Qin and Han · General of Chariots and Cavalry

Wang Yin 王音

First attested BC 33; died BC 15

Passages: 20
Chapters: 5
Histories: 1

Overview

Wang Yin was a general of Chariots and Cavalry.

Life and dates

Death

BC 15 正月己丑
Directly stated · Book of Han 11, passage 187
died
音薨
Directly stated · Book of Han 96, passage 270

Attested activity

BC 15 二年春正月己丑
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 11, passage 187
BC 33 to BC 15 大司馬車騎將軍王音
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 99, passage 183
BC 33 to BC 7 成帝時
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 117, passages 57, 75

Key source chapters

Book of Han, Chapter 96 Volume 85: Gu Yong and Du Ye 13 passages
Book of Han, Chapter 88 Volume 77: Gai, Zhuge, Liu, Zheng, Sun, Wujiang and He 3 passages
Book of Han, Chapter 117 Volume 100a: Afterword and Family History 1 2 passages
Book of Han, Chapter 11 Volume 10: Annals of Emperor Cheng 1 passage
Book of Han, Chapter 99 Volume 87b: Yang Xiong 2 1 passage

Career and standing

Cavalry General 車騎將軍
Held
Directly stated · Book of Han 11, passage 187
General of Chariots and Cavalry 車騎將軍
Held
Directly stated · Book of Han 117, passage 57
Grand Commander 大司馬
Held
Directly stated · Book of Han 11, passage 187
Grand Marshal Chariots-and-Cavalry General 大司馬車騎將軍
Held
Directly stated · Book of Han 99, passage 183
General of Chariots and Cavalry 車騎將軍
Directly stated · Book of Han 96, passage 310
grand marshal and general of chariots and cavalry
大司馬車騎將軍
Directly stated · Book of Han 96, passage 259

Show 1 more source-backed claim

Imperial Counselor
御史大夫
Directly stated · Book of Han 96, passage 258

Places and affiliations

Polity Western Han 西漢 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Han 11, passage 187
Polity Western Han 西漢 · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · Book of Han 117, passage 57

Events and relationships

Criticized throne or applied law
Political · Remonstrator
Directly stated · Book of Han 117, passage 75
Died
BC 15 正月己丑 · Death · Subject
Directly stated · Book of Han 11, passage 187
Prompted memorial against Zhang Fang
Political · Instigator · With Zhang Fang (張放)
Directly stated · Book of Han 117, passage 57
Type cousin · Person Wang Feng (王鳳)
Directly stated · Book of Han 96, passage 258

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Han 117, passage 75

References in the histories

Search passages

History

20 passages

Book of Han, Chapter 11Volume 10: Annals of Emperor Cheng · 1 passage

二年春正月己丑，大司馬車騎將軍王音薨。 On jichou day of the first month of spring in the second year, Grand Commander and Cavalry General Wang Yin passed away.

Book of Han, Chapter 88Volume 77: Gai, Zhuge, Liu, Zheng, Sun, Wujiang and He · 3 passages

廣漢太守扈商者，大司馬車騎將軍王音姊子，軟弱不任職。 The Guanghan governor was Wang Yin's weak nephew Hu Shang.

益州吏民多陳寶功效，言為車騎將軍所排。 Yi locals petitioned that Wang Yin had railroaded him.

大司馬車騎將軍王音內領尚書，外典兵馬，踵故選置從事中郎與參謀議，奏請隆為從事中郎，遷諫大夫。 Grand Marshal and Chariot-and-Cavalry General Wang Yin controlled the Masters of Writing within and commanded troops without. Following precedent, he selected staff advisers to participate in counsel and planning, memorialized requesting Long as a staff adviser, and promoted him to Remonstrant Grandee.

Book of Han, Chapter 96Volume 85: Gu Yong and Du Ye · 13 passages

鳳病困，薦從弟御史大夫音以自代。 On his deathbed Feng recommended his younger cousin, Imperial Counselor Wang Yin, to succeed him.

上從之，以音為大司馬車騎將軍，領尚書事，而平阿侯譚位特進，領城門兵。 The emperor agreed, making Yin grand marshal and general of chariots and cavalry with charge of masters-of-writing affairs, while Marquis of Ping'a Tan held special advancement and commanded the gate troops.

