Three Kingdoms and Six Dynasties · Official

Wang Jian 王儉

Wáng Jiǎn

Attested AD 470 - AD 502

Passages: 49
Chapters: 14
Histories: 3

Overview

The translated histories identify Wang Jian as an administrator, aristocrat, courtier, and family member. This record brings together 49 passages from 14 chapters across 3 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Wang Jian	王儉	Wáng Jiǎn
Title	Defender General	衞將軍
Title	Director of the Masters of Writing	尚書令
Title	Duke of Nanchang	南昌公
Title	Grand Commandant	太尉
Title	Grand Marshal's left chief clerk	太尉左長史
Personal name	Jian	儉	Jiǎn
Given name	Jian	儉
Given	Jian	儉	Jian
Given	Jian	儉	Jiǎn
Personal name	Jian	儉
Personal	Jian	儉
Title	Nanchang Wenxian Duke	南昌文憲公
Descriptive kinship	son of Wang Sengchuo	僧綽子
Title	Vice Director	僕射
Surname	Wang	王
Surname	Wang	王	Wang
Surname	Wang	王	Wáng
Personal name	Wang Jian	王儉	Wang Jian
Personal name	Wang Jian	王儉	Wáng Jiǎn
Personal	Wang Jian	王儉	Wang Jian
Personal name	Wang Jian	儉	Jian
Personal name	Wang Jian	王儉
Posthumous name	Wenxian	文憲	Wénxiàn

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · liangshu:007:s0053, liangshu:015:s0027, nanqishu:010:s0007, nanqishu:016:s0090, nanqishu:020:s0010, nanqishu:053:s0176
Sex: male
Strongly inferred · liangshu:052:s0116, nanqishu:002:s0145, nanqishu:017:s0077, nanqishu:021:s0038, nanqishu:036:s0004, songshu:071:s0221

Roles

Administrator
Aristocrat
Courtier
Family Member
Official
Scholar
Statesman
Teacher

Life and dates

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: Shen Xian's Qi career · Western Interval: Start: AD 479 · End: AD 493
Explicit · nanqishu:053:s0176
Source Date: Text: 二年 · Western Year: AD 480
Explicit event contextual date · nanqishu:021:s0036, nanqishu:021:s0038
Source Date: Text: 五年冬 · Western Year: AD 487
Explicit · nanqishu:021:s0052
Source Date: Text: 僕射至永明 · Western Interval: Start: AD 479 · End: AD 483
Explicit · nanqishu:036:s0040, nanqishu:036:s0118
Source Date: Text: 升明末 · Western Year: AD 479
Explicit event contextual date · songshu:071:s0221
Source Date: Text: 宋昇明三年 · Western Year: AD 479
Explicit event contextual date · nanqishu:017:s0061, nanqishu:017:s0077
Source Date: Text: 宋齊之際 · Western Interval: Start: AD 470 · End: AD 489
Explicit event contextual date · nanqishu:020:s0076
Source Date: Text: 尚書令王儉 · Western Interval: Start: AD 479 · End: AD 493
Explicit · liangshu:052:s0116
Source Date: Text: 建元三年 · Western Year: AD 481
Explicit event contextual date · nanqishu:010:s0063, nanqishu:010:s0067
Source Date: Text: 建元二年 · Western Year: AD 480
Explicit event contextual date · nanqishu:010:s0026, nanqishu:010:s0027
Source Date: Text: 建元四年 · Western Year: AD 482
Explicit event contextual date · nanqishu:010:s0005, nanqishu:010:s0007
Source Date: Text: 建元四年三月庚申 · Western Year: AD 482
Explicit event contextual date · nanqishu:002:s0145
Source Date: Text: 永明三年 · Western Year: AD 485
Explicit · nanqishu:016:s0090, nanqishu:021:s0051
Source Date: Text: 永明六年 · Western Year: AD 488
Explicit event contextual date · nanqishu:017:s0192, nanqishu:017:s0193
Source Date: Text: 王儉 · Western Year: AD 483
Explicit · liangshu:014:s0116
Source Date: Text: 齊 · Western Interval: Start: AD 479 · End: AD 502
Explicit event contextual date · liangshu:007:s0053, liangshu:007:s0062
Source Date: Text: 齊初 · Western Year: AD 479
Explicit · liangshu:031:s0010
Source Date: Text: 齊受禪 · Western Year: AD 479
Explicit · liangshu:015:s0028, liangshu:015:s0027

Family

Immediate source-linked family. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select a person to open their record.

