Wang Benli
Encyclopedia
Wang Benli (died February 4, 690) was an official of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
, serving as chancellor during the first reign of Emperor Ruizong
.
or the New Book of Tang
. It is further not known where his family was from, as he was not listed among any branch of the Wang clan in the table of chancellors' family trees. The fist reference to him in historical accounts was in 679, when he was serving as a secretary at the executive bureau of government (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng). He was said to be favored by Emperor Gaozong
and, on account of that favor, was committing many illegal deeds and intimidating other officials. The censor Di Renjie
accused him of crimes, and initially, Emperor Gaozong was set to pardon him. At Di's insistence—pointing out that the empire did not lack people with Wang's talent—Emperor Gaozong relented and allowed Wang to be punished.
By 683, Wang was serving as the commandant at Sheng Prefecture (勝州, in modern Hohhot
, Inner Mongolia
), when Eastern Tujue's khan Ashina Gudulu attacked the nearby Chanyu Protector General headquarters (單于總督府, also in modern Hohhot), capturing and killing the official Zhang Xingshi (張行師). Emperor Gaozong sent Wang, along with Li Chongyi (李崇義) the commandant at Xia Prefecture (夏州, roughly modern Yulin
, Shaanxi
), to defend against the Eastern Tujue attack, but historical accounts did not indicate what the results were.
the Crown Prince
(as Emperor Zhongzong), but Emperor Gaozong's powerful wife Empress Wu
(later known as Wu Zetian) retained actual power as empress dowager
and regent
. In spring 684, after he showed signs of independence, she deposed him and replaced him with his younger brother Li Dan
the Prince of Yu (as Emperor Ruizong), but thereafter wielded power even more firmly. In 687, when her trusted advisor, the chancellor Liu Yizhi
was accused of accepting bribes from the Khitan
chieftain Sun Wanrong
and conducting an affair with a concubine of the deceased chancellor Xu Jingzong
. (Historical accounts imply heavily that the real reason why Liu was accused was because Empress Dowager Wu had received reports that he favored that she return imperial authority to Emperor Ruizong, which she saw as a betrayal.) Empress Dowager Wu ordered Wang Benli, who was then serving as the prefect of Su Prefecture (肅州, roughly modern Jiuquan
, Gansu
), to investigate. When Wang went to Liu's mansion to read Empress Dowager Wu's edict to Liu, Liu responded, "How can it be called an edict if it was not issued through the legislative and examination bureaus?" When Wang reported this comment back to Empress Dowager Wu, she became incensed and ordered Liu to commit suicide.
By 688, Wang was serving as the deputy minister of defense (夏官侍郎, Xiaguan Shilang), when he was given the designation Tong Fengge Luantai Pingzhangshi (同鳳閣鸞臺平章事), making him a chancellor de facto. In 689, his chancellor designation was elevated to the more honored Tong Fengge Luantai Sanpin (同鳳閣鸞臺三品). By spring 690, he was referred to as chancellor and imperial censor reviewing central government affairs (左肅政大夫, Zuo Suzheng Daifu), when he was removed as a chancellor and made the minister of treasury (地官尚書, Diguan Shangsu). He died one month later—with the Zizhi Tongjian
not giving a cause for his death, but the chronology of Empress Dowager Wu's regency and reign in the New Book of Tang
indicating that he was executed.
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
dynasty Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
, serving as chancellor during the first reign of Emperor Ruizong
Emperor Ruizong of Tang
Emperor Ruizong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Dàn , known at times during his life as Li Xulun , Li Lun , Wu Lun , and Wu Dan , was the fifth and ninth emperor of Tang Dynasty...
.
Background
Little is known about Wang Benli's career before his brief stint as chancellor, as, atypical for a chancellor, he did not have a biography in either the Book of TangBook of Tang
The Book of Tang , Jiu Tangshu or the Old Book of Tang is the first classic work about the Tang Dynasty. The book began when Gaozu of Later Jin ordered its commencement in 941...
or the New Book of Tang
New Book of Tang
The New Book of Tang , is a classic work of history about the Tang Dynasty edited by Ouyang Xiu and Song Qi and other official scholars of the Song Dynasty. The emperor called for a revision of the former Book of Tang in 1044. The New Book was presented to the throne in 1060. It was given its...
. It is further not known where his family was from, as he was not listed among any branch of the Wang clan in the table of chancellors' family trees. The fist reference to him in historical accounts was in 679, when he was serving as a secretary at the executive bureau of government (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng). He was said to be favored by Emperor Gaozong
Emperor Gaozong of Tang
Emperor Gaozong of Tang , personal name Li Zhi , was the third emperor of the Tang Dynasty in China, ruling from 649 to 683...
and, on account of that favor, was committing many illegal deeds and intimidating other officials. The censor Di Renjie
Di Renjie
Dí Rénjié , courtesy name Huaiying , formally Duke Wenhui of Liang , was an official of the Chinese Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, twice serving as chancellor during her reign...
accused him of crimes, and initially, Emperor Gaozong was set to pardon him. At Di's insistence—pointing out that the empire did not lack people with Wang's talent—Emperor Gaozong relented and allowed Wang to be punished.
By 683, Wang was serving as the commandant at Sheng Prefecture (勝州, in modern Hohhot
Hohhot
Hohhot , is a city in north-central China and the capital of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region, serving as the region's administrative, economic, and cultural centre....
, Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, located in the northern region of the country. Inner Mongolia shares an international border with the countries of Mongolia and the Russian Federation...
