History of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

Chapter 303 Wang Jian Abandons the World 1
【Wang Jian's Passing Away】

Wang Jian had been ill for a long time. In order to have a good start, he changed the reign title and issued a general amnesty for three consecutive years.

At the beginning of the country, it continued to use the reign title of "Tianfu" of Emperor Zhaozong of Tang. Later, it established the reign title "Wucheng" for 3 years; then it changed to "Yongping" for 5 years; starting from 916 AD, it changed the reign title every year for three consecutive years, and every year was the "first year", namely the first year of Tongzheng (916), the first year of Tianhan (917), and the first year of Guangtian (918).

Changing the reign title and granting amnesty could only comfort Wang Jian's heart, but could not heal his body. As his condition worsened day by day, Wang Jian knew that his end was near, so he summoned his confidants to entrust his son to the care of others. The people who shouldered the important task of entrusting his son to others were the eunuch Song Guangsi and his adopted sons Wang Zongbi, Wang Zongwan, and Wang Zongyao.

When a man is about to die, his words are good. Wang Jian first briefly reviewed his life, saying that thanks to your dedicated assistance, I was able to pacify the Qin and Shu regions and even establish a country and become emperor. I have always worked diligently, but I am afraid that I will let down the country, the gods of heaven and earth, and the people of the world. I really hope that the world will be peaceful, the weather will be good, the crops will be abundant, and the people will live and work in peace and contentment... I have worked hard all my life, I am old, and my condition is very serious. If I really die, there is no need to rescue me, so I should give up treatment...

Afterwards, Wang Jian made arrangements for his affairs after his death: Although Wang Zongyan is virtuous, he is still young (only 18 years old). I did not want to depose the eldest and enthrone the youngest, but you forced me to do so. I was reluctantly following your will, so please do not forget your original intention, and assist him wholeheartedly, and do not ruin my family business!
The "virtuous" Wang Jian mentioned was just a polite remark. He knew what kind of virtue Wang Zongyan had. So after taking a breath, Wang Jian added, "If Wang Zongyan is really not competent, please choose a qualified person from my other descendants to succeed him. Put Wang Zongyan in another palace and give him generous treatment to live out his days. Don't kill him!"

Finally, Wang Jian also mentioned measures to restrict the power of the "empress's family", that is, not allowing Concubine Xu's brothers to hold real power - especially military power, but just giving them generous treatment.

Through Wang Jian's will, we can also capture some easily overlooked information, such as the sudden mention of Concubine Xu's brothers. They have never been seen in historical materials before, and I believe it is just a lack of historical materials, otherwise Wang Jian would not have been obsessed with them and given many instructions before his death. At that time, it is very likely that the power of the "Queen's Clan" was rising and there were signs of interfering in politics, which is logical. After Wang Jian's death, Concubine Xu's brothers, Xu Yanqiong and Xu Yangui, did indeed quickly gain control of the military power, but this is a later story.

After entrusting his son to his care, Wang Jian did not die immediately, but continued to fight the disease for a while. During this period, Wang Jian was in unbearable pain and had to sit in a brocade bag. One day, while struggling with the pain, Wang Jian said to his attendants: "I see countless wronged souls of the people surrounding me. They are countless. They all curse me, saying that they all died because of my heavy taxes and levies. They want to go to the underworld and complain to the King of Hell about me... Alas, I really don't know the suffering of the people! What should I do now?"

Not long after saying this, Wang Jian closed his eyes forever with guilt for the people of Shu and worry about the future of the country. He was 72 years old and had been in power for 12 years.

Wang Jian came from a humble background and was a baker for generations.

It is said that when Wang Jian buried his father, the coffin jumped out automatically after being put into the pit. A wise man nearby said that this was a Feng Shui treasure land that would produce an emperor, and of course, he would not allow a commoner like him to be buried here. Wang Jian, who had a bad temper, put the coffin back into the pit, and then the coffin jumped again, and Wang Jian buried it again... This repeated many times, and finally the coffin of his ancestor was pressed down.

This is of course anti-scientific. Emperors in the feudal period always invented some supernatural legends to emphasize that they were appointed by heaven. Burying the father in the emperor's land is just one of them.

There is a similar story that when Wang Jian was in the Zhongwu Army, he was ordered to fight against the bandit Shang Junchang. In one battle, Wang Jian fought so hard that his horse died of exhaustion. Then, for some unknown reason, Wang Jian cut open the horse's belly and found a small snake inside. I believe this, after all, a silk book with the words "Chen Sheng is the King" can be found in the fish's belly.

