Wang Guan (Three Kingdoms)
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Wang Guan | |
|---|---|
| 王觀 | |
| Minister of Works (司空) | |
| In office 6 July 260 – November or December 260 | |
| Monarch | Cao Huan |
| Preceded by | Wang Chang |
| Succeeded by | Wang Xiang |
| Left Supervisor of the Masters of Writing (尚書左僕射) | |
| In office 254 – 6 July 260 | |
| Monarch | Cao Mao |
| Household Counsellor (光祿大夫) | |
| In office 254 – 6 July 260 | |
| Monarch | Cao Mao |
| Chief Commandant of Escorting Cavalry (駙馬都尉) | |
| In office 249–254 | |
| Monarch | Cao Fang |
| Master of Writing (尚書) | |
| In office 249–254 | |
| Monarch | Cao Fang |
| Minister Coachman (太僕) | |
| In office ?–249 | |
| Monarch | Cao Fang |
| Minister Steward (少府) | |
| In office ?–239 | |
| Monarch | Cao Rui |
| Intendant of Henan (河南尹) | |
| In office ?–? | |
| Monarch | Cao Rui |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Unknown Yuncheng County, Shandong |
| Died | November or December 260[1] |
| Children | Wang Kui |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Courtesy name | Weitai (偉臺) |
| Posthumous name | Marquis Su (肅侯) |
| Peerage | Marquis of Yang District (陽鄉侯) |
Wang Guan (died November or December 260),[1] courtesy name Weitai, was a Chinese politician of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China.[2][3]
Life
From Linqiu (廩丘) in Dong Commandery, which was located between present-day Henan and Shandong provinces. He was orphaned at a young age and, by gentry standards, grew up poor,[4] but he became a man of energy and ambition.[5][3]
In 210[3] Chancellor Cao Cao summoned him to serve as a Writing Assistant in the Imperial Chancellor's office. Later, he was reassigned to serve as the County Prefect (縣令) of Gaotang (高唐), Yangquan (陽泉), Zan (酂) and Ren (任) counties. In each post he earned praise for his government.[6]
On March 220, Cao Cao died and was succeeded by his eldest living son Cao Pi[7][8] and on 11th December Emperor Xian of the Eastern Han dynasty abdicated, Cao Pi becoming the founding Emperor of the Wei dynasty.[8] Wang Guan was recalled to the capital Ye to serve as a Gentleman of Writing (尚書郎), serving in the Imperial Secretariat (尚書郎), a powerful body at the heart of government,[9] then as a Supervisor in the Ministry of Justice (廷尉監). Afterwards, he was appointed as the Administrator (太守) of Nanyang (南陽) and Zhuo (涿) commanderies.[10] Zhuo had a particular problem with raids from the nearby Xianbei people, so Wang Guan ordered large families to bandy together as a garrison and construct a fortress while he sent to the court to send officials to help. Not everybody was keen but Wang Guan refused to set a deadline and without the pressure, people cooperated and built the walls quickly. It is said that, once this was done, the raiding ceased.[11]
Cao Pi died on 29th June 226 and was succeeded as Emperor by his son Cao Rui on the 29th.[12][8] Cao Rui ordered classifiers to grade the situational severity in each prefecture.[13] The areas labelled severe would get see labour and tax demands decreased[14] but in exchange, the head would have to send a family member as hostage.[15] The official wished to designate Zhuo in a lesser category[16] as Wang Guan had only one, young, son but Wang Guan refused[14] and would send his son as hostage.[17]
Before long, he entered the capital and became a judge presiding over trials.
When Cao Fang ascended the throne, although Cao Shuang wielded absolute authority, Wang Guan enforced laws with rigour so that Wang Guan confronted Cao Shuang's associates several times. As Cao Shuang felt uncomfortable with Wang Guan for this reason, he demoted Wang Guan to Minister Coachman (太僕).
When Sima Yi launched a coup in 249, Wang Guan participated the coup by becoming a temporary general, the Central Commander of the Army (中領軍), the position of Cao Xi (曹羲). After Cao Shuang was executed, Wang Guan received the title of a Secondary Marquis (關內侯) and was appointed as a Master of Writing (尚書) and Chief Commandant of Escorting Cavalry (駙馬都尉).
In 254, Cao Fang was deposed. Wang Guan was promoted to Marquis of Zhongxiang Village (中鄉亭侯) and made a Household Counsellor (光祿大夫) and Left Supervisor of the Masters of Writing (尚書左僕射).[18]
In 260, Cao Mao was killed and Cao Huan ascended the throne. Wang Guan was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Yang District (陽鄉侯) and appointed as Minister of Works (司空). He died several months later.
See also
References
- ^ a b ([景元元年夏六月]癸亥，以尚書右僕射王觀為司空，冬十月，觀薨。) Sanguozhi vol. 4.
- ^ Sanguozhi vol.24.
- ^ a b c De Crespigny, Rafe (2007). A Biographical Dictionary of Later Han to the Three Kingdoms 23–220 AD. Boston: Brill. p. 813. ISBN 978-90-04-15605-0.
- ^ Ebery, Patricia (1986). "The economic and social history of Later Han". In Twitchett, Dennis; Fairbank, Jonathon (eds.). The Cambridge History of China Volume 1: The Ch'in and Han Empires, 221 B.C.-A.D. 220. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 635–636. ISBN 9781139054737.
- ^ 王觀字偉臺，東郡廩丘人也。少孤貧勵志，太祖召為丞相文學掾 Sanguozhi vol.24.
- ^ 太祖召為丞相文學掾，出為高唐、陽泉、酇、任令，所在稱治。Sanguozhi vol.24.
- ^ Sanguozhi vol.1.
- ^ a b c Sanguozhi vol.2.
- ^ Bielenstein, Hans (1980). The Bureaucracy of Han Times. Cambridge University Press. p. 149. ISBN 978-0-521-22510-6.
- ^ 文帝踐阼，入為尚書郎、廷尉監 Sanguozhi vol.24.
- ^ 涿北接鮮卑，數有寇盜，觀令邊民十家已上，屯居，築京候。時或有不願者，觀乃假遣朝吏，使歸助子弟，不與期會，但敕事訖各還。於是吏民相率不督自勸，旬日之中，一時俱成。守禦有備，寇鈔以息。Sanguozhi vol.24.
- ^ Sanguozhi vol.3.
- ^ 明帝即位，下詔書使郡縣條為劇、中、平者 Sanguozhi vol.24.
- ^ a b 觀曰：「夫君者，所以為民也。今郡在外劇，則於役條當有降差。豈可為太守之私而負一郡之民乎？」Sanguozhi vol.24.
- ^ 主者曰：「若郡為外劇，恐於明府有任子。」Sanguozhi vol.24.
- ^ 主者曰：「若郡為外劇，恐於明府有任子。」Sanguozhi vol.24.
- ^ 遂言為外劇郡，後送任子詣鄴。時觀但有一子而又幼弱。其公心如此。Sanguozhi vol.24.
- ^ Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance (Zizhi Tongjian Guangmu) Book 77. pp. 癸亥,以尚書左僕射王觀為司空。.
- Chen, Shou (3rd century). Records of Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi).
- Pei, Songzhi (5th century). Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi zhu).
- Guang, Sima (11th century). Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance (Zizhi Tongjian Guangmu).