Chinese Cao Wei state general (died 242)
Wang Zhong
(died 242) was a military general of the state of
Cao Wei
during the
Three Kingdoms
period of China. He previously served under the warlord
Cao Cao
in the late
Eastern Han dynasty
.
Life
[
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]
Wang Zhong was from
Fufeng Commandery
(
扶風郡
), which is around present-day
Xingping
,
Shaanxi
. He served as a Canton Chief (
亭長
) in his early career. When a famine broke out in the
Guanzhong
region, Wang Zhong fled south to
Jing Province
, where he encountered
Lou Gui
, who tried to persuade him to join
Liu Biao
, the Governor of Jing Province. Wang Zhong refused, attacked Lou Gui and induced his followers to defect to his side, and brought them along to join
Cao Cao
, the warlord who controlled the Han central government and the figurehead
Emperor Xian
.
Cao Cao appointed Wang Zhong as a General of the Household (
中?將
). Around 200 CE, Cao Cao ordered him and Liu Dai (
劉岱
)
[a]
to lead troops to attack
Liu Bei
in
Xu Province
but they were defeated and driven back. Wang Zhong was later promoted to General Who Spreads Martial Might (
揚武將軍
) and awarded the title of a Marquis of a Chief Village (
都亭侯
). In 213, Wang Zhong, along with
Xiahou Dun
,
Liu Xun
, Liu Ruo (
劉若
) and others, urged Emperor Xian to enfeoff Cao Cao as the Duke of Wei (
魏公
). Cao Cao's son and heir apparent,
Cao Pi
, heard that Wang Zhong had resorted to
cannibalism
before during the famine in the
Guanzhong
region, so he played a prank on Wang Zhong by attaching a skeleton to the saddle of Wang Zhong's horse.
In 220, following Cao Cao's death, Cao Pi inherited his father's
vassal
king title, "King of Wei" (
魏王
), and remained a nominal subject of Emperor Xian. He then appointed Wang Zhong as General of Light Chariots (
輕車將軍
). Later that year, Wang Zhong, along with
Cao Ren
, Liu Ruo (
劉若
), Xianyu Fu (
鮮于輔
) and others, urged Cao Pi to usurp the throne from Emperor Xian and declare himself emperor. Cao Pi did so, ended the Eastern Han dynasty and established the state of
Cao Wei
to replace it. This event marked the beginning of the
Three Kingdoms
period in China.
Wang Zhong continued serving in the Cao Wei state. In 224, when the general
Cao Zhen
returned from a campaign, Cao Pi ordered
Wu Zhi
to host a banquet in his residence in Cao Zhen's honour. During the banquet, Wu Zhi instructed actors to put up a skit to make fun of Cao Zhen and Zhu Shuo (
朱?
), who were fat and thin respectively. Cao Zhen was enraged and he shouted at Wu Zhi, "Are you and your men seeking a fight with me and my men?"
Cao Hong
and Wang Zhong egged Wu Zhi on by saying, "If you want to make the General (Cao Zhen) admit that he is fat, you have to show that you're thin." Cao Zhen drew his sword, glared at them and said, "I'll kill whoever dares to mock me."
[1]
In 242, Wang Zhong died.
[2]
In
Romance of the Three Kingdoms
[
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]
Wang Zhong appears as a minor character in the 14th-century historical novel
Romance of the Three Kingdoms
. His only appearance in the novel is when
Cao Cao
orders him and Liu Dai to lead troops to attack
Liu Bei
in
Xu Province
. Liu Bei's general
Guan Yu
defeats and captures Wang Zhong, but releases him later. When Wang Zhong returns to Cao Cao after his failure, Cao Cao wants to execute him, but spares him after
Kong Rong
pleads for leniency.
See also
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]
Notes
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]
References
[
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]
- ^
(質別傳曰: ... 質黃初五年朝京師,詔上將軍及特進以下皆會質所,大官給供具。酒?,質欲盡歡。時上將軍曹?性肥,中領軍朱?性瘦,質召優,使說肥瘦。?負貴,恥見?,怒謂質曰:「卿欲以部曲將遇我邪?」驃騎將軍曹洪、輕車將軍王忠言:「將軍必欲使上將軍服肥,?自宜?瘦。」?愈?,拔刀瞋目,言:「俳敢輕脫,吾斬爾。」遂罵坐。)
Wu Zhi Biezhuan
annotation in
Sanguozhi
vol. 21.
- ^
Gautama Siddha
: 《
Treatise on Astrology of the Kaiyuan Era
》 vol.13
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