), when Eastern Tujue's khan Ashina Gudulu attacked the nearby Chanyu Protector General headquarters (單于總督府, also in modern Hohhot), capturing and killing the official Zhang Xingshi (張行師). Emperor Gaozong sent Wang, along with Li Chongyi (李崇義) the commandant at Xia Prefecture (夏州, roughly modern Yulin
Yulin, Shaanxi
Yulin is a prefecture-level city in the Shaanxi province of the People's Republic of China. It has an area of 43,578 km² and a population of 3,380,000.-Geography and climate:...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
), to defend against the Eastern Tujue attack, but historical accounts did not indicate what the results were.
During Emperor Ruizong's reign
Emperor Gaozong died later in 683 and was succeeded by his son Li ZheEmperor Zhongzong of Tang
Emperor Zhongzong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Xiǎn , at times during his life Li Zhe and Wu Xian , was the fourth Emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling briefly in 684 and again from 705 to 710.Emperor Zhongzong was the son of Emperor Gaozong of Tang and Empress Wu...
the Crown Prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
(as Emperor Zhongzong), but Emperor Gaozong's powerful wife Empress Wu
Wu Zetian
Wu Zetian , personal name Wu Zhao , often referred to as Tian Hou during the Tang Dynasty and Empress Consort Wu in later times, was the only woman in the history of China to assume the title of Empress Regnant...
(later known as Wu Zetian) retained actual power as empress dowager
Empress Dowager
Empress Dowager was the title given to the mother of a Chinese, Korean, Japanese or Vietnamese emperor.The title was also given occasionally to another woman of the same generation, while a woman from the previous generation was sometimes given the title of Grand empress dowager. Numerous empress...
and regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
. In spring 684, after he showed signs of independence, she deposed him and replaced him with his younger brother Li Dan
Emperor Ruizong of Tang
Emperor Ruizong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Dàn , known at times during his life as Li Xulun , Li Lun , Wu Lun , and Wu Dan , was the fifth and ninth emperor of Tang Dynasty...
the Prince of Yu (as Emperor Ruizong), but thereafter wielded power even more firmly. In 687, when her trusted advisor, the chancellor Liu Yizhi
Liu Yizhi
Liu Yizhi , courtesy name Ximei , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as chancellor during the first reign of Emperor Ruizong...
was accused of accepting bribes from the Khitan
Khitan people
thumb|250px|Khitans [[Eagle hunting|using eagles to hunt]], painted during the Chinese [[Song Dynasty]].The Khitan people , or Khitai, Kitan, or Kidan, were a nomadic Mongolic people, originally located at Mongolia and Manchuria from the 4th century...
chieftain Sun Wanrong
Sun Wanrong
Sun Wanrong was a khan of the Khitan people who, along with his brother-in-law Li Jinzhong, rose against Chinese hegemony in 696, with Li Jinzhong as khan, and they further invaded Chinese territory then under the rule of Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty...
and conducting an affair with a concubine of the deceased chancellor Xu Jingzong
Xu Jingzong
Xu Jingzong , courtesy name Yanzu , formally Duke Gong of Gaoyang , was a chancellor of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty...
. (Historical accounts imply heavily that the real reason why Liu was accused was because Empress Dowager Wu had received reports that he favored that she return imperial authority to Emperor Ruizong, which she saw as a betrayal.) Empress Dowager Wu ordered Wang Benli, who was then serving as the prefect of Su Prefecture (肅州, roughly modern Jiuquan
Jiuquan
- Suzhou town :The administrative center of the "prefecture-level city" of Jiuquan is the "District" of Suzhou , which occupies 3,386 square km in the eastern part of Jiuquan "prefecture-level city", and had a population of 340,000 as of 2002....
, Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
), to investigate. When Wang went to Liu's mansion to read Empress Dowager Wu's edict to Liu, Liu responded, "How can it be called an edict if it was not issued through the legislative and examination bureaus?" When Wang reported this comment back to Empress Dowager Wu, she became incensed and ordered Liu to commit suicide.
By 688, Wang was serving as the deputy minister of defense (夏官侍郎, Xiaguan Shilang), when he was given the designation Tong Fengge Luantai Pingzhangshi (同鳳閣鸞臺平章事), making him a chancellor de facto. In 689, his chancellor designation was elevated to the more honored Tong Fengge Luantai Sanpin (同鳳閣鸞臺三品). By spring 690, he was referred to as chancellor and imperial censor reviewing central government affairs (左肅政大夫, Zuo Suzheng Daifu), when he was removed as a chancellor and made the minister of treasury (地官尚書, Diguan Shangsu). He died one month later—with the Zizhi Tongjian
Zizhi Tongjian
The Zizhi Tongjian was a pioneering reference work in Chinese historiography, published in 1084, under the form of a chronicles. In 1065 CE, Emperor Yingzong of Song ordered the great historian Sima Guang to lead with other scholars such as his chief assistants Liu Shu, Liu Ban and Fan Zuyu, the...
not giving a cause for his death, but the chronology of Empress Dowager Wu's regency and reign in the New Book of Tang
New Book of Tang
The New Book of Tang , is a classic work of history about the Tang Dynasty edited by Ouyang Xiu and Song Qi and other official scholars of the Song Dynasty. The emperor called for a revision of the former Book of Tang in 1044. The New Book was presented to the throne in 1060. It was given its...
indicating that he was executed.