Overview
Wang Jian was a Qin general from Pinyang.
Life and dates
Death
- BC 210 to BC 207 秦二世之時Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passage 170
Attested activity
- BC 228 to BC 226 二十七年…二十九年Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 34, passages 181-182
- BC 230 to BC 221 夷六國Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passage 182
- BC 224 始皇二十三年Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 88, passage 10
- BC 227 to BC 221 始皇二十年至二十六年間Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passages 129, 168
- BC 236 始皇十一年Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passage 119
- BC 229 始皇十八年Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passage 119
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- BC 228 後三月Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 81, passages 231, 236
- BC 227 明年（始皇二十年）Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passages 121-122
- BC 228 歲餘（約始皇十九年）Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passages 119-120
- BC 210 to BC 207 秦二世之時Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passage 170
- BC 230 秦并天下前Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 25, passage 96
- BC 229 趙王遷七年Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 81, passage 231
Family
Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.
- Ancestor of Wang Li (王離)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passages 171, 183
- Parent of Wang Ben (王賁)son 子 · paternal line
son 子Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passages 123, 168, 170
Key source chapters
- Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 73 Biographies of Bai Qi and Wang Jian 31 passages
- Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 81 Biographies of Lian Po and Lin Xiangru 2 passages
- Book of Han, Chapter 25 Volume 23: Treatise on Punishment and Law 1 passage
- Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 34 House of Yan Shaogong 1 passage
- Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 88 Biography of Meng Tian 1 passage
Career and standing
- Qin general 秦將Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passage 182
- general 將軍HeldDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 34, passage 181
- EnteredRetirement · At Pinyang 頻陽Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passage 133
- veteran general 宿將Veteran generalDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passage 182
Places and affiliations
- Qin 秦Relation ServedDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passage 118
- Polity Qin 秦 · Relation Served
- At eastern village of Pinyang 頻陽東鄉 · Relation Native ofDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passage 117
- At Pinyang 頻陽 · Relation Retired toDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passage 133
Works and attributed material
- Judgment · Subject · Speaker Sima Qian (司馬遷)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passages 182-184
- Speech · Speaker · Topic estimate that 600,000 troops were indispensable · Mode direct-quotation Speaker Wang Jian (王翦)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passage 129
- Speech · Speaker · Topic explanation of requests for property · Mode direct-quotation Speaker Wang Jian (王翦)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passage 146
- Speech · Speaker · Topic explanation that property requests would reassure the suspicious king · Mode direct-quotation Speaker Wang Jian (王翦)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passages 150-152
- Speech · Speaker · Topic initial refusal of command on grounds of age and illness · Mode direct-quotation Speaker Wang Jian (王翦)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passage 139
- Speech · Speaker · Topic judgment that his troops were ready · Mode direct-quotation Speaker Wang Jian (王翦)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passage 161
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- Speech · Speaker · Topic renewed demand for 600,000 troops · Mode direct-quotation Speaker Wang Jian (王翦)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passage 141
Events and relationships
- Accepted command of 600,000 troops for the Chu campaign after the ruler adopted his force estimateDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passages 137-143
- Attacked Yan, pacified Ji, and returnedBC 227 始皇二十年 · Military · CommanderDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passages 121-122
- AttackedBC 228 to BC 226 二十七年…二十九年 · Military · Commander · Other Polity Yan 燕Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 34, passages 181-182
- AttackedDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 88, passage 10
- AttackedDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 81, passage 231
- Captured nine cities in the Yanyu campaignBC 236 始皇十一年 · Military · CommanderDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passage 119
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- CapturedDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 81, passages 231, 236
- CapturedDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 81, passages 231, 236
- Conquered Zhao and organized its territory into commanderiesDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passages 119-120
- Defeated and conquered Chu through a prolonged defensive campaignBC 227 to BC 221 始皇二十年至二十六年間 · Military · Commander · With Li Xin (李信), Xiang Yan (項燕), Chu King Fuchu (荊王負芻)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passages 154-166
- Destroyed stateBC 228 後三月 · Military · Commander · At Zhao 趙 · Outcome Zhao extinguishedDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 81, passages 231, 236
- Employed in Qin’s conquest of the six statesMilitary · GeneralDirectly stated · Book of Han 25, passage 96
- ExtinguishedBC 230 to BC 221 夷六國 · Military · Commander · At the six states 六國Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passage 182
- KilledDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 81, passages 231, 236
- Relation Teacher of · Person Shihuang (始皇)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passage 182
Assessments and attributes
- Assessment could not assist Qin in establishing virtue and consolidating foundations; sought favor and accommodated himself, leading to ruin · Mode historian-judgment Speaker Sima Qian (司馬遷)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passages 182-184
- Assessment likened to a wolfish man · Mode historian-judgmentDirectly stated · Book of Han 25, passage 96
- Item fine fields, residences, gardens, and ponds 美田宅園池 · Relation Requested for descendants · Purpose to reassure the suspicious Qin rulerDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 73, passages 144-152
Source notes
- Historicity historicalDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 81, passage 231
References in the histories
36 passages
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