Sui and Tang · General and Official

Wang Maozhong 王毛仲

First attested AD 707; died AD 731

Passages: 26
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Wang Maozhong was a general and Official.

Life and dates

Death

AD 731 十九年
Strangled by edict · At Lingling 零陵
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 121, passage 210

Attested activity

AD 713 先天二年七月
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 121, passage 135
AD 731 十九年
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 121, passage 208
AD 707 to AD 710 景龍中
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 121, passage 175
AD 721 開元九年
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 121, passage 186

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Father of Wang Maozhong
father 父
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 121, passage 173
Parent of Son of Wang Maozhong
son 子
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 121, passage 203
Spouse of Imperial-bestowed Wife of Wang Maozhong
wife 妻
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 121, passage 202
Spouse of Other Wife of Wang Maozhong
wife 妻
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 121, passage 202

Kinship Role wives · Count 2
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 121, passage 202
Kinship Role sons · Count 4
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 121, passage 209

Origins and identity

Ethnicity Goguryeo 高麗
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 121, passage 172

Career and standing

General Who Assists the State 輔國大將軍
Appointed
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 121, passage 183
Duke of Huo 霍國公
Granted
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 121, passage 183
Born into
Enslavement
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 121, passage 173

Places and affiliations

Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · New Book of Tang 121, passage 172

Events and relationships

Managed herds
Administrative · Commissioner
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 121, passages 189-190
Relation Marriage alliance with · Person Ge Fushun (葛福順)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 121, passage 198

Assessments and attributes

Assessment petty man who grew arrogant once satisfied · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 121, passages 197, 228

References in the histories

Search passages

History

26 passages

New Book of Tang, Chapter 121Volume 121 Biographies 46: Liu, Zhong, Cui, and the Two Kings · 26 passages

先天二年七月，乃與岐王、薛王、姜皎、李令問、王毛仲、王守一以鐵騎至承天門。 In the seventh month of Xiantian 2 he rode with the Princes of Qi and Xue, Jiang Jiao, Li Lingwen, Wang Maozhong, and Wang Shouyi at the head of armored cavalry to the Gate of Accepting Heaven.

事平，琚進戶部尚書、封趙國公，皎工部尚書、楚國公，毛仲輔國大將軍、霍國公，守一太常卿、晉國公，各食實戶五百； After victory Ju became minister of revenue and Duke of Zhao; Jiang Jiao minister of works and Duke of Chu; Wang Maozhong general who assists the state and Duke of Huo; Wang Shouyi minister of sacrifices and Duke of Jin—each with five hundred fief households;

王毛仲，高麗人。 Wang Maozhong was from Goguryeo.

父坐事，沒為官奴，生毛仲，故長事臨淄王。 His father was punished and made a government slave; Maozhong was born in bondage and grew up serving the Prince of Linzi.

王出潞州，有李守德者，為人奴，善騎射，王市得之，並侍左右，而毛仲為明悟。 Leaving Luzhou, the prince bought Li Shoude, a slave skilled in horsemanship and archery; both attended him, though Maozhong was the sharper.

毛仲曉旨，亦布誠結納，王嘉之。 Maozhong read his mind, won the soldiers over, and won the prince's praise.

守德從帝止苑中，而毛仲匿不出，事定數日，乃還，不之責，例擢將軍。 Shoude stayed with the prince in the park; Maozhong hid until days after the coup, yet was not blamed and was promoted to general.

王為皇太子，以毛仲知東宮馬駝鷹狗等坊。 As crown prince, the prince put Maozhong in charge of the heir's stables, hawks, and hounds.

與誅蕭至忠等，以功進輔國大將軍，檢校內外閑廄，知監牧使，進封霍國公，實封戶五百。 For helping kill Xiao Zhizhong and others, he was promoted for merit to General Who Assists the State, oversaw the inner and outer imperial stud parks, supervised the commissioner of herds, and was made Duke of Huo with five hundred substantive households.

帝暫不見，惘惘若有失，見則釋然。 If the emperor missed him briefly he grew uneasy; when Maozhong appeared he was comforted.

毛仲始見飾擢，頗持法，不避權貴為可喜事。 At first, newly honored, he enforced the law fearlessly and pleased the emperor.

還，加開府儀同三司，自開元後，唯王仁皎、姚崇、宋璟及毛仲得之。 On his return he received the privilege of an opening office—after Kaiyuan only Wang Renjiao, Yao Chong, Song Jing, and Maozhong had held it.

然資小人，誌既滿，不能無驕，遂求為兵部尚書，帝不悅，毛仲鞅鞅。 But he was a man of low birth; once satisfied he grew proud and sought the ministry of war; the emperor refused and Maozhong sulked.

及與葛福順為姻家，而守德及左監門將軍盧龍子唐地文、左右威衛將軍王景耀高廣濟數十人與毛仲相倚杖為奸。 He married into Ge Fushun's family; Shoude, Left Gate Guardian General Lu Longzi Tang Diwen, the Left and Right Martial Guard generals Wang Jingyao and Gao Guangji, and dozens more relied on Maozhong in wrongdoing.

毛仲恃舊，最不法。 Trusting his early service, Maozhong broke the law most boldly.

中使至其家稱詔，毛仲不甚恭，位卑者，或踞見，迕意即侮誶，以氣淩之，直出其上。 When imperial envoys announced edicts at his home he was barely respectful; to inferiors he sprawled; if crossed he insulted them, acting above his station.

毛仲有兩妻，其一上所賜，皆有國色。 Maozhong had two wives, one given by the emperor; both were strikingly beautiful.

嘗生子，帝命力士就賜，仍授子五品官，還，問曰：「毛仲喜乎？」 When a son was born the emperor sent Lishi with gifts and made the boy a fifth-rank official; returning, he asked, "Is Maozhong pleased?"

力士奏：「毛仲熟視臣曰：『是子亦何辱三品官？』」 Lishi reported, "Maozhong glared at me and said, 'Why would that boy be disgraced with only third rank?'"

帝怒曰：「前毛仲負我，未嘗為意，今以嬰兒顧云云。」 The emperor raged, "Maozhong has long slighted me, which I overlooked; now he scorns even an infant's honor."

力士等知帝怒，它日，從容曰：「北門奴官皆毛仲所與，不除之，必起大患。」 Knowing the emperor's wrath, Lishi later said gently, "The northern gate officers are all Maozhong's men; leave them and disaster will follow."

後毛仲移書太原索甲仗，少尹嚴挺之以聞，帝恐毛仲遂亂，匿其狀。 Maozhong later wrote Taiyuan demanding arms; Yan Tingzhi reported it, but the emperor, fearing revolt, suppressed the news.

十九年，有詔貶州，福順壁州，守德嚴州，盧龍子唐地文振州，王景耀黨州，高廣濟道州，並為別駕員外置。 In year 19 Maozhong was demoted; Fushun to Bi, Shoude to Yan, Tangdiwen to Zhen, Wang Jingyao to Dang, Gao Guangji to Dao—all as supernumerary vice-prefects.

毛仲四子悉奪官，貶惡地，緣坐數十人。 All four of Maozhong's sons lost their posts and were sent to harsh exile; dozens were punished by association.

有詔縊毛仲於零陵。 An edict had Maozhong strangled at Lingling.

毛仲小人，誌得而驕，不足論已。 Maozhong was a small man who grew arrogant once satisfied—hardly worth mention.