| Occupation | RNGeneral · General-in-Chief Who Conquers the South | Faction | Wei |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | Book of Wei |
| Born | R? Unverified | Native place | Taiyuan Commandery Jinyang County |
| Died | R259 Unverified | Place of death | |
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R38 |
Wang Chang, courtesy name Wenshu, was a man of Jinyang County in Taiyuan Commandery. He began as Literary Scholar to the Crown Prince when Emperor Wen (Cao Pi) was in the Eastern Palace, served as Inspector of Yan Province among other posts, and in the Zhengshi era became General Who Conquers the South, commanding the armies of Jing and Yu Provinces and facing Wu. Records, Wei 27 §22 · 38
In the 2nd year of Jiaping (250) he attacked Jiangling, defeated the Wu general Shi Ji, and became General-in-Chief Who Conquers the South. He won merit when Guanqiu Jian and Wen Qin, and then Zhuge Dan, rebelled, rose by way of General of Agile Cavalry to Minister of Works, and died in the 4th year of Ganlu (259). Records, Wei 27 §42–45
Chen Shou, the author of the Records, said in his assessment that he 'had the insight and capacity to open up affairs and see them through'. In the Romance he appears once, in Chapter 108, as the General-in-Chief Who Conquers the South who leads 100,000 troops toward Nan Commandery when Sima Shi attacks Wu, and no chapter title bears his name. Records, Wei 27 §76Romance, Ch. 108 §8
In his youth Wang Chang became known together with Wang Ling of the same commandery, and since Wang Ling was older, Wang Chang treated him as an elder brother. When Emperor Wen (Cao Pi) was in the Eastern Palace, Wang Chang became Literary Scholar to the Crown Prince and was then transferred to Palace Cadet; when Emperor Wen ascended the throne, he became Gentleman Cavalier Attendant and then Agricultural Commandant of Luoyang. The area around the capital was overgrown with trees that had become forest, and Wang Chang cut down the trees, broke the waste land and diligently encouraged the people, so that especially large areas of fields were opened up. He then became Inspector of Yan Province. Records, Wei 27 §22
When Emperor Ming (Cao Rui) came to the throne, Wang Chang was given the additional title of General Who Displays Fierceness and made Marquis Within the Passes. Though serving in the provinces, his heart was with the court, and he held that since Wei had inherited the ills of Qin and Han, its laws were harsh and petty, and that without a thorough reform of the state's statutes, good government and moral transformation could not be revived. He therefore wrote the Treatise on Government, more than twenty chapters based on the ancient system yet suited to the affairs of the day, and more than ten chapters of military writings on the use of surprise and regular forces, and submitted them in the Qinglong era. Records, Wei 27 §23
Wang Chang gave his nephews and sons names and courtesy names all based on humility and sincerity, and wrote a text admonishing them. He said that filial piety and respect, benevolence and righteousness are the root of one's person, and that turning one's back on the root to chase the branches leads to frivolous fashion and factionalism. Worrying about knowing only how to advance and not how to withdraw, he said, 'The contentment of knowing contentment is lasting contentment,' and he told them that when others slandered them, they should not retaliate but withdraw and cultivate themselves. He cited as a warning the execution of Wei Feng and Cao Wei for stirring up young men, and named four men he had associated with to tell them whom to emulate and whom not to. Records, Wei 27 §24–37
In the 4th year of Qinglong (236), when an edict called on every official of minister or colonel rank and above to recommend one man of talent and wisdom, the Grand Commandant Sima Xuanwang (Sima Yi) recommended Wang Chang. In the Zhengshi era he was transferred to Xu Province and enfeoffed as Marquis of Wuguan Precinct, and he became General Who Conquers the South, Acting with Imperial Authority and commanding the armies of Jing and Yu Provinces. Pointing out that if he was stationed at Wan he would be more than 300 li from Xiangyang and they could not help each other in an emergency, he memorialized to move his headquarters to Xinye, trained naval forces in the two provinces, and expanded farming so that the granaries were filled. Records, Wei 27 §38–39
