Wang Tingcou

Wang Tingcou (王廷湊 or 王庭湊; died 834), formally the Duke of Taiyuan , was a general of the Chinese Tang dynasty who, in 821, during the reign of Emperor Muzong, took over control of Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei) and thereafter ruled it in a de facto independent manner from the imperial government. He was said to be particularly cruel even for a warlord. After his death, his family held onto control of the circuit, even after the end of Tang dynasty, until his great-great-grandson Wang Rong was overthrown in 921 – 100 years after Wang Tingcou had initially taken over the circuit.

Background It is not known when Wang Tingcou was born. His ancestors were of the Uyghur Abusi tribe, which had been submissive to the Tang dynasty Protectorate General to Pacify the East. His great-grandfather Wugezhi came to serve under Li Baochen the military governor (Jiedushi) of Chengde and Li Baochen's son Li Weiyue. After Li Weiyue's death, Li Weiyue's successor Wang Wujun, because of Wugezhi's bravery in battle, adopted Wugezhi as a son, and thus Wugezhi took on the surname of Wang. Both Wang Tingcou's grandfather Wang Modahuo and father Wang Shengchao continued to serve under Wang Wujun's family as cavalry officers. Wang Tingcou himself was said to be brave and quiet, but decisive.

During Emperor Muzong's reign When Wang Wujun's grandson Wang Chengzong died in 820, Wang Chengzong's brother Wang Chengyuan temporarily took over command of the circuit but requested to be transferred, fearing to be targeted as a warlord. At that time, Wang Tingcou served as the commander of Wang Chengyuan's guards.

The imperial troops soon tried to attack Wang Tingcou from three directions — Pei Du the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi) from the west, Tian Bu from the south, and Wu Chongyin the military governor of Henghai Circuit (橫海, headquartered in modern Cangzhou, Hebei) from the east. (Wu was soon succeeded by Li Guangyan.) After the key outpost Gonggao (弓高, in modern Cangzhou) fell to Zhu's troops in spring 822, however, the imperial army's own supply routes, as well as the supply routes for Shen Prefecture, were cut off. With Shen Prefecture in dire straits, Emperor Muzong was forced to commission Wang Tingcou the military governor of Chengde. Wang accepted the commission, but refused to lift the siege on Shen Prefecture, even when the imperial official Han Yu was sent to urge him. Eventually, Niu fought his way out of the siege, and his subordinate Zang Ping surrendered. Wang rebuked Zang for defending the city for too long and executed Zang and 180 other officials in the city. until Niu's death in 823.

During Emperor Jingzong's and Emperor Wenzong's reigns Shortly after Emperor Muzong died in 824 and was succeeded by his son Emperor Jingzong, Wang Tingcou heard of Niu Yuanyi's death and slaughtered Niu's family — leading the new emperor to lament that the chancellors were incompetent. As of 826, Emperor Jingzong was originally intent on visiting the eastern capital Luoyang and restoring the early Tang customs of the emperor spending time in both the main capital Chang'an and Luoyang. Both Wang and Zhu Kerong sent arrogantly worded offers to contribute troops to repair the long-ruined palaces and governmental offices at Luoyang, offers that Emperor Jingzong declined, and Emperor Jingzong subsequently abandoned the plan to visit Luoyang, at the urging of the senior chancellor Pei Du.

Wang Tingcou was subsequently created the Duke of Taiyuan. Wang Tingcou was given posthumous honors. Wang Tingcou's biography in the Old Book of Tang commented:

Notes and references

Old Book of Tang, vol. 142. New Book of Tang, vol. 211. Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 241, 242, 243, 244, 245.