wan, but argued that the realm had long suffered from incessant warfare because of feudal lords and supported Li Si's commandery-county proposal, thereby rejecting Wang Wan's recommendation in practice.
• Li Si: During the court debate, Li Si refuted Wang Wan's proposal, arguing that the system of enfeoffment had caused feudal lords to fight one another and that the commandery-county system offered a path to peace. His rebuttal represented a Legalist position and rejected Wang Wan's proposal.

Han and Tang Periods

• Sima Qian: In the “Basic Annals of Qin Shi Huang” in the *Records of the Grand Historian*, Sima Qian objectively recorded Wang Wan's participation in the imperial-title debate, the debate over the system of enfeoffment, and the Langye Terrace Inscription without adding a personal judgment, thereby preserving a record of Wang Wan's political positions and activities.
• Ban Gu: In the “Table of Officials and Nobles” in the *Book of Han*, Ban Gu mentions the Qin office of Grand Councilor but does not offer a specific assessment of Wang Wan.
• Liu Zongyuan: In the *Discourse on Feudalism*, Liu Zongyuan discusses the relative merits of the commandery-county system and the system of enfeoffment. Although he does not mention Wang Wan directly, the position in favor of the system of enfeoffment that he criticizes is the one represented by Wang Wan. Liu Zongyuan considered the commandery-county system superior, indirectly rejecting Wang Wan's proposal.

Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Periods

• Su Shi: In his discussion of the system of enfeoffment, Su Shi addressed its drawbacks and regarded Qin Shi Huang's abolition of the system of enfeoffment and implementation of commanderies and counties as a lasting benefit. Although he did not directly assess Wang Wan, his position rejected Wang Wan's proposal.
• Wang Fuzhi: In *Du Tongjian Lun*, Wang Fuzhi discussed Qin's abolition of the system of enfeoffment and establishment of commanderies and counties, observing that the commandery-county system had endured for two thousand years without being overturned. He affirmed its historical necessity and thereby indirectly rejected Wang Wan's proposal for the system of enfeoffment.
• Gu Yanwu: In his discussion of the commandery-county system, Gu Yanwu addressed its shortcomings but did not reject the Qin decision to abolish the system of enfeoffment, and he offered no direct assessment of Wang Wan.

Modern Period

• Qian Mu: In *Guoshi Dagang*, Qian Mu discussed Qin political institutions and regarded Qin Shi Huang's abolition of the system of enfeoffment and implementation of the commandery-county system as a major advance in the history of Chinese political institutions. He saw Wang Wan's proposal as representing old aristocratic forces and its failure as consistent with the historical trend.
• Lü Simian: In *Qin Han Shi*, Lü Simian recorded Wang Wan's participation in the imperial-title debate and the debate over the system of enfeoffment, holding that Wang Wan's proposal “also had its reasons,” but that Qin Shi Huang's acceptance of Li Si's view and the commandery-county system better suited a unified state.
• Fan Wenlan: In *Zhongguo Tongshi Jianbian*, Fan Wenlan characterized Wang Wan's proposal for the system of enfeoffment as “restorationist” and Li Si's commandery-county proposal as “progressive,” arguing that Qin Shi Huang's acceptance of Li Si's view favored centralization.