Qin and Han · Han Commandant of the Palace Guard

Commandant Wang 王衛尉

Wang Weiwei

Attested BC 195 - BC 195

Passages: 4
Chapters: 2
Histories: 2

Overview

Commandant Wang was a Han Commandant of the Palace Guard.

Life and dates

Attested activity

BC 195 Gaozu's last year
Strongly inferred · Book of Han 48, passage 101
BC 195 漢十二年
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 53, passage 87

Key source chapters

Book of Han, Chapter 48 Volume 39: Xiao He and Cao Shen 2 passages
Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 53 House of Chancellor Xiao 2 passages

Career and standing

Commandant of the Palace Guard 衛尉
Held
Directly stated · Book of Han 48, passage 101; Records of the Grand Historian 53, passage 87

Works and attributed material

Remonstrance · Speaker · Addressed to Liu Bang (劉邦) · About Person Id Xiao He (蕭何) · Mode quotation Speaker Commandant Wang (王衛尉)
Directly stated · Book of Han 48, passages 101, 105-110
Speech · Speaker · With Liu Bang (劉邦) · Mode quotation Speaker Commandant Wang (王衛尉)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 53, passages 87, 90-94

Events and relationships

Persuaded the emperor that Xiao He had properly acted for the people
Political · Remonstrant · With Xiao He (蕭何), Liu Bang (劉邦)
Directly stated · Book of Han 48, passages 101, 110
Relation Defended · Person Xiao He (蕭何)
Directly stated · Book of Han 48, passages 101, 105, 110

References in the histories

Book of Han, Chapter 48Volume 39: Xiao He and Cao Shen · 2 passages

數日，王衛尉侍，前問曰：「相國胡大罪，陛下繫之暴也？」 A few days later Commandant Wang of the palace guard, on duty at court, stepped forward: “What grave offense could warrant clapping the minister of state in irons like a common criminal?”

王衛尉曰：「夫職事苟有便於民而請之，真宰相事也。 Wang answered, “When an officer petitions for anything that helps the people, that is precisely what a chief minister should do.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 53House of Chancellor Xiao · 2 passages

數日，王衛尉侍，前問曰：「相國何大罪，陛下系之暴也？」 Several days later, the Commandant of the Palace Guard, Wang, was in attendance and ventured to ask, 'What terrible crime has the Prime Minister committed that Your Majesty treats him so harshly?'

王衛尉曰：「夫職事茍有便於民而請之，真宰相事，陛下柰何乃疑相國受賈人錢乎！ The Commandant Wang said, 'If a minister discovers something that would benefit the people and petitions for it, that is precisely what a prime minister ought to do. How can Your Majesty suspect the Prime Minister of taking merchants' bribes?