Wang Jinrao (王敬蕘)

Overview

Wang Jinrao was a general and Military Commissioner.

Life and dates

Death

AD 907 開平元年八月
At his mansion 其第
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 20, passage 80

Attested activity

AD 881 中和初
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 20, passage 69
AD 895 乾寧二年
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 20, passage 74
AD 874 唐乾符初
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 20, passage 68
AD 907 開平元年八月
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 20, passage 80

Career and standing

Wuning military commissioner 武寧軍節度使
Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 20, passage 77
prefecture commander of horse and foot 都知兵馬使
AD 874 唐乾符初 · Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 20, passage 68
Retired for illness
AD 907 開平元年八月 · Retirement
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 20, passage 80

Places and affiliations

Polity Name Later Liang · Relation Served or associated
Strongly inferred · Old History of the Five Dynasties 20, passage 67
At Ruyin in Yingzhou 潁州汝陰
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 20, passage 67

Assessments and attributes

Assessment worthy of praise for aiding the rising dynasty · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 20, passage 82
towering, very strong; used solid-iron spear over thirty jin
Physical description
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 20, passage 81

References in the histories

Search passages

History

8 passages

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 · 8 passages

Open chapter

王敬蕘，潁州汝陰人，世為郡武吏。 Wang Jinrao of Ruyin in Yingzhou came from a line of county military officers.

唐乾符初，敬蕘為本州都知兵馬使。 Early in Qianfu he became the prefecture's commander of horse and foot.

中和初，寇難益熾，郡守庸怯，不能自固，敬蕘遂代之監郡，俄真拜刺史，加檢校右散騎常侍。 Early in Zhonghe, as raids grew fiercer and the timid prefect could not hold the city, Jinrao took charge of the circuit, was soon confirmed as prefect, and given acting rank as Right Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary.

時州境荒饉，大寇繼至，黃巢數十萬眾寨於州南，敬蕘極力抗禦，逾旬而退。 Famine stalked the circuit while great armies came one after another; hundreds of thousands of Huang Chao's men camped south of the city, and Jinrao fought them off until they withdrew after more than ten days.

蔡賊復遣將刁君務以萬眾來逼，敬蕘列陣當之，身先馳突，殺敵甚多，由是竟全郡壘，遠近歸附。 The Cai rebels sent Diao Junwu with ten thousand men; Jinrao formed his line, led the charge himself, and killed a great many; the walls held, and men near and far came to his banner.

及淮人不恭，太祖屢以軍南渡，路由州境，敬蕘悉心供億，太祖甚嘉之。 Each time the Founder crossed the Huai with an army and passed through Ying, Jinrao supplied his needs without stint, and the Founder took great notice.

時雨雪連旬，軍士凍餒，敬蕘自淮燎薪，相屬於道，郡中設糜糗餅餌以待之，全活者甚眾，由是表知武寧軍節度、徐宿觀察留後。 Snow fell ten days running; the troops were freezing and starving; Jinrao sent fuel from the Huai along the road and set out gruel and cakes in the city; many lived because of it, and he was memorialized acting commissioner of Wuning and regent of Xuzhou and Suzhou.

敬蕘魁傑沈勇，多力善戰，所用槍矢，皆以純鐵鍛就，槍重三十餘斤，摧鋒突陣，率以此勝。 Jinrao was a towering man, deep and brave; his spears and arrows were forged from solid iron, his spear alone weighed more than thirty pounds, and he broke enemy lines by sheer weight of steel.