Ancestor of Wang Shunhua (王蕣華)
Kinship Term: granddaughter / 孫 · Generation Distance: 2
Parent of Empress Wang Lingbin (王靈賓)
Kinship Term: grandfather / 祖 · Parentage: biological · Generation Distance: 2
Sibling of Wang Jian (王暕)
Kinship Term: brother / 兄弟 · Shared Parentage: uncertain
Parent of Wife of Xiao Shisu
Kinship Term: daughter / 女 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: daughter
Parent of Wang Qian (王騫)
Kinship Term: father / 父 · Parentage: biological
Child of Wang Sengchuo (王僧綽)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son

Career and standing

Label: Director of the Imperial Academy / 國子祭酒 · Action: held · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 永明三年 · Western Year: AD 485
Explicit · nanqishu:016:s0090
Label: Director of the Masters of Writing / 尚書令 · Action: held · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 永明三年 · Western Year: AD 485
Explicit · nanqishu:016:s0090
Label: Director of the Imperial Secretariat / 尚書令 · Action: held
Explicit · liangshu:052:s0116
Label: Director of the Masters of Writing / 尚書令 · Action: held
Explicit · nanqishu:017:s0193
Label: Grand Commandant / 太尉 · Action: held
Explicit · liangshu:007:s0053, nanqishu:020:s0076
Label: Grand Marshal's left chief clerk / 太尉左長史 · Action: held
Explicit · nanqishu:017:s0077
Label: Junior Tutor / 少傅 · Action: held
Explicit · nanqishu:021:s0051
Label: Left Vice Director of the Master of Writing / 左僕射 · Action: held
Explicit · nanqishu:002:s0145
Label: Left Vice Director / 左僕射 · Action: held
Explicit · nanqishu:010:s0007, nanqishu:010:s0018, nanqishu:010:s0027, nanqishu:010:s0067, nanqishu:010:s0114
Label: left vice minister / 左僕射 · Action: held
Explicit · nanqishu:021:s0038
Label: Metropolitan Governor / 京尹 · Action: held
Explicit · liangshu:031:s0011
Label: Vice Director / 僕射 · Action: held
Explicit · nanqishu:010:s0034, nanqishu:010:s0040, nanqishu:010:s0108
Label: Wenxian / 文憲 · Action: posthumously-titled
Explicit · liangshu:007:s0053
Title: Duke of Nanchang / 南昌公 · Action: held
Explicit · liangshu:007:s0053, liangshu:007:s0062

Places and affiliations

Polity: Southern Qi · Relation: affiliated-with
Explicit · nanqishu:010:s0007
Polity Id: liu-song · Relation: served
Strongly inferred · songshu:071:s0221

Works and attributed material

Work: Mourning Record / 喪記 · Relation: author
Explicit · nanqishu:010:s0121
Kind: memorial · Role: author · Mode: quotation
Explicit · nanqishu:010:s0007, nanqishu:010:s0008, nanqishu:010:s0009, nanqishu:010:s0010
Kind: memorial · Role: author
Explicit · nanqishu:010:s0018, nanqishu:010:s0019, nanqishu:010:s0020, nanqishu:010:s0021, nanqishu:010:s0022, nanqishu:010:s0023, nanqishu:010:s0024, nanqishu:010:s0027, nanqishu:010:s0028, nanqishu:010:s0029, nanqishu:010:s0030, nanqishu:010:s0031, nanqishu:017:s0077, nanqishu:017:s0193
Kind: speech · Role: speaker · Other Person Id: Yuan Ang (袁昂)
Explicit · liangshu:031:s0011
Kind: speech · Role: author
Explicit · nanqishu:010:s0117, nanqishu:010:s0118, nanqishu:010:s0119, nanqishu:010:s0120, nanqishu:010:s0121, nanqishu:010:s0122, nanqishu:010:s0123, nanqishu:010:s0124, nanqishu:010:s0125, nanqishu:010:s0126, nanqishu:010:s0127, nanqishu:010:s0128, nanqishu:010:s0129, nanqishu:010:s0130, nanqishu:010:s0131, nanqishu:010:s0132, nanqishu:010:s0133, nanqishu:010:s0134, nanqishu:010:s0135, nanqishu:010:s0136, nanqishu:010:s0137, nanqishu:010:s0138, nanqishu:010:s0139, nanqishu:010:s0140, nanqishu:010:s0141
Kind: speech · Role: speaker
Explicit · nanqishu:021:s0038, nanqishu:021:s0039, nanqishu:021:s0040, nanqishu:021:s0041, nanqishu:021:s0042, nanqishu:021:s0043, nanqishu:021:s0044, nanqishu:021:s0055, nanqishu:021:s0057, nanqishu:021:s0058, nanqishu:021:s0059, nanqishu:021:s0063, nanqishu:021:s0065, nanqishu:021:s0066, nanqishu:021:s0067, nanqishu:021:s0068, nanqishu:021:s0080, nanqishu:021:s0082, nanqishu:021:s0083, nanqishu:021:s0084, nanqishu:021:s0085, nanqishu:021:s0087, nanqishu:021:s0088

