Wang Chongying

Wang Chongying (d. February 12, 895 ) was a warlord late in the Chinese Tang dynasty who was known for his successive rules of Shanguo Circuit (陝虢, headquartered in modern Sanmenxia, Henan) and Huguo Circuit (護國, headquartered in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi) as military governor (jiedushi).

Background It is not known when Wang Chongying was born, and the official histories differ as to where his family was from — according to the Old Book of Tang, Hezhong Municipality (河中, in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi), and according to the New Book of Tang, Taiyuan Municipality. His father Wang Zong was a successful military officer who reached the position of prefect of Yan Prefecture (鹽州, in modern Yulin, Shaanxi). Because of his father's contributions, both Wang Chongying and his younger brother Wang Chongrong served in the military as well, and both were known for their fierce fighting ability. Wang Chongying had at least one other brother, Wang Chongjian , who was older than Wang Chongrong and Wang Chongying.

Early career At one point, Wang Chongying served as the prefect of Fen Prefecture (汾州, in modern Linfen, Shanxi). After Tang forces defeated Qi forces in 883 and forced Huang to abandon Chang'an, Shanguo was made into a circuit that had a military governor, and Wang Chongying was made its military governor. In 885, Emperor Xizong bestowed the honorary chancellor designation of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi on him.

At Huguo Circuit By 887, Wang Chongrong had grown harsh in his governance of Hezhong Circuit — which by that point had been renamed Huguo Circuit.

Wang Chongying died in 895. The soldiers supported Wang Chongrong's adoptive son Wang Ke — who was the biological son of Wang Chongjian's and therefore biological nephew to both Wang Chongrong and Wang Chongying — to succeed him, but Wang Gong, who had by that point become military governor of Shanguo, which had been renamed Baoyi , also wished to have Huguo, leading to a succession struggle between them. Emperor Zhaozong, with Li Keyong the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi), who was also Wang Ke's father-in-law, backing Wang Ke's claim, made Wang Ke military governor of Huguo.

Notes and references

Old Book of Tang, vol. 182. New Book of Tang, vol. 187. Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 254, 255, 256, 257, 258, 260.