Wang Chuzhi (王處直)

Overview

Wang Chuzhi was a Military Governor of Dingzhou; Prince of Beiping.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Yunming	允明	Yunming

Life and dates

Death

Age 61
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 54, passage 141
AD 922 天祐十九年
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 141, passage 75

Age

61
Reckoning Sui
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 54, passage 141

Attested activity

AD 911 天祐八年三月二十七日
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 27, passage 200
AD 911 天祐八年十一月辛丑
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 27, passage 210
AD 911 乾化元年六月
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 6, passage 113
AD 900 光化三年
Directly stated · History of Liao 75, passage 90
AD 900 光化三年六月
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 20, passages 45, 47
AD 921 六年
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 2, passage 39

Show 11 more source-backed claims

AD 921 十八年十月
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 31
AD 901 四月
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 4, passage 127
AD 904 天祐元年
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 54, passage 139
AD 904 to AD 907 天祐初
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 60, passage 184
AD 914 天祐十一年
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 5, passage 26
AD 922 天祐十九年
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 141, passage 75
AD 921 天祐十八年三月
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 5, passage 61
AD 921 天祐十八年十月
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 5, passage 67
AD 910 开平四年
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 2, passage 97
AD 900 to AD 924 處直分易、定以為帥，亦既重侯
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 54, passage 187
AD 910 開平四年十一月
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 6, passage 25

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Sibling of Wang Chucun (王處存)
younger maternal brother 母弟 · Maternal half siblings · maternal line · Through Mother of Wang Chucun and Wang Chuzhi (王處存母)
elder brother 兄 · Full siblings · paternal line
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 54, passage 131; History of Liao 75, passage 89
Parent of Wang Du (王都)
father 父
adopted son 養子 · Adoptive parentage
became Chuzhi's son 為處直之子 · Adoptive parentage
illegitimate son 孽子 · Uncertain parentage
son 子
Sources vary in certainty · History of Liao 75, passage 100; History of Liao 2, passage 39; Old History of the Five Dynasties 54, passages 146-147, 187-188; Old History of the Five Dynasties 141, passage 82
Parent of Wang Yu (王鬱)
illegitimate son 孽子 · paternal line
Directly stated · History of Liao 75, passage 88
Parent of Wang Yu (王鬱)
illegitimate son 孽子
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 54, passage 156
Child of Mother of Wang Chucun and Wang Chuzhi (王處存母)
mother 母 · maternal line
Strongly inferred · Old History of the Five Dynasties 54, passage 131
Parent of Du (都)
son 子 · paternal line
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 5, passage 67

Kinship Role sons · Count 2 · 諸子尚幼 — sons still young when Du made vice governor
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 54, passage 155

Key source chapters

Career and standing

lord of Dingzhou 定州王處直
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 31
Grand Guardian 太保
AD 904 天祐元年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 54, passage 139
acting governor 留後
Appointed
Directly stated · History of Liao 75, passage 92
Honorary Left Vice Director 檢校左僕射
Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 54, passage 138
Military Governor of Yiwu Army 義武軍節度使
Appointed
Directly stated · History of Liao 75, passages 88, 93
military commissioner of Dingzhou 定州節度使
AD 904 to AD 907 天祐初 · Held · At Dingzhou 定州
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 60, passage 184

Show 17 more source-backed claims

military governor of Yiwu 義武軍節度使
AD 921 天祐十八年三月 · Held
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 5, passage 61
commander of horse and infantry of Dingzhou rear guard 定州後院軍都知兵馬使
Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 54, passage 132
commander 帥
Held · At Yi and Ding 易、定
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 54, passage 187
Director of Military Affairs 都知兵馬使
Held
Directly stated · History of Liao 75, passage 89
Honorary Grand Commandant 檢校太尉
Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 54, passage 140
Military Governor of Tang Yiwu Army 唐義武軍節度使
Held
Directly stated · History of Liao 2, passage 39
Yiding Army military commissioner 易定節度使
Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 27, passage 200
acting governor 留後
Installed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 54, passage 132
Prince of Taiyuan 太原王
AD 904 天祐元年 · Granted
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 54, passage 139
Prince of Beiping 北平王
AD 914 天祐十一年 · Held
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 5, passage 26
Prince of Beiping 北平王
Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 54, passage 140; New History of the Five Dynasties 2, passage 97
Entered
Imprisoned · By Person Id Wang Du (王都)
Directly stated · History of Liao 2, passage 39
Entered
Rebel
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 6, passage 25
powerful regional lord 重侯
Powerful regional lord · Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 54, passage 187
Imprisoned
Imprisoned by son · With Du (都)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 5, passage 67
Deposed to private residence
By Person Id Wang Du (王都)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 54, passage 141
Deposed
With Wang Du (王都)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 141, passage 82