Events and relationships

Kind: ritual · Role: proposer · Action: proposed-gold-chariot-nine-streamers
Explicit · nanqishu:017:s0077
Kind: ritual · Role: proposer · Action: proposed-Han-style-insignia
Explicit · nanqishu:017:s0193
Kind: administrative · Role: director · Action: restored-academy · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 永明三年 · Western Year: AD 485
Explicit · nanqishu:016:s0090
Kind: political · Role: advisor · Action: ritual-deliberations
Explicit · nanqishu:010:s0007, nanqishu:010:s0114, nanqishu:010:s0145
Relation: minister-to · Person Id: Emperor Gao of Qi (齊高帝)
Explicit · nanqishu:002:s0145, nanqishu:002:s0148

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: argument thorough and broad · Provenance: Mode: named-person-judgment · Speaker Person Id: Wang Guizhi (王珪之)
Explicit · nanqishu:010:s0108
Assessment: helped raise Qi; counselors unmatched · Provenance: Mode: edict · Speaker Person Id: Gaozu (高祖)
Explicit · liangshu:007:s0062, liangshu:007:s0063

Source notes

Historicity: historical
Explicit · nanqishu:016:s0090, songshu:071:s0221

References in the histories

Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.

Book of Liang, Chapter 7Volume 7: Empresses · 1 passage

祖儉，太尉、南昌文憲公。 Her grandfather Jian was Grand Commandant and Duke of Nanchang, posthumous name Wenxian.

Book of Liang, Chapter 14Volume 14: Jiang Yan; Ren Fang · 2 passages

永明初，衛將軍王儉領丹陽尹，復引爲主簿。 Early in Yongming, Wang Jian of the guards, as Danyang intendant, drew him back as chief clerk.

儉雅欽重昉，以爲當時無輩。 Jian prized him deeply and said no man of the time matched him.

Book of Liang, Chapter 15Volume 15: Xie Fei; Xie Lan · 2 passages

更引王儉爲左長史，以朏侍中，領秘書監。 He brought in Wang Jian as left chief of staff and kept Fei as attendant-in-ordinary directing the imperial library.

是日遂以王儉爲侍中解璽。 That day Wang Jian was made attendant-in-ordinary to unseal the seal.

Book of Liang, Chapter 31Volume 31: Yuan Ang; Yuan Junzheng · 2 passages

齊初，起家冠軍安成王行參軍，遷征虜主簿，太子舍人，王儉鎮軍府功曹史。 When Qi was founded he began his career as acting aide in the household of the Prince of Ancheng, General Who Conquers Champions, then rose to registrar under the General Who Pacifies the Barbarians, attendant of the heir apparent, and merit clerk on Wang Jian's Pacifying-Army staff.

儉時爲京尹，經於後堂獨引見昂，指北堂謂昂曰：「卿必居此。」 Jian was serving as metropolitan governor. One day, passing through the rear hall, he received Ang alone and, pointing to the north hall, said, "You will surely sit in that seat one day."

Book of Liang, Chapter 52Volume 52: The Self-Sufficient · 4 passages

淵卒，尚書令王儉以淵有至行，欲諡爲文孝公，季直請曰：「文孝是司馬道子諡，恐其人非具美，不如文簡。」 When Yuan died, Wang Jian wished to posthumously title him Duke Wenxiao; Jizhi petitioned: "Wenxiao was Sima Daozi's posthumous title—I fear the man was not wholly good; better Wenjian."

