Wang Chong, whose courtesy name was Changshen, was a native of Linyi in Langye. His grandfather, Wang Sengyan, was an attendant to the Qi Dynasty; his father, Wang Maozhang, was the Yellow Gate Attendant during the Liang Dynasty. His mother was Princess Xin'an of Liang Wudi, who passed away while the Qi Dynasty was in power. Because Wang Chong lost both parents at a young age, Liang Wudi showed him particular favor.
At the age of eighteen, Wang Chong began his service as a secretary in the Liang Dynasty. He was soon promoted to the position of Prefect of Yongjia. Later, he entered the court as a companion of the crown prince but resigned to fulfill his mourning duties for his father. After completing the mourning period, he was appointed as a military officer in the residence of the Prince of Linqi and the head of the Eastern Palace. He continued to advance in his career, becoming Equerry to the Crown Prince and Middle Companion. He was then appointed as General of Zhaoyuan and Intendant of Hengyang. He was later promoted to General of Wuwei, Chief Historian of Prince Ancheng, and Intendant of Changsha, while still holding his military titles. After Prince Ancheng's death, Wang Chong served as the acting governor of Xiangzhou. He later returned to the court as a son of the crown prince and was subsequently promoted to the position of Yellow Gate Attendant.
In the third year of Datong, as he was the emperor's nephew, he was titled as the Marquis of Andong, with a fief consisting of 150 households. He then served as General of Mingwei, Prefect of Nanjun, Middle Companion of the Crown Prince, and Attendant of the Qi. He was later sent away to serve as an inspector in Wu County, and officially took up the position a year later. He was then summoned back to the court and appointed as the Constant Companion among the Palace Attendants, while concurrently serving as the Minister of the Left. He was then sent away again to serve as General of Mingwei, Chief Historian of the Prince of Dangyang, and Prefect of Jiangxia, while also serving as the acting governor of Yizhou. He was later promoted to Chief Historian of the Prince of Shaoling. He was then transferred to be the Chief Historian of the Prince of Luling and Prefect of Nanjun. After the death of the Prince of Luling, he acted as the administrator of the state affairs. When Liang Yuandi guarded Jingzhou, Wang Chong served as Chief Historian of Zhenxi, while retaining both the general and prefect positions.
Wang Chong is gentle and easygoing, respectful and cautious towards superiors, well-versed in laws and regulations, and fair and just in handling government affairs. He rarely makes mistakes in his local duties. Although he does not have particularly outstanding achievements, over time, he has gained great respect from everyone, so he has held high-ranking official positions multiple times. He is knowledgeable about music, sings and dances well, is good at socializing, and has a good reputation in the circle of officials and nobles.
During the Hou Jing rebellion, Emperor Liang Yuan was in charge in Jingzhou and wanted to hand over Nanjun to Wang Sengbian, even sending ten female entertainers as a reward for the soldiers. Later, the emperor promoted Wang Sengbian, appointing him as the Yunhui General in charge of military affairs in Hengzhou, Guizhou, Chengzhou, and Hezhou, as well as the governor of Hengzhou. The emperor's fourth son, Yuan Liang, became the governor of Xiangzhou, while Wang Sengbian continued to manage the political affairs of Xiangzhou and also served as the interior minister of Changsha. After Hou Jing was defeated, he was appointed as Yizuo General and Intendant of Danyang.
When Prince Wuling led his troops to the Xiaogu, Wang Lin's subordinates, including Lu Na, responded and occupied Xiangzhou, resulting in Wang Sengbian being captured by Lu Na. After Lu Na surrendered, Wang Sengbian was reinstated and appointed as a Palace Attendant and General of the Central Authority, while keeping his position as Intendant of Danyang. After the fall of Jiangling, Emperor Jing became the Grand Preceptor and appointed him as Left Chief Clerk. During the Shaotai era, he continued to be promoted, achieving the rank of Left Grand Master of Splendid Happiness and Right Supervisor of the Masters of Writing. Later, he was further promoted to Left Supervisor and appointed as General of the Household, while still holding the positions of Palace Attendant and General. Shortly after, he also took on the roles of Intendant of Danyang and Grand Central Governor of Nanxu, and was assigned followers.