由是譚、音相與不平。 From this Tan and Yin grew mutually resentful.

永遠為郡吏，恐為音所危，病滿三月免。 When Yong was posted as a commandery clerk, he feared Wang Yin would harm him and pleaded illness for three months until he was released.

音奏請永補營軍司馬，永數謝罪自陳，得轉為長史。 Yin asked to appoint him camp marshal; Yong repeatedly begged off in self-defense and was instead made chief clerk.

音用從舅越親輔政，威權損於鳳時，永復說音曰：「將軍覆上將之位，食豪腴之都，任周、召之職，擁天下之樞，可謂富貴之極，人臣無二，天下之責四面至矣，將何以居之？ When Yin came to power through a maternal uncle and his authority fell short of Wang Feng's, Yong urged him: "You hold a marshal's rank, feed on the richest commanderies, bear the burden of the Zhou dukes, and turn the empire's hinge—you have reached the peak of wealth and power, yet blame now converges from every quarter. How will you bear it?

音猶不平，薦永為護菀使者。 Yin, still resentful, had Yong appointed commissioner of the imperial hunting park.

音薨，成都侯商代為大司馬衛將軍，永乃遷為涼州刺史。 When Wang Yin died, Marquis of Chengdu Shang succeeded him as grand marshal and general of the guards, and Gu Yong was made inspector of Liang province.

與車騎將軍王音善。 He was on good terms with General of Chariots and Cavalry Wang Yin.

鄴見音前與平阿有隙，即說音曰：「鄴聞人情，恩深者其養謹，愛至者其求詳。 Ye saw Yin's old rift with Ping'a and urged him: "I have heard that deep grace calls for careful nurture and great love calls for thorough scrutiny.

將軍宜承順聖意，加異往時，每事凡議，必與及之，指為誠發，出於將軍，則孰敢不說諭？ General, you ought to follow the sage intent and treat him with more distinction than before; in every discussion involve him, making it appear sincere and issuing from you—then who would dare not be pleased?

音甚嘉其言，由是與成都侯商親密，二人皆重鄴。 Yin greatly approved his words; from this he grew intimate with Marquis of Chengdu Shang, and both men valued Ye.

及欽欲挹損鳳權，而鄴附會音、商。 When Du Qin tried to check Wang Feng, Du Ye curried Wang Yin and Wang Shang instead.

Book of Han, Chapter 99Volume 87b: Yang Xiong 2 · 1 passage

初，雄年四十餘，自蜀來至游京師，大司馬車騎將軍王音奇其文雅，召以為門下史，薦雄待詔，歲餘，奏《羽獵賦》，除為郎，給事黃門，與王莽、劉歆並。 In his forties Yang Xiong left Shu for the capital. Wang Yin, commander-in-chief and chariot general, admired his polish, took him on as a gate clerk, and recommended him as an expectant scholar. A year later his 《Rhapsody on the Imperial Hunt》 won him a gentleman’s post at the Yellow Gate, where he served alongside Wang Mang and Liu Xin.

Book of Han, Chapter 117Volume 100a: Afterword and Family History 1 · 2 passages

車騎將軍王音聞之，以風丞相御史奏富平侯罪過，上乃出放為邊都尉。 When General of Chariots and Cavalry Wang Yin heard of this, he prompted the chancellor and the imperial counselor to memorialize the crimes of the Marquis of Fuping, Zhang Fang, and the emperor sent Fang out as a commandant on the frontier.

初，成帝性寬，進入直言，是以王音、翟方進等繩法舉過，而劉向、杜鄴、王章、朱雲之徒肆意犯上，故自帝師安昌侯，諸舅大將軍兄弟及公卿大夫、後宮外屬史許之家有貴寵者，莫不被文傷詆。 Cheng's easy temper invited blunt speech, so ministers such as Wang Yin and Zhai Fangjin policed the law while scholars like Liu Xiang, Du Ye, Wang Zhang, and Zhu Yun flayed the throne; from the imperial tutor the marquis of Anchang through the Wang uncles and every powerful consort kin of the Shi and Xu lines, no favorite escaped their written attacks.