For example, when Wang Jian was a young man, he and his good friend Jin Hui worked as robbers. They were wanted by the government and hid in an ancient tomb in a panic. It happened that a Wuzhe Zhai meeting was being held in the local area. Suddenly, they heard someone outside the tomb shouting into the tomb, "Wuzhe meeting, do you want to go together?" A voice from inside the tomb also replied, "The King of Shu is here. I want to accompany him. I won't go for now." Wang Jian and Jin Hui bravely looked around. There were only the two of them in and out of the tomb, and they didn't know where the voice came from.

The two looked at each other in bewilderment, "We have encountered a ghost!" However, the two desperadoes were not afraid, and asked each other: "The King of Shu is here... Who is the King of Shu between us?"

Jin Hui said, "My brother, you are very brave and extraordinary. In my opinion, you are the King of Shu."

Wang Jian was polite and modest on the surface, "No, no, don't believe my lies." But he was very proud in his heart. After a while, another voice came from outside, "I came back from the conference and brought you a meal. Since the King of Shu is here, I brought back two more and presented them to the King of Shu as a token of my gratitude."

Wang Jian and Jin Hui looked outside again and saw two more servings of hot food outside the ancient tomb. The two of them took up their bowls and started eating. It was said that Wang Jian's serving was more delicious.

Comrade Jin Hui should have edited this story. Later, Wang Jian and Jin Hui turned over a new leaf, gave up being bandits and joined the army. They both belonged to the Xuzhou Zhongwu Army. They were both selected by Yang Fuguang and incorporated into the "Zhongwu Eight Commands". Later, they were selected by Tian Lingzi and reorganized into the "Five Commands of the Imperial Guard". After Wang Jian became emperor, Jin Hui was treated as a veteran of the dragon. He was given the title of "Founding Minister of the State, Protecting the Saint and Assisting the Emperor", Kaifu Yitong Sansi, Jianxiu Taiwei, Tongzhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi, Wutai Jiedushi, and Kaiguogong. Later, he was named Zhongshu Ling. After Wang Zongyan succeeded to the throne, he was promoted to the title of Hongnong County King. After his death, he was posthumously awarded the title of Taishi and the posthumous title of "Xianwu".

Although Wang Jian came from a military background, he respected scholars very much, "fond of Confucian officials and treated them with great courtesy." He once said to those around him that when he was serving in the Shen Ce Army, he saw with his own eyes the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty summoning Confucian scholars, having long conversations with them and enjoying a close relationship with them, "which was beyond the reach of generals and ministers." No matter how much I respect others now, I can't even be one-tenth as good as the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty!

Sima Guang commented in his Zizhi Tongjian that the Former Shu under his rule "had the legacy of the Tang Dynasty", which can be said to be a very high evaluation.

The Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms also gave Wang Jian a very high evaluation. He was considered to be a man of great talent and strategy, and a rare hero. His life achievements were summarized as "he drove Tian and Chen with wisdom, and combined Yang and Gu with strength. He punished the north with Qilong, and resisted the south with insults in Changhe."

Tian and Chen refer to Tian Lingzi and Chen Jingxuan; Yang and Gu refer to Yang Sheng of Pengzhou and Gu Yanhui of Dongchuan. "To the north, we should punish the criminals in Qilong" does not need to be explained, our focus is to say "to the south, we should defend against the insults in Changhe".

Changhe refers to Nanzhao, an old friend of the Tang people.

Nanzhao sounded the clarion call for the demise of the Tang Dynasty, dragging the Tang Empire into the abyss of destruction through the Annan War and the Chengdu Campaign. The Nanzhao issue was also the most difficult and troublesome diplomatic issue in the late Tang Dynasty.

After the death of Nanzhao's ruler Shilong, his son Longshun ascended the throne. In the fourth year of Qianning (897), the powerful minister and prime minister of Nanzhao, Zheng Maisi (the seventh-generation grandson of Zheng Hui, the "strictest family teacher in history"), murdered Longshun and supported Longshun's son Shun Huazhen to succeed the throne.

In the second year of Tianfu (902), Zheng Maisi committed treason again, killing Shun Huazhen and more than members of the Nanzhao royal family. Nanzhao was declared extinct. Zheng Maisi then proclaimed himself emperor and changed the country's name to "Dachanghe Kingdom".

Nanzhao and Datang were brothers in distress. They had been fighting each other for more than a hundred years, but their final endings were surprisingly similar. Both of them had powerful officials murdering two generations of emperors in succession, slaughtering the entire royal family, and then establishing their own country. The time was also very close, Nanzhao was in 902 and Datang was in 907.

Nanzhao had changed its name many times before, but we always called it "Nanzhao", including this time.

After Zheng Maisi murdered Longshun (897), he gained actual control of Nanzhao, and the young emperor Shunhuazhen was just his puppet. Zheng Maisi was anxious to stabilize the external environment, so he sent a special envoy to visit the Tang Dynasty and request to restore the old friendship.

This time the diplomatic mission was intercepted by Wang Jian.

(End of this chapter)