Wang Ji 王基

Wang Ji, courtesy name Boyu, was a man of Qucheng County in Donglai Commandery. He lost his father young and lived with his uncle Wang Weng, who raised him with great devotion, and Wang Ji too was known for his filial piety. At seventeen he was called to serve as a commandery clerk, but as it was not to his liking he left and went to study in the land of Langya. Wang Xiu thought the young Wang Ji remarkable. In the Huangchu era he was recommended as Filial and Incorrupt and became a Gentleman of the Palace. Records, Wei 27 §48Records, Wei 11 §66

Wang Ling, Inspector of the newly pacified Qing Province, specially memorialised to make him his Attendant Officer with Separate Carriage, and when the court summoned him as Gentleman of the Palace Library, Wang Ling asked for him back again. When the Minister over the Masses Wang Lang summoned him and Wang Ling would not release him, Wang Lang submitted a letter impeaching the province. Chen Shou wrote that Wang Ling's renown in Qing Province was probably also owed to Wang Ji's assistance. Sima Yi summoned him, but before he arrived he was promoted to Gentleman Attendant of the Secretariat, and in the 2nd year of Zhengshi (241), as Gentleman Attendant of the Secretariat, he recommended Guan Ning. Records, Wei 27 §48–49Records, Wei 11 §91

When Emperor Ming built palaces on a grand scale and the people were exhausted, he submitted a memorial citing the old saying that 'water carries the boat but can also overturn it' and Jia Yi's words about 'lying on top of a pile of firewood with a fire beneath it and calling it safe.' When the Cavalier Regular Attendant Wang Su revised Zheng Xuan's old interpretations in his commentaries on the classics and in settling court rituals, Wang Ji firmly upheld Zheng Xuan's meaning and constantly opposed him. Records, Wei 27 §50–52

He became Administrator of Anping but left office over an official matter. After serving as Attendant Gentleman to the General-in-Chief Cao Shuang, he became Administrator of Anfeng, which bordered Wu; he governed strictly and kept his defences ready so that the enemy dared not intrude, and he was given the added title of General Who Suppresses Bandits. When Wu spread word that it would attack Yang Province, he told the Inspector Zhuge Dan, who asked his view, that Sun Quan was old and had neither a worthy heir nor a chief strategist and would not come out, and so it proved. When Cao Shuang monopolised power, Wang Ji wrote the Discourse on the Needs of the Times; he was appointed Intendant of Henan, but before he took up the post Cao Shuang was executed, and he was dismissed for having been one of his subordinates. Records, Wei 27 §52–54

That year he became Imperial Secretary, then went out as Inspector of Jing Province and General Who Displays Ardour, and followed the General Who Conquers the South Wang Chang in attacking Wu. Feigning an attack on Bu Xie at Yiling, he seized the storehouses at Xiongfu, taking more than 300,000 hu of rice, captured the General Who Pacifies the North Tan Zheng, and established Yiling County with the several thousand who surrendered. The Biography of the Lord of Wu records that at this time Wu sent Dai Lie and Lu Kai to resist and that all withdrew. He built a city at Shangchang and moved the seat of Jiangxia Commandery there to put pressure on Xiakou, and he founded schools and was praised in the south. In the discussion of a campaign against Wu, he said that military supplies must first be secured through agricultural colonies and waterways, and the discussion was dropped. Records, Wei 27 §55–58Records, Wei 4 §32Records, Wu 2 §109

When Sima Jingwang (Sima Shi) took charge of the government, Wang Ji wrote to him that if one's will is upright evil does not arise, and if one employs the loyal and good, far and near submit, and he named Xu Yun, Fu Gu, Yuan Kan and Cui Zan as upright men with whom he could share the government; Jingwang accepted this. When the Duke of Gaogui District ascended the throne, Wang Ji was advanced to Marquis of Changle Village. Records, Wei 27 §59–60

When Guanqiu Jian and Wen Qin rebelled in the 2nd year of Zhengyuan (255), Wang Ji, as acting Army Supervisor and granted the tally, commanded the army of Xuchang. He told Jingwang that the officials and people of Huainan had not wanted rebellion and would collapse when the great army drew near, and he was placed at the head of the army. When an edict told him to halt and Jingwang too wished to wait for the other armies, he said that Nandun, where there was a great storehouse, must be seized first, and, saying that 'when a general is with his army there are orders of the ruler he does not accept,' he went straight ahead and took Nandun. Guanqiu Jian set out from Xiang County but turned back, and when he sent Wen Qin to attack Deng Ai and divided his strength, Wang Ji pressed on Xiang County and broke his host. Records, Wei 27 §60–64Records, Wei 28 §22

When the rebellion was put down he became General Who Guards the South, Commander of All Military Affairs in Yu Province and Inspector of Yu Province, and was advanced to Marquis of Anle District; he asked to divide his fief to grant his uncle's son Wang Qiao the rank of Marquis Within the Passes, repaying the kindness of the uncle who had raised him. When Zhuge Dan rebelled in the 2nd year of Ganlu (257), Wang Ji, acting as General Who Guards the East, was the first to arrive and surround Shouchun. When Zhu Yi of Wu encamped at Ancheng, an edict ordered him to move to Beishan, but he held his position, saying that moving would let the enemy go, and submitted a memorial saying that 'facing the enemy, we must be as immovable as a mountain,' which was approved. Records, Wei 27 §65–67Records, Wei 28 §36

When Sima Wenwang (Sima Zhao) encamped at Qiutou and divided the encirclement among his commanders, Wang Ji supervised the twenty-six armies east and south of the city, and Wenwang ordered that not a single man be drawn from the sector of the General Who Guards the South. The enemy, out of food, attacked the ramparts day and night, but he beat them back and broke them each time. When Shouchun fell, Wenwang praised him for having 'defied the edict above and rejected the counsel of the many below, and in the end subdued the enemy.' When Wenwang wished to send light troops deep into Wu to shake it, Wang Ji dissuaded him, citing how Zhuge Ke and Jiang Wei had been defeated after victories by taking the enemy lightly, and the example of Emperor Wu, who did not pursue the fleeing enemy at Guandu; Wenwang desisted. Records, Wei 27 §67–70Records, Wei 28 §37

He became General Who Conquers the East and Commander of All Military Affairs in Yang Province and was advanced to Marquis of Dongwu, but firmly declined, giving the credit to his staff, so that seven men, including his Chief Clerk and Major, were made marquises. When his mother died that year, an edict had his father Wang Bao's remains brought and buried with her at Luoyang. In the 4th year of Ganlu (259) he became General Who Conquers the South and Commander of All Military Affairs in Jing Province. Records, Wei 27 §70–72

In the 2nd year of Jingyuan (261), when he received an edict to shake the lands south of the Yangtze on the strength of a report that Deng You and others of Wu wished to come over, Wang Ji suspected a trick and reported that since the Jiaping era there had repeatedly been troubles within, so that now was not the time to seek advantage abroad. Wenwang replied that he was moved by his loyalty, and Deng You and the others never did surrender. When Wang Ji died that year he was posthumously made Minister of Works and given the posthumous name Marquis Jing. After the house of Jin was established, an edict stated that he had been honest and frugal with no private savings in his household, and bestowed two slaves on his family. Records, Wei 27 §73–74

In his assessment, Chen Shou said that Xu Miao was pure and lofty, Hu Zhi upright and unmixed in his simple conduct, Wang Chang possessed of insight and breadth, and Wang Ji firm and pure in learning and conduct. He wrote that all held charge of regions, left a good name and displayed their achievements, and could be called worthy ministers of the state and outstanding men of their time. Records, Wei 27 §76