After the founding emperor ascended the throne, he removed him from his position as the Governor of Danyang and permitted him to continue as Left Guanglu Daifu. Before he could take office, he was reassigned as Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince. After the emperor took the throne, he was relieved of his duties as Grand Tutor and instead promoted to the rank of Tejin, continuing to serve as Left Guanglu Daifu. Shortly after, he also took on the position of Governor of Danyang and participated in the compilation of laws. During the reign of the deposed emperor, he was assigned ten personal guards.
From the beginning, the founding emperor respected him greatly because he was an old minister, placing great importance on the etiquette of respecting one's elders. After the emperor took the throne, he showed him even greater respect. Once, when the emperor visited the home of Xu Du, the Minister of Works, during a banquet, the emperor even gifted him a low table. This illustrates how highly he was regarded at the time! In the first year of Guangda, he passed away at the age of seventy-six. Posthumously, he was honored with the titles of Shizhong and Sikong, with the posthumous title Yuanjian.
He fathered thirty sons, all of whom went on to become officials. His twelfth son, Wang Yang, even has a separate biography.
Wang Tong, styled Gongda, was from Langya, Lin Yi. His grandfather, Wang Fen, was the Left Guanglu Daifu of the Liang Dynasty; his father, Wang Lin, was the Chief Historian of the Minister of Works. During the Qi Dynasty, his father Wang Lin married Princess Yixing of Liang Wudi, who had nine sons, all of whom became well-known.
During the Liang Dynasty, Tong started as a student at the Imperial College, passed the Mingjing examination, and later became a Gentleman of the Secretariat and Prince's Attendant. He was conferred the title of Marquis of Wuyang. He then rose through the ranks, serving as the Chief Registrar of the Prince's Mansion, Assistant Military Secretary of the Outer Regions, Chief Registrar of the Minister of Works, Junior Attendant of the Crown Prince, Attendant Gentleman of the Prancing Cavalry Prince of Luling's Mansion, Chief Historian of the Central Authority He Jingrong's Mansion, and Attendant Gentleman of the Yellow Gate, and was later dismissed due to misconduct. During the turmoil of Hou Jing's rebellion, he fled to Jiangling, where Emperor Yuan appointed him as a Cavalier Attendant, and later promoted him to the position of Grand Minister of Ceremonies. After the rebellion, many palace buildings were destroyed by fire, and he was appointed Minister of Works, returning to the capital to manage the palace restoration.
After the fall of Jiangling City, Emperor Jing, in a time of crisis, appointed him as the Minister of Officials. In the first year of Shaotai, he was further appointed as a Court Attendant, while retaining his position as Minister of Officials. Not long after, he was promoted to the Right Deputy of the Minister of Officials, while maintaining his position as Minister of Officials. After Emperor Gaozu ascended the throne, he was promoted to the Left Deputy, with his position as Court Attendant unchanged. After Emperor Wen succeeded to the throne, he was appointed concurrently as the Tutor of the Crown Prince. In the first year of Tiankang, he was appointed as the General Supporting the Right, Right Grandee of the Palace, and was also provided with corresponding assistants. After Emperor Fei ascended the throne, his official title was changed to General of Peace on the Right, and he also concurrently served as the Grand Inspector of Nanxu Prefecture. In the first year of Taijian, he was promoted to the Left Grandee of the Palace. Six years later, he was further promoted to Special Merit, with his titles of Court Attendant, General, Grandee of the Palace, and assistants unchanged. He passed away before assuming his new position, at the age of seventy-two. The court posthumously restored his original official title, with the posthumous title "Cheng," and on the day of his burial, a ceremonial band was sent to see him off. His younger brother, Zhi, whose style name was Gongji, also had his own biography.