Places and affiliations

Polity Khitan 契丹 · Relation Defected to
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 5, passage 67
Polity Yiding 易定 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 27, passages 200, 210
At Ding 定 · Relation Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 54, passage 187
At Dingzhou 定州 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 31
At Dingzhou 定州 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 6, passage 25
At Yi 易 · Relation Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 54, passage 187

Works and attributed material

Judgment · Subject · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 54, passages 187-189
Speech · Speaker · With Zhang Cunjing (張存敬)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 54, passages 133, 135-136

Events and relationships

Asked for help after Yan raided Yi and Ding
Diplomatic · Petitioner
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 27, passage 210
Conspired
AD 921 十八年十月 · Political · Conspirator · With Zhang Wenli (張文禮) · Summary Joined Zhang Wenli's plot and sent Wang Yu to bring the Khitan as allies.
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 31
Entered Feihu
AD 901 四月 · Military · Commander · At Feihu 飞狐
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 4, passage 127
Erected virtuous governance stele and dragon tower
Ritual · Sponsor
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 141, passages 76, 78
Recruited Li Dexiu as an aide
AD 904 to AD 907 天祐初 · Appointment · Patron · With Li Detiu (李德休)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 60, passage 184
Sided with Jin
Defection · Rebel
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 2, passage 97

Show 4 more source-backed claims

Urged Cunxu to become Director of Secretariat
AD 914 天祐十一年 · Political · Nominator · With Cunxu (存勖)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 5, passage 26
Urged Cunxu to take the throne
AD 921 天祐十八年三月 · Political · Petitioner · With Cunxu (存勖)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 5, passage 61
Relation Allied with · Person Wang Rong (王鎔)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 6, passage 25
Relation Patron of · Person Li Detiu (李德休)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 60, passage 184

Assessments and attributes

Assessment favored an illegitimate son and lost his state · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 54, passages 187-188
Assessment wealth and honor lasted so long that benevolence and righteousness were neglected; successive ruin followed · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 54, passage 189

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 54, passage 128; New History of the Five Dynasties 5, passages 26, 61, 67

References in the histories

Search passages

History

39 passages

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 6Volume 6 Book of Later Liang 6: Taizu Annals 6 · 2 passages

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時鎮州王熔、定州王處直叛，結連晉人，故遣將討之。 Wang Rong of Zhenzhou and Wang Chuzhi of Dingzhou had rebelled and joined the Jin, so troops were sent against them.

矧又王熔、處直未曾削爵除名，若翻然改圖，不遠而復，必仍舊貫，當保前功。 Wang Rong and Chuzhi have not been stripped of rank; if they turn back soon, they keep their posts and their past merit.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 20Volume 20 Book of Later Liang 20: Biographies 10: Xie Tong, Si Maye, Liu Han, Wang Jinrao, Gao Shao, Ma Sixun, Zhang Cunjin, Kou Yanqing · 1 passage

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又移師以攻中山，至懷德驛，大破定人五萬眾，王處直乞降，捍復單馬入州，安撫而回。 He marched on Zhongshan next; at Huaidi post fifty thousand men of Ding were shattered; Wang Chuzhi sued for peace; Han rode in alone again to calm the city and came back.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 27Volume 27 Book of Later Tang 3: Zhuangzong Annals 1 · 2 passages

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上令押衙戴漢超持墨製及六鎮書如幽州，其辭曰：「天祐八年三月二十七日，天德軍節度使宋瑤、振武節度使周德威、昭義節度使李嗣昭、易定節度使王處直、鎮州節度使王鎔、河東節度使尚書令晉王謹奉冊進盧龍橫海等軍節度、檢校大尉、中書令、燕王為尚書令、尚父。」 He ordered Dai Hanchao to Youzhou with the ink edict and six-circuit letters reading: "On the twenty-seventh day of the third month of Tianyou 8, Song Yao of Tiande, Zhou Dewei of Zhenwu, Li Sizhao of Zhaoyi, Wang Chuzhi of Yiding, Wang Rong of Zhen, and the Jin Prince, Minister Director and military commissioner of Hedong, reverently advance Liu Shouguang, commissioner of the Lulong and Henghai armies, honorary Grand Marshal, Grand Councilor, and Prince of Yan, to Minister Director and August Father."