At the beginning of the Jiaping era, when Sima Xuanwang had put Cao Shuang to death and asked the high ministers about the merits and faults of the government, Wang Chang presented five points: to exalt the Way and cut off frivolous fashion by putting the schools in order; to select men by examination; to let officials hold one post for a long time; to reduce the number of officials and make their salaries sufficient; and to put an end to extravagance and esteem frugality. He was praised in an edict, and was then commissioned to draw up the regulations for evaluating the performance of all officials. Records, Wei 27 §40–41
In the 2nd year of Jiaping (250) Wang Chang memorialized that Sun Quan had banished good ministers and that his legitimate and secondary sons were divided and contending, so that the opportunity could be seized. While Zhou Tai, Administrator of Xincheng, attacked Wu, Zigui and Fangling, and Wang Ji, Inspector of Jing Province, advanced to Yiling, Wang Chang went to Jiangling, built bridges of bamboo ropes between the two banks, and crossed the river. When the Wu general Shi Ji fled into the city of Jiangling, Wang Chang first sent five detachments back along the main road so that the enemy would see them and rejoice, had his men ride around the city holding up captured armour and heads to enrage them, and then struck with an ambush, beheading Shi Ji's generals Zhongli Mao and Xu Min. For this achievement he became General-in-Chief Who Conquers the South with honours equal to the Three Excellencies and was raised in rank to Marquis of Jingling. Records, Wei 27 §42–44Records, Wei 4 §31–32
The records on the Wu side describe this battle differently. In the Records of Wu, Wang Chang, General Who Conquers the South for Wei, attacked the city of Jiangling but could not take it and withdrew, and Shi Ji pursued him together with Zhuge Rong and at first won at Jinan, but was then worsted because Zhuge Rong did not advance. The Biography of the Lord of Wu records that in the 12th month of that year (early 251 CE) Wang Chang surrounded Nan Commandery, but when Wu sent generals to resist, all of them withdrew. Records, Wu 11 §27–28Records, Wu 2 §109
In the 11th month of the 4th year of Jiaping (252), Wang Chang, General-in-Chief Who Conquers the South, received an edict to attack Wu together with Hu Zun, General Who Conquers the East, Guanqiu Jian, General Who Guards the South, and others. According to the Biographies of the Three Successor Rulers in the Records of Wu, while Zhuge Dan, Hu Zun and others surrounded Dongxing, Wang Chang attacked Nan Commandery. In the 12th month (early 253 CE) Zhuge Ke dealt the Wei army a crushing defeat at Dongguan, and the Wei army returned worsted; in the 1st month of the following year Wang Chang and the others also all withdrew. Records, Wei 4 §34Records, Wu 3 §4 · 6
When Guanqiu Jian and Wen Qin rebelled, he led troops to resist them and won merit, for which his two sons were enfeoffed as a precinct marquis and a Marquis Within the Passes, and he became General of Agile Cavalry. When Zhuge Dan rebelled, he held Jiashi to press on Jiangling, pinning down Shi Ji and Quan Xi so that they could not go east. After Zhuge Dan was put to death, his fief grew to 4,700 households, and in the 8th month of the 3rd year of Ganlu (258) he became Minister of Works, keeping his credentials and command as before. He died in the 6th month of the 4th year of Ganlu (259), was given the posthumous name Marquis Mu, and was succeeded by his son Wang Hun. Records, Wei 27 §44–46Records, Wei 4 §93 · 96
In his assessment, Chen Shou discussed Wang Chang together with Xu Miao, Hu Zhi and Wang Ji, saying that Wang Chang had the insight and capacity to open up affairs and see them through. He wrote that all four were entrusted with the charge of a region and left behind fame and achievements, so that they could be called good ministers of the state and outstanding men of their time. Records, Wei 27 §76
In Chapter 108 of the Romance, when Sima Shi declares that he will attack Wu because Sun Quan has just died and Sun Liang is young, Wang Chang, General-in-Chief Who Conquers the South, leads 100,000 troops to attack Nan Commandery, while Hu Zun, General Who Conquers the East, and Guanqiu Jian, Commander Who Guards the South, also head for Dongxing and Wuchang with 100,000 each. Sima Zhao, made Grand Commander, takes overall command of the three columns. Romance, Ch. 108 §8