His younger brother, Zhi, style name Gongji. He was handsome and learned, well-read in a variety of texts, and led a simple, unpretentious life, never swayed by fame or fortune. During the Liang Dynasty, he was also a student at the National Academy, studying the Book of Changes, and excelled in the examinations, which earned him a position. He later served as a Secretary, Prince's Attendant, Registrar of Prince Hui of Wuling, and Historiographer of the Light Cavalry of Prince Hedong. When Prince Hedong was to be assigned to Jingkou, Zhi was also supposed to go with him to the fiefdom. At that time, Zhang Zuan of Fanyang was responsible for selecting officials, and Zhi went to visit Zhang Zuan to say goodbye. Zhang Zuan admired his talents and said, "A talented person like you should not go to a small official position in an outlying area." He then petitioned the court to appoint him as the Crown Prince's Equerry. Later, he was promoted to Middle Attendant, and then sent as the Left Western Adjunct of the Minister of Works, before being sent to serve as an Assistant Historiographer in Nanxu Prefecture.
During the reign of Emperor Wu of Liang, as his reign was nearing its end, he went to pay respects at a tomb and passed by Zhu Fang (a place name). Local officials came out to greet the emperor in accordance with protocol. The emperor ordered the official to accompany the imperial carriage, and along the way, he asked questions about the surroundings, to which the official responded fluently, providing historical insights. Later, the emperor took the official to climb the Beigu Tower, where the official spontaneously composed a poem, which was elegant and greatly appreciated by the emperor.
At that time, the Prince of Hedong was the governor of Guangzhou Prefecture, and he promoted the official to be the chief historian of the Champion Prince of Hedong, as well as the Prefect of Nanhai. When the Prince of Hedong arrived in Lingnan, he exploited the people and later, out of fear of punishment, pretended to be sick and delegated the province's affairs to the official before returning to the capital. The official then served as the acting magistrate of Guangzhou Prefecture. Guangzhou was a wealthy place, and previous officials had been corrupt, but the official was known for his integrity and earned a stellar reputation. Later, the official was summoned back to the court and appointed as a Yellow Gate Attendant.
During the Hou Jing Rebellion, the official fled west to Jiangling, where Emperor Yuan appointed him as the Central Attendant to the Crown Prince, responsible for managing the household's records. He was later sent as the General of Ningyuan and the Prefect of Jinling. At that time, after the chaos of war, the people were suffering, and the region lay in ruins, but the official managed local affairs with great efficiency, allowing the people to live in peace. Later, he was recalled to the court and appointed as an attendant, and later promoted to the Minister of War.
When Western Wei attacked and captured Jiangling, Emperor Yuan quickly sent the Governor of Xiangzhou and Marquis Yi of Ying, Xiao Xun, to help, appointing him as the military commander of Xiangzhou in addition. With Jiangling lost, Emperor Jing temporarily managed political affairs and appointed him as the Director of the Palace Library. In the first year of Shaotai, he was promoted to an attendant. When Gaozu became the Minister of Works, he also appointed him as the chief historian of the Minister of Works. Later, when Gaozu became the Prime Minister, he also served as the chief historian of the Prime Minister, while continuing to hold the positions of attendant and Director of the Palace Library.
At that time, Wu was in chaos, and the common people were struggling to find food, so the emperor sent him to Wuxing County as an official in charge of disaster relief. After the chaos in Xiaobo had settled, the emperor thought that he had worked in the Lingnan region before and had good political achievements, so he appointed him as the Commissioner of Military Affairs, the commander of military affairs in twenty states including Guangzhou, General Who Pacifies the South, General Who Pacifies the Yue, and the Governor of Guangzhou. Before he could set off, the appointment was changed to the Governor of Hengzhou, but the roles of commissioner and military commander remained unchanged. Unfortunately, Wang Lin occupied the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, and the officials in Hengzhou and Guangzhou were disobedient. He was unable to assume his post and was stuck in Dayuling, Jiangxi.