十一月辛丑，燕人侵易、定，王處直來告難。 On xinchou in the eleventh month Yan troops raided Yi and Ding, and Wang Chuzhi came asking for help.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 54Volume 54 Book of Later Tang 30: Biographies 6: Wang Rong, Wang Zhaohui, Wang Chuzhi · 16 passages

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王處直。 Wang Chuzhi.

〈（《王處直傳》，原本止存王都廢立之事，而處直事闕佚。 (The Biography of Wang Chuzhi in the original preserved only the matter of Wang Du's deposition and installation, while Chuzhi's affairs were missing.

今考《舊唐書》列傳云：處直，字允明，處存母弟也。 Examining the biographies in the Old Book of Tang, it states: Chuzhi, courtesy name Yunming, was the younger maternal brother of Chucun.

初為定州後院軍都知兵馬使，汴人入寇，處直拒戰，不利而退，三軍大噪，推處直為帥，乃權知留後事。 At first he was commander of horse and infantry of the Dingzhou rear guard army. When the Bian forces invaded, Chuzhi fought them but was driven back. The three armies raised a clamor and installed him as commander, and he then acted as acting governor.

汴將張存敬攻城，梯衝雲合，處直登城呼曰：「敝邑於朝廷未嘗不忠，於藩鄰未嘗失禮，不虞君之涉吾地，何也？」 The Bian general Zhang Cunjing attacked the city with scaling ladders and battering rams massed like clouds. Chuzhi mounted the wall and called out, "Our humble district has never been disloyal to the court nor discourteous to neighboring prefectures. I did not expect Your Lordship to enter our land—why?"

處直報曰：「吾兄與太原同時立勳王室，地又親鄰，修好往來，常道也。 Chuzhi replied, "My elder brother and Taiyuan at the same time established merit for the royal house. Our lands are close neighbors, and maintaining friendly relations is the constant way.

天祐元年，加太保，封太原王。 In the first year of Tianyou he was promoted to Grand Guardian and enfeoffed as Prince of Taiyuan.

後仕偽梁，授北平王、檢校太尉，不數歲，復歸於莊宗。 Later he served the Liang, was appointed Prince of Beiping and Honorary Grand Commandant, and within a few years returned to Zhuangzong.

及處直有疾，應之以左道醫之，不久病間，處直神之，待為羽人。 When Chuzhi fell ill, Yingzhi treated him with heterodox medicine. Before long the illness abated, and Chuzhi regarded him as divine and treated him as an immortal.

處直時未有子，應之以都遺於處直曰：「此子生而有異。」 Chuzhi then had no son. Yingzhi presented Du to him, saying, "This child was born with something extraordinary."

因是都得為處直之子。 From this Du became Chuzhi's son.

處直信重日隆，將校相慮，變在朝夕，謀先事為禍。 Chuzhi's trust in him grew daily. The commanders feared revolt was imminent and plotted to strike first.

乃逼牙帳請殺都，處直堅靳之，久乃得免。 They then pressed headquarters to kill Du. Chuzhi firmly refused, and only after a long time was Du spared.

處直愛養，漸有付托之意，時處直諸子尚幼，乃以都為節度副大使。 Chuzhi cherished him and gradually intended to entrust affairs to him. As Chuzhi's sons were still young, he made Du vice military governor.

王鬱者，亦處直之孽子也。 Wang Yu was also an illegitimate son of Chuzhi.

處直分易、定以為帥，亦既重侯。 Chuzhi held Yi and Ding as commander and was likewise a powerful regional lord.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 60Volume 60 Book of Later Tang 36: Biographies 12: Li Xiji, Wang Jian, Li Jingyi, Lu Rubi, Li Dexiu, Su Xun · 1 passage

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天祐初，兩京喪亂，乃寓跡河朔，定州節度使王處直辟為從事。 Early in Tianyou, with both capitals in chaos, he took refuge in Hebei; Wang Chuzhi of Dingzhou recruited him as an aide.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 137Volume 137: Foreign States Biographies 1: Khitan · 1 passage

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十八年十月，鎮州大將張文禮弒其帥王镕，莊宗討之，時定州王處直與文禮合謀，遣威塞軍使王郁復引契丹為援。 In the tenth month of year eighteen the Zhenzhou general Zhang Wenli murdered his lord Wang Rong, and Emperor Zhuangzong marched to punish him. Wang Chuzhi of Dingzhou joined the plot and sent the Weisai commissioner Wang Yu to bring the Khitan in as allies again.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 141Volume 141: Treatises 3 Five Elements · 4 passages

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十九年，定州王處直卒。 In the nineteenth year Wang Chuzhi of Ding Prefecture died.