In the 12th month, in winter, of that year, Sima Zhao summons Wang Chang, Hu Zun and Guanqiu Jian to his tent on the Wu border and tells them to be careful, since Dongxing is the most vital point. He orders Wang Chang and Guanqiu Jian to deploy on the left and right with 10,000 troops each and not to advance until Dongxing has been taken, and makes Hu Zun the vanguard with orders to build a floating bridge. When Hu Zun is badly defeated by Ding Feng's surprise attack, Sima Zhao, Wang Chang and Guanqiu Jian, hearing of the defeat at Dongxing, gather their troops and withdraw. Romance, Ch. 108 §9–10 · 17
Troop strength and objectives: In Chapter 108 of the Romance, Wang Chang, Hu Zun and Guanqiu Jian each lead 100,000 troops toward Nan Commandery, Dongxing and Wuchang. In the Records, an edict ordering the three men and others to attack Wu was issued in the 11th month of the 4th year of Jiaping (252), and the Biographies of the Three Successor Rulers in the Records of Wu say only that Zhuge Dan, Hu Zun and others surrounded Dongxing with 70,000 infantry and cavalry while Wang Chang attacked Nan Commandery, without giving the size of Wang Chang's army. Romance, Ch. 108 §8Records, Wei 4 §34Records, Wu 3 §4
His position at Dongxing: In Chapter 108 of the Romance, Wang Chang is summoned to Sima Zhao's tent, waits deployed on the left and right in front of Dongxing with 10,000 troops, and withdraws when Hu Zun is defeated. In the Records, Wang Chang attacked Nan Commandery and withdrew in the 1st month of the following year, after the Wei army's defeat at Dongguan. Romance, Ch. 108 §9–10 · 17Records, Wei 4 §34Records, Wu 3 §4–6
His deeds in the Records: In the Records, Wang Chang submitted the Treatise on Government and military writings, left long admonitions to his nephews and sons, defeated the Wu general Shi Ji at Jiangling in the 2nd year of Jiaping (250), and pressed on Jiangling during Zhuge Dan's rebellion. The Romance has him appear only in the battle of Dongxing in Chapter 108, and none of these events appear. Records, Wei 27 §23–24 · 42–45Romance, Ch. 108 §8
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.
The Records score (Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms, main text) is the baseline. Each ability compares how the Romance redrew the same person, and the evidence from both sources explains the difference.
RAssessment: had the insight to open up affairs and see them through; expanded land clearance and presented five essentials of governmentWei 27 §76Wei 27 §22Wei 27 §40
NNo direct record — estimated from his post as General-in-Chief Who Conquers the SouthCh. 108 §8
RWrote more than twenty chapters of the Treatise on Government and more than ten of military writings, and composed family preceptsWei 27 §23Wei 27 §24
NNo direct record — estimated from his military roleCh. 108 §8
RMoved his headquarters to Xinye, struck while Wu was divided within, and lured the enemy out with an ambushWei 27 §39Wei 27 §42Wei 27 §43
NNo direct record — only a record of deploying left and right as orderedCh. 108 §9
RWeighed the strengths and weaknesses of Guo Yi, Xu Gan, Liu Zhen and Ren Xia to decide whom his sons should emulateWei 27 §35Wei 27 §36Wei 27 §37
NNo direct recordCh. 108 §9
RLured Shi Ji out at Jiangling and beheaded Zhongli Mao and Xu Min, but could not take the city of JianglingWei 27 §43Wei 27 §44Wu 11 §27
NLed 100,000 men to Nan Commandery as General-in-Chief Who Conquers the South and withdrew after the defeat at DongxingCh. 108 §8Ch. 108 §17
RNamed his children for humility and sincerity and admonished them, and advocated thrift and frugalityWei 27 §24Wei 27 §40
NNo direct record — only a record of setting out on ordersCh. 108 §10
RLeft family precepts warning against knowing only how to advance and not how to withdrawWei 27 §26Wei 27 §27
NNo direct record — gathered his troops and withdrew on news of the defeatCh. 108 §17
RNo direct record — estimated from his being recommended by Sima XuanwangWei 27 §38
NNo direct record — estimated from his post as general-in-chiefCh. 108 §8
RNo direct record — estimated from his record of command as a regional commanderWei 27 §43
NNo direct record — estimated from his career as a general-in-chiefCh. 108 §9
RNo direct record — estimated from little more than his record of submitting memorialsWei 27 §40
NNo direct recordCh. 108 §9
Records Romance 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.
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Based on Wikidata items for the historical and Romance figures. Relations without the Unverified badge were also confirmed in the Records.
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