In the first year of Tianjia, the emperor summoned him back to the court to serve as the Attendant, the Minister of Justice, but before he could take office, he was appointed as the Minister of the Central Secretariat. Later he was promoted to the Minister of the Crown Prince’s Household, in charge of the affairs of the Eastern Palace, while retaining the position of Attendant. He was then further appointed as the Golden Purple Illuminated Grand Master, concurrently serving as the Minister of Revenue. After the accession of the Deposed Emperor, he was also granted the title of Cavalier Attendant. In the first year of Taijian, he was promoted to the Deputy Chief of the Right of the Imperial Secretariat. At that time, a major flood struck the east, and the people were starving. The emperor sent him to serve as the General of Renwu, the Prefect of Jinling, in charge of disaster relief. He performed exceptionally well in Jinling, and the people were grateful to him. A monument was erected to commemorate his achievements, which was approved by the emperor. Later, he was summoned back to the court and appointed as the Director of the Central Secretariat, and was reappointed as the Deputy Chief of the Right of the Imperial Secretariat, also concurrently serving as the General of the Right Army. He passed away in the fourth year of May at the age of sixty-seven. He was posthumously honored with the title of Attendant, the Director of the Central Secretariat, and he was posthumously granted the title 'Wen'.
Yuan Jing, courtesy name Zigong, was from Yangxia in Chenjun. His grandfather Yuan Yi served as a Privy Councilor, Minister of Personnel, and Governor of Yongzhou during the Song Dynasty; his father Yuan Ang was a Privy Councilor and Minister of Works in the Liang Dynasty, and was posthumously granted the title of Duke Mu. Yuan Jing was filial from a young age, was known for his integrity, and was diligent in his studies. He started as a secretary, and gradually rose to become an attendant of the Crown Prince, a stableman, and a middle official. After Jiangling fell, he found himself in the Lingnan region. After the founding emperor ascended the throne, Yuan Jing was in Guangzhou, serving under Ouyang Pin. After Ouyang Pin's death, his son Ouyang Ge took over Guangzhou and planned to rebel. Yuan Jing counseled him earnestly about the dangers of rebellion, but Ouyang Ge refused to listen. After Emperor Gaozong ascended the throne, he sent Zhang Zhaoda to lead troops to suppress Ouyang Ge. When Ouyang Ge was on the brink of defeat, he regretted not listening to Yuan Jing's advice. The court greatly valued Yuan Jing's actions, and that year he was summoned back to the court and was appointed as an attendant of the Crown Prince and an imperial censor. Shortly after, he was promoted to Left Chief Historian, then Left Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, then Minister of Justice, and also concurrently served as Grand Inspector of Yuzhou. He was later promoted to Minister of Ceremonial Affairs, an imperial censor, and a Grand Master of Ceremonial Affairs, and also received the title of Special Grandee. He passed away in the third year of the Zhide era, at the age of seventy-nine, and was posthumously honored as Grand Master of Ceremonial Affairs and given the posthumous title of Jingde. His son Yuan Yu inherited his title. His brother Yuan Bi is also noted in historical records, and his nephew Yuan Shu was also a notable figure.
Yuan Shu, courtesy name Jianyan, was born to Yuan Junzheng, the governor of Wu County in the Liang Dynasty. He was handsome, calm, loved reading, and was always immersed in books. Despite his noble lineage and wealth, he lived a simple life, avoided socializing, and spent his days quietly in his house. He rarely left home unless it was for official business, and he had little interest in fame and fortune. He started as a secretary in the Liang Dynasty, then became an attendant to the Crown Prince, the chief registrar of the Light Chariot for the Prince of Donghe, and the historiographer of the Prince of Shaoling and the Prince of Xuancheng. During the rebellion of Hou Jing, Yuan Shu returned to Wu County to visit his father, who had just passed away, and he observed mourning rites. While chaos reigned in the world, everyone sought to preserve their lives, but Yuan Shu was renowned for his filial piety. After Wang Sengbian pacified the rebellion of Hou Jing and defended the capital, many officials and dignitaries came to visit him, but he chose to remain reclusive, indifferent to fame and fortune. In the first year of Shaotai, the court appointed him as an Attendant of the Yellow Gate, but before assuming the position, he was reassigned as an Imperial Cavalry Officer and concurrently served as an attendant. The following year, he also took on the role of Minister of Personnel. That year, he was appointed governor of Wuxing. In the second year of Yongding, the court summoned him to be the Minister of the Left, but before he could assume the position, he was reassigned as an attendant, responsible for selecting officials. In the third year, he was promoted to Minister of Justice, continuing to oversee the selection of officials.
