Wang Xiang 王象
| Occupation | ROfficial · Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary | Faction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | R | Biography in | |
| Born | Native place | Henei Commandery | |
| Cause of death | RIllness Unverified | ||
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R9 |
Profile
Wang Xiang (王象) was a native of Henei, a different person from Wang Xiang (王祥), who went from Colonel-Director of Retainers to Minister of Works. The Records has no separate biography of him; his name appears in the biographies of Yang Jun, Chang Lin and Wei Ji. Orphaned young, he became a slave, and when he was beaten for secretly reading books while herding sheep, Yang Jun of the same commandery, valuing his talent and quality, ransomed him. Records, Wei 21 §48Records, Wei 4 §120Records, Wei 23 §27
On Liang Xi's recommendation he was made a county chief by Taizu, and in the Huangchu era, as Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary, he won fame for his writing together with Wei Ji. In the 3rd year of Huangchu (222), when Emperor Wen had Yang Jun arrested, Wang Xiang, together with Sima Yi (Prince Xuan) and Xun Wei, pleaded for Yang Jun, knocking his head on the ground until it bled, but the emperor did not grant it. Records, Wei 23 §21 · 32Records, Wei 21 §48
Chen Shou does not deal with Wang Xiang in the assessments of Records of Wei 21 and 23. He does not appear in the Romance. Records, Wei 21 §99Records, Wei 23 §75
In the Records
Wang Xiang was from the same commandery as Yang Jun. Yang Jun, a man of Huojia County in Henei Commandery, led the old and the weak to the hills between Jing and Mi counties when war broke out, and then moved on to Bing Province to escape the turmoil. Wang Xiang was orphaned young and, alone in the world, became a slave; at the age of seventeen or eighteen, when he was set to herding sheep, he secretly read books and was beaten for it. Records, Wei 23 §26–27
Yang Jun, admiring his talent and quality, at once ransomed Wang Xiang and kept him in his household, and only after arranging his marriage and building him a house did he part from him. Records, Wei 23 §27
According to the biography of Chang Lin, when Liang Xi, who became Inspector after Gao Gan, Inspector of Bing Province, recommended Chang Lin, Yang Jun, Wang Ling, Wang Xiang and Xun Wei as noted scholars within the province, Taizu made them all county chiefs. Records, Wei 23 §21
According to the biography of Wei Ji, at the end of the Jian'an era Pan Xu of Henan, Right Assistant of the Masters of Writing, and in the Huangchu era Wang Xiang of Henei, Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary, won fame for their writing together with Wei Ji. Records, Wei 21 §48
After Emperor Wen took the throne and Yang Jun again became Administrator of Nanyang, Wang Xiang, Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary, recommended him. Wang Xiang said that Yang Jun possessed a pure and excellent nature and a loyal, solemn and broad magnanimity, that he guided those who came after him well, was lenient outwardly and upright inwardly, and was benevolent yet decisive. He said that in his second term governing Nanyang his kindness had spread so widely that people even from other regions came carrying their children on their backs, and that now, when the territory was so clear and tranquil that there was no room to exercise his wisdom and ability, he should be recalled to the court to exert himself in the capital. Records, Wei 23 §29–30
Earlier, when Taizu, not having settled on his heir, secretly consulted him, Yang Jun had praised the Marquis of Linzi more highly, and Emperor Wen always resented him for it. In the 3rd year of Huangchu (222), when the imperial carriage reached Wan County, the emperor was angered that the markets were not prosperous and flourishing and had Yang Jun arrested. The Supervisor of the Masters of Writing Sima Yi (Prince Xuan) and the Attendants-in-Ordinary Wang Xiang and Xun Wei pleaded for Yang Jun, knocking their heads on the ground until they bled, but the emperor did not grant it, and Yang Jun said, 'I know my offense,' and killed himself. Chen Shou's main text does not record Wang Xiang's subsequent deeds or his death. Records, Wei 23 §31–32
In the assessment of Records of Wei 23, Chen Shou said that Yang Jun judged men well and acted righteously, but Wang Xiang appears in neither the assessment of Records of Wei 21 nor that of Records of Wei 23. Records, Wei 23 §75Records, Wei 21 §99
Written by 3KDEX (not yet reviewed) — The tags at the end of each paragraph link to the exact passage in the Records volume or Romance chapter it is based on.
Abilities
This person does not appear in the Romance, so only the Records score (Chen Shou’s main text) is given.
- LEA31
- STR31
- INT42
- POL45
- CHA40
- VIR72
- ADP40
- SCH72
- DIP50
- DIS56
Evidence by ability
RNo direct record — only his civil career as county chief and Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary is recordedWei 23 §21
RNo direct record — a civil official with no record of martial prowessWei 23 §27
RNo direct record — estimated from his civil careerWei 23 §29
RNo direct record — estimated from his being recommended as a noted scholar and made county chiefWei 23 §21
RNo direct record — no record of his popular standingWei 23 §21
RPleaded for Yang Jun, his benefactor who had ransomed him, knocking his head on the ground until it bledWei 23 §27Wei 23 §32
RNo direct record — no record of how he conducted himself in the worldWei 23 §32
RSecretly read books while herding sheep as a slave; won fame for his writing together with Wei JiWei 21 §48Wei 23 §27
RSubmitted a recommendation praising Yang JunWei 23 §29
RRecommended Yang Jun, Administrator of Nanyang, as benevolent and decisiveWei 23 §29
Records Unverified No direct record; scored from their actions (evidence grade C)
3KDEX scoring — the Records use the main text of Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms; the Romance uses the 120-chapter Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Click a source tag to open that passage in the reader.