Wang Chao

Wang Chao (April 10, 846 – January 2, 898 ), courtesy name Xinchen was a warlord of the Chinese Tang dynasty, who controlled Fujian Circuit (福建道, headquartered in modern Fuzhou, Fujian), eventually establishing the base of power for his family members to later establish the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period state Min.

Background Wang Chao was born in 846, during the reign of Emperor Wuzong. His father's name was Wang Nin , He had two younger brothers, Wang Shengui and Wang Shenzhi.

Service under Wang Xu In 881, with the Tang state overrun by agrarian rebellions, Wang Xu and his brother-in-law Liu Xingquan , who were from Shou Prefecture (壽州, in modern Lu'an, Anhui), started a rebellion of their own and seized Shou, and then Guang (光州, in modern Xinyang), which Gushi County belonged to. Wang obtained a commission from the nearby warlord Qin Zongquan the military governor (Jiedushi) of Fengguo Circuit (奉國, headquartered in modern Zhumadian, Henan) as the prefect of Guang Prefecture. He forced the local men to serve in his army, and among the men he took into his army were Wang Chao and his brothers Wang Shengui and Wang Shenzhi. He made Wang Chao his discipline officer and favored Wang Chao.

Fan, however, grew extravagant and arrogant, losing the support of the soldiers. In 892, Wang Chao commissioned his cousin Wang Yanfu as the commander and Wang Shenzhi as Wang Yanfu's deputy, to take an army to attack Fu Prefecture. It was said that the common Han people supported him by supplying food for the army, and the local non-Han supported him by supplying soldiers and ships.

Wang Yanfu's and Wang Shenzhi's siege of Fu Prefecture, however, became bogged down due to the strong defenses that Fu Prefecture had, and Fan sought aid from Dong Chang the military governor of Weisheng Circuit (威勝, headquartered in modern Shaoxing, Zhejiang), who was also related by marriage to Chen. Dong sent an army south to aid Fan. Wang Yanfu and Wang Shenzhi, hearing that Dong's army was about to arrive, reported to Wang Chao and requested to withdraw. Wang Chao refused. When they requested that he come to the front to oversee the attack, he responded:

Death and succession While Wang Chao served as military governor, Wang Shenzhi served as deputy military governor. It was said that when Wang Shenzhi had faults, Wang Chao would batter him, but Wang Shenzhi would not show any resentment to the treatment. When Wang Chao grew seriously ill in 897, instead of trying to transfer the military governorship to one of his four sons (Wang Yanxing , Wang Yanhong , Wang Yanfeng , Wang Yanxiu , he entrusted the administration of the circuit to Wang Shenzhi. He died around new year 898. After his death, Wang Shenzhi offered the military governorship to Wang Shengui, who was then serving as the prefect of Quan Prefecture, because Wang Shengui was older, but Wang Shengui declined on the basis that Wang Shenzhi had greater accomplishments. Wang Shenzhi subsequently claimed the title of acting military governor, and Emperor Zhaozong confirmed him as military governor.

Notes and references

New Book of Tang, vol. 190. Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 254, 256, 258, 259, 260, 261.