儉從之。 Jian followed this.

季直又請儉爲淵立碑，終始營護，甚有吏節，時人美之。 Jizhi also asked Jian to erect a stele for Yuan and saw to it from start to finish—very much official conduct; people praised this.

妻，太尉王儉女，久與別居，遂無子。 His wife was the daughter of Grand Marshal Wang Jian; long separated from him, in the end there were no sons.

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 2Volume 2 Annals 2: Emperor Gao of Southern Qi 2 · 1 passage

三月庚申，召司徒褚淵、左僕射王儉詔曰：「吾本布衣素族，念不到此，因藉時來，遂隆大業。 Third month, day gengshen: Chu Yuan, minister over the masses, and Wang Jian, left vice director of the master of writing, were called in. The edict said: "I began as a man of plain cloth and never dreamed of this height; the age lifted me, and so I came to the throne.

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 10Volume 10 Treatises 2: Rituals 1 · 16 passages

左僕射王儉議：「奠如大斂。 Left Vice Director Wang Jian argued: "Presentation offerings should be handled like the greater encoffinment.

左僕射王儉議：「范寧云『葬必有魂車』。 Left Vice Director Wang Jian argued: "Fan Ning said "Every burial requires a soul cart."

左僕射王儉議：「禮記文王世子『父在斯為子，君在斯為臣』。 Left Vice Director Wang Jian argued: "The Book of Rites, King Wen as Crown Prince, says "While the father lives you are a son; while the ruler lives you are a subject."

僕射王儉議：「禮，既塗棺，祝取銘置于殯東，大斂畢，便應建于西階之東。」 Vice Director Wang Jian argued: "Ritual requires that once the coffin is sealed, the invoker places the inscription east of the bier; when the greater encoffinment is finished, the pennant should be raised east of the western steps."

僕射王儉議：「旒本是命服，無關於凶事，今公卿以下，平存不能備禮，故在凶乃建耳。 Vice Director Wang Jian argued: "Tassels belong to insignia of rank, not to mourning; today even the highest ministers cannot keep full ritual in normal times, so tassels are raised only in mourning.

王儉議：「既虞卒哭，祭之於廟，本是祭序昭穆耳，未全同卒吉四時之祭也，所以有朔望殷事。 Wang Jian replied: "After yu and zui ku, temple sacrifice only sets zhao-mu order; it is not the same as the four seasonal rites after mourning ends—hence the elaborate new- and full-moon observances.

左僕射王儉議：「三百六旬，尚書明義，文公納幣，春秋致譏。 Left Vice Director Wang Jian argued: "Three hundred and sixty days—the Documents state it plainly; Duke Wen's betrothal gifts drew the Spring and Autumn Annals' rebuke.

尚書令褚淵難儉議曰：「厭屈之典，由所尊奪情，故祥縞備制，而年月不申。 Director Chu Yuan objected to Jian: "Compressed mourning exists because respect for the honored curtails grief, so xiang and hemp keep full form while years and months are not fully expressed.

儉又荅淵難曰：「含閏之義，通儒所難。 Jian answered Yuan again: "The meaning of including the intercalary—even leading Ru find it hard.

淵又據舊義難儉十餘問，儉隨事解釋。 Chu Yuan pressed on with a dozen more objections drawn from older commentators; Jian rebutted each in turn.

僕射儉議，理據詳博，謹所附同。 Vice Director Wang Jian's argument is thorough; I respectfully concur.

今司徒淵始雖疑難，再經往反，未同儉議。 Minister of Works Chu Yuan first objected; after two exchanges he still did not accept Jian's view.

皇太子穆妃服，尚書左丞兼著作郎王逡問左僕射王儉：「中軍南郡王小祥，應待聞喜不？ During mourning for the crown prince's Consort Mu, Wang Xun—left director of the Masters of Writing and concurrent director of composition—asked Vice Director Wang Jian: "For the Central Army prince of Nan Commandery, should minor felicity wait on Wenxi?

儉曰：「送往有已，復生有節，罔極非服制所申，祥縞明示終之斷。 Jian replied: "The dead are sent off to their limit; the living return on fixed seasons. Boundless grief is not what the garment code is for—xiang and hemp mark where mourning ends.