The Grand Marshal was knowledgeable and well-versed in old customs. Initially, Emperor Gaozu's eldest daughter, Princess Yongshi, married the Administrator of Chenliu, Qian Chan, and gave birth to a son named Yi. Both the princess and Yi passed away during the Liang period. After Emperor Gaozu ascended the throne, he only posthumously honored the princess. Now, for her burial, the Chief Minister of the Ministry of Personnel requested detailed discussion, proposing to posthumously confer the title of Marquis of the Imperial Guard on Qian Chan and an official position on Yi. The Grand Marshal said, "In the past, when a princess married, she was required to marry a feudal lord, and only those of the same family name could become princesses, as recorded in the 'Gongyang Zhuan'. The ceremonial vehicles, attire, and ranks of princesses were not clearly defined, as evidenced in the Book of Songs. In the early days of the Han Dynasty, only marquises married princesses, and since then, princesses have married commoners. The title of Marquis of the Imperial Guard was established by Emperor Wu of Han, sometimes granted to meritorious subjects and sometimes to members of the imperial family. Therefore, Cao Zhi of Wei petitioned to be appointed as both Marquis of the Imperial Guard and Charioteer, which are essentially equivalent. The 'Qi Zhi Yi' states that anyone who marries a princess is to be appointed as Marquis of the Imperial Guard, a practice followed since the Wei and Jin Dynasties. This is because the status of a princess is elevated, while that of a commoner is lowly. If his rank is not elevated, how can he be worthy of the princess? Therefore, the establishment of the position of Marquis of the Imperial Guard is to elevate the status of the princess. Now that the princess has passed away early and the marital relationship has been severed, there is no need to posthumously confer the title of Marquis of the Imperial Guard. Look at Du Yu, who married the second daughter of Emperor Xuan of Jin, Princess Gaoling Xuan. After Emperor Wu of Jin ascended the throne, the princess had already passed away. During the Taishi period, the princess was posthumously honored, but Du Yu did not posthumously confer the title of Marquis of the Imperial Guard. The daughter of Emperor Wu of Liang, Princess Xin'an Mu, also passed away early. During the Tianjian period, Wang Shi did not posthumously confer the title of Marquis of the Imperial Guard. These two examples, from both near and far, are sufficient to illustrate the point. The princess's son is not yet of age, so there is no need to grant him a posthumous official title. It would suffice to posthumously grant him the title of Viscount." At that time, everyone agreed that the opinion of the Grand Marshal was the most reasonable.
In the year 554 AD, he acted as the Minister of Personnel. Three years later, he officially assumed the role. Not long after, he was appointed as the General of the Right Army, concurrently serving as the Intendant of Danyang, while still holding the position of Minister of Personnel. In the year 557 AD, his father passed away, and he submitted a request to resign from his official position to return home for the funeral. The court issued a decree granting him fifty pieces of silk and a hundred thousand coins, allowing him to temporarily stay in Danyang after he had taken care of the funeral arrangements, to continue managing local matters. After completing the mourning period, he would return to his original position. When his term ended that same year, he resigned from the position of Intendant of Danyang and was appointed as the Cavalier Attendant, while retaining his positions as General of the Right Army and Minister of Personnel.
At that time, although Wang Zhongju was also involved in the selection of officials and held the power to promote them, many of the individuals he recommended aligned with the Emperor's preferences. Wang Zhongju was known for being cautious, meticulous, and incorruptible, and few officials in the court tried to curry favor with him. After the accession of the Emperor, Wang Mai was promoted to Left Supervisor. He passed away in the first year of Guangda (567 AD) at the age of fifty-one. The court posthumously appointed him as Palace Attendant and Grand Master of Radiant Joy, with the posthumous title of Jianyi, which means "Simple and Virtuous." He left behind a collection of ten volumes that have been passed down through the ages. His younger brother, Wang Xian, is also documented in a separate biography.
Historical records state: Wang Chong and Wang Tong both came from prestigious families, entered officialdom at an early age, and strictly followed rituals and laws, faithfully serving the court, which were their virtues. Wang Mai was known for his gentle and unassuming personality, while Yuan Shu was dignified and steady. Although their approaches to handling affairs were different, their noble character was consistent. The ancients probably referred to people like them when they referred to eminent scholars!
