Wang Chengzong
Wang Chengzong (王承宗) (died 820) was a general of the Chinese Tang Dynasty who served a military governor (Jiedushi) of Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei). He, like his grandfather Wang Wujun and father Wang Shizhen before him, ruled the circuit in a de facto independent manner from the imperial government, drawing two imperial campaigns against him, both of which he withstood. After the defeat of his ally Wu Yuanji in 817, he submitted to imperial authority, and, after his death, his brother Wang Chengyuan left the circuit, ending his family's hold on Chengde.
Background
It is not known when Wang Chengzong was born, although it was known that he was born before his brother Wang Chengyuan, who was born in 801. He was the oldest son of Wang Shizhen, who was then deputy military governor of Chengde under Wang Chengzong's grandfather Wang Wujun. After Wang Shizhen succeeded Wang Wujun as military governor in 801, Wang Chengzong eventually became the acting governor of Chengde's capital Heng Prefecture (恆州, in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei) as well as deputy military governor of the circuit — effectively, Wang Shizhen's designated successor.