先是，處直自為德政碑，建樓於衙城內，言有龍見。 Earlier, Chuzhi had erected for himself a stele praising his virtuous governance and built a tower within the yamen compound, claiming that a dragon had appeared.

處直以為神異，造龍床以安之。 Chuzhi took it for a divine marvel and fashioned a dragon couch on which to install it.

又，城東麥田中，有群鵲數百，平地為巢，處直以為己德所感。 Moreover, in the wheat fields east of the city several hundred magpies built nests on open ground, which Chuzhi took as a response to his own virtue.

History of Liao, Chapter 2Volume 2 Annals 2: Taizu 2 · 1 passage

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唐義武軍節度使王處直養子都囚其父，<一>自稱留後。 Wang Chuzhi, Military Governor of Tang's Yiwu Army, was imprisoned by his adopted son Du, who <1> declared himself acting governor.

History of Liao, Chapter 75Volume 75 Biographies 5: Yelu Dilie, Yelu Duozhen, Wang Yu, Yelu Tulujiong · 6 passages

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王郁，京兆萬年人，唐義武軍節度使處直之孽子。 Wang Yu, a native of Wannian in Jingzhao, was the illegitimate son of Wang Chuzhi, military governor of the Yiwu Army under Tang.

伯父處存鎮義武，卒，三軍推其子郜襲，處直為都知兵馬使。 His uncle Chucun had governed Yiwu; when he died the army installed his son Gao as successor, with Chuzhi as director of military affairs.

光化三年，梁王朱全忠攻定州，郜遣處直拒於沙河。 In the third year of Guanghua, Zhu Quanzhong of Liang attacked Dingzhou; Gao sent Chuzhi to resist him at Shahe.

亂兵推處直為留後，遣人請事梁王。 The mutineers installed Chuzhi as acting governor and sent envoys to submit to the Liang court.

梁與晉王克用絕好，表處直為義武軍節度使。 Liang broke with Li Keyong of Jin and memorialized Chuzhi as military governor of the Yiwu Army.

處直料晉必討張文禮，鎮亡，則定不獨存，益自疑。 Chuzhi reckoned that Jin would surely move against Zhang Wenli; if the commandery fell, Dingzhou could not survive on its own, and his suspicions deepened.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 2Volume 2 Later Liang Annals 2: Taizu 2 · 1 passage

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趙王王鎔、北平王王處直叛附于晉，晉人救趙。 Wang Rong of Zhao and Wang Chuzhi of Beiping rebelled and sided with Jin; the Jin army marched to Zhao's aid.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 4Volume 4 Later Tang Annals 1: Zhuangzong 1 · 1 passage

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四月，氏叔琮入天井，张文敬入新口，葛从周入土门，王处直入飞狐，侯言入阴地。 In the fourth month Shi Shuzong came in through Tianjing, Zhang Wenjing through Xinkou, Ge Congzhou through Tumen, Wang Chuzhi through Feihu, and Hou Yan through Yindi.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 5Volume 5 Later Tang Annals 2: Zhuangzong 2 · 3 passages

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於是趙王王鎔、北平王王處直奉冊推王為尚書令，始建行臺。 Wang Rong of Zhao and Wang Chuzhi, Prince of Beiping, then presented a register urging him to take the title Director of the Secretariat, and the field headquarters was first established.

三月，河中節度使朱友謙、昭義軍節度使李嗣昭、橫海軍節度使李存審、義武軍節度使王處直、安國軍節度使李嗣源、鎮州兵馬留後張文禮、領天平軍節度使閻寶，大同軍節度使李存璋、振武軍節度使李存進、匡國軍節度使朱令德，請王即皇帝位，王三辭，友謙等三請，王曰：「予當思之。」 In the third month Zhu Youqian of Hezhong, Li Sizhao of Zhaoyi, Li Cunshen of Henghai, Wang Chuzhi of Yiwu, Li Siyuan of Anguo, Zhang Wenli acting at Zhenzhou, Yan Bao holding Tianping, Li Cunzhang of Datong, Li Cunjin of Zhenwu, and Zhu Lingde of Kuangguo begged the king to take the throne. He refused thrice; they pressed thrice; he said, “I will think on it.”

王處直叛附於契丹，其子都幽處直以來附。 Wang Chuzhi turned to the Khitan; his son Du seized him and submitted to Jin.