Wang Shenzhi

Wang Shenzhi (; 862 – December 30, 925), courtesy name Xintong or Xiangqing , posthumous name Prince Zhongyi of Min and also known by his temple name as the Emperor Taizu of Min , was the founding monarch of Min (now part of the Fujian province, with a capital of Fuzhou) during China's Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, reigning as prince but posthumously promoted to the rank of emperor. He was from Gushi in modern-day Henan.

Background Wang Shenzhi was born in 862, during the reign of Emperor Yizong. His father's name was Wang Nin , He had two older brothers, Wang Chao and Wang Shengui .

Service under Wang Xu

In 881, the bandit leader Wang Xu, along with his brother-in-law Liu Xingquan , captured Guāng Prefecture (光州, in modern Xinyang); he was subsequently commissioned the prefect of Guang Prefecture by Qin Zongquan the military governor (Jiedushi) of Fengguo Circuit (奉國, headquartered in modern Zhumadian, Henan). Wang Xu forced the men of Guang Prefecture to join his army, and he made Wang Chao, who had previously been a government worker at the Gushi County government, his discipline officer. Fan, however, soon lost the support of the soldiers, and Wang Chao sent his cousin Wang Yanfu and Wang Shenzhi as Wang Yanfu's deputy to lead an army to attack Fu Prefecture. However, they could not capture it quickly, and Fan sought aid from Dong Chang the military governor of Weisheng Circuit (威勝, headquartered in modern Shaoxing, Zhejiang), who dispatched an army to aid him. Hearing that news, Wang Yanfu and Wang Shengui submitted a report to Wang Chao, requesting to withdraw. Wang Chao refused. When they requested that he come to the front to oversee the attack, he responded:

Wang Yanfu and Wang Shenzhi, fearful of the rebuke, intensified their attacks. By summer 893, the food supply in Fu Prefecture ran out. Fan abandoned it and fled, and the Weisheng army, still on the way, hearing that Fan had fled, returned to Weisheng. Fan was killed by his soldiers in flight. Wang entered Fu Prefecture and claimed the title of acting governor. It was said that whenever Wang Shenzhi had faults, Wang Chao would batter him, but Wang Shenzhi would not complain. In 897, when Wang Chao grew ill, he did not try to pass his authorities to any of his sons; rather, he entrusted the matters of the circuit to Wang Shenzhi. After Wang Chao died around the new year 898, Wang Shenzhi offered the authorities to Wang Shengui, who was then the prefect of Quan Prefecture, but Wang Shengui declined on the account that he considered Wang Shenzhi more accomplished. Wang Shenzhi thus claimed the title of acting military governor of Weiwu and submitted a report of what occurred to then-ruling Emperor Zhaozong, who commissioned him as acting military governor and later in the year made him full military governor.

As military governor of Weiwu In 900, Emperor Zhaozong bestowed the honorary chancellor designation of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi on Wang Shenzhi. He was later successively given the honorary titles of acting Sikong and acting Situ (two of the Three Excellencies). In 902, Wang built an outer wall for Fu Prefecture. In 904, Emperor Zhaozong created him the Prince of Langya.

In 907, the major warlord Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng, Henan) forced Emperor Zhaozong's son and successor Emperor Ai to yield the throne to him, ending Tang and starting a new Later Liang dynasty with him as its Emperor Taizu. Wang Shenzhi recognized the new emperor, and was subsequently given the greater chancellor title of Shizhong . In 909, Emperor Taizu created him the Prince of Min, Also in 916, Wang Shenzhi began to make lead coins, and thereafter, lead coins were circulated along with the traditional copper coins. (Written historical accounts indicated that she was a daughter of Liu Yan's, but her tombstone was subsequently discovered, revealing that she was actually the daughter of Liu Yan's older brother and predecessor, Liu Yin. )

In 918, Wu, which was then ruled by Yang Wo's brother and successor Yang Longyan, launched a major attack, commanded by the general Liu Xin , on Tan Quanbo the military governor of Baisheng Circuit (百勝, headquartered in modern Ganzhou, Jiangxi), who was ruling the circuit in independence but whose nominal allegiance had vacillated between Wu and Later Liang. Tan sought aid from Min, as well as Wuyue and Chu. Min forces advanced to Yudu (雩都, in modern Ganzhou) to try to aid Tan, while Wuyue and Chu also sent troops. After Liu then defeated Chu troops, Min and Wuyue forces also withdrew. Subsequently, Liu captured Tan's capital Qian Prefecture , allowing Wu to directly take over Baisheng Circuit.

In 922, there was an incident where Liu Yan (whose state had been renamed Han by that point and thereafter was known as Southern Han in traditional Chinese sources), believing in sorcerers who told him that he should go to Meikou (梅口, in modern Meizhou, Guangdong) to avoid a disaster. With Meikou on the border between Southern Han and Min, or Yang Shengui's, Subsequently, emissaries were exchanged between Min and Later Tang, and Wang Shenzhi recognized Emperor Zhuangzong's suzerainty.

In 925, Wang Shenzhi grew ill, and he put his oldest son Wang Yanhan, then the deputy military governor of Weiwu, in charge of the affairs of the state. Wang Yanbao Wang Yanwu Lady of Langye, wife of Li Min Daughter, wife of Zhang Siqi Lady of Langye, wife of Qian Yuanxiang , son of Qian Liu king of Wuyue Daughter, wife of Yu Tingyin Daughter Daughter Daughter Adoptive Children Wang Yanbing , né Zhou Yanchen (executed by Wang Yanjun 931), posthumously honored Prince Lingzhao (honored 933?) then as Prince Weisu of Wuping (honored 943) Wang Yanfeng , biological child of Wang Shenzhi's brother Wang Chao

Notes and references

History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 134. New History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 68. Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 254, 259, 261, 262, 266, 267, 270, 271, 273, 274. Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms , vol. 90.