司徒褚淵等二十人竝同儉議為允，請以為永制。 Minister of Works Chu Yuan and twenty colleagues endorsed Jian's view and asked that it be fixed as permanent rule.

儉又議：「禮『庶人為國君齊衰』，先儒云『庶人在官若府史之屬是也』。 Jian argued again: "The rites say "Commoners in office wear equated mourning for the lord of the state", and early scholars explain "in office" as clerks on a prince's or commandery staff.

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 16Volume 16 Treatises 8: Official Posts · 1 passage

永明三年，立學，尚書令王儉領祭酒。 In Yongming 3 the academy was restored; Director of the Masters of Writing Wang Jian served as its director.

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 17Volume 17 Treatises 9: Caraiges and Dress · 2 passages

太尉左長史王儉議，宜用金輅九旒。 Grand Marshal’s left chief clerk Wang Jian proposed the gold chariot with nine streamers.

尚書令王儉議，依漢三公服，山、龍九章，卿華蟲七章。 Director of the Masters of Writing Wang Jian proposed following Han practice: nine sections of mountains and dragons for the three excellencies, seven sections of patterned creatures for ministers.

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 20Volume 20 Biographies 1: Empresses and Consorts · 1 passage

和帝王皇后名蕣華，琅邪臨沂人，太尉儉孫也。 Empress Wang of Emperor He, named Shunhua, came from Linyi in Langya commandery and was the granddaughter of Grand Commandant Wang Jian.

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 21Volume 21 Biographies 2: Crown Prince Wenhui · 12 passages

左僕射王儉曰：「尋《禮記‧服問》『君所主夫人妻、太子、嫡婦』，言國君爲此三人爲主喪也。 Wang Jian, left vice minister, said, "The Book of Rites, 'Dress Questions,' says the lord himself presides for his wife, the heir apparent's wife, and the chief daughter-in-law—that is, the sovereign leads mourning for these three.

永明三年，於崇正殿講《孝經》，少傅王儉以擿句令太子僕周顒撰爲義疏。 In Yongming year 3 he lectured on the Classic of Filial Piety in the Hall of Correct Reverence; Junior Tutor Wang Jian picked out passages and had Palace Adjutant Zhou Yong draft a commentary.

五年冬，太子臨國學，親臨策試諸生，於坐問少傅王儉曰：「《曲禮》云『無不敬』。 That winter in the fifth year the crown prince went to the National Academy, sat in person to examine the students, and asked Junior Tutor Wang Jian from his seat: "The Qu Li says, 'There is nothing to which one is not reverent.'

儉曰：「鄭玄云『禮主於敬』，便當是尊卑所同。」 Wang Jian replied: "Zheng Xuan says 'Ritual takes reverence as its foundation'—then high and low should share it alike."

儉曰：「尊卑號稱，不可悉同，愛敬之名，有時相次。 Wang Jian said: "Titles for high and low cannot all match; the names love and reverence sometimes come one after the other.

儉曰：「資敬奉君，必同至極，移敬逮下，不慢而已。」 Wang Jian said: "Reverence in serving the ruler must reach the same pole; carrying reverence down to those below means only not to slight them."

儉曰：「繁文不可備設，略言深淺已見。 Wang Jian said: "Full phrasing cannot all be laid out; in brief, depth and shallowness are already clear.

太子問王儉曰：「《周易乾卦》本施天位，而《說卦》云『帝出乎《震》』。 The crown prince asked Wang Jian: "The Qian hexagram of the Book of Changes is set for Heaven's place, yet the Explanation of the Trigrams says, 'The Lord emerges from Zhen.'

儉曰：「《乾》健《震》動，天以運動爲德，故言『帝出《震》』。」 Wang Jian said: "Qian is firm, Zhen is movement; Heaven's virtue is movement, hence 'the Lord emerges from Zhen.'"

儉曰：「主器者莫若長子，故受之以《震》。 Wang Jian said: "He who holds the vessel—none like the eldest son—so he receives Zhen.

儉又諮太子曰：「《孝經》『仲尼居，曾子侍』。 Wang Jian went on to ask the crown prince: "In the Classic of Filial Piety, 'Confucius was at rest and Zengzi attended.'

儉曰：「接引非隔，弘宣雖易，去聖轉遠，其事彌輕。 Wang Jian said: "No break in the line, and spreading the teaching is easy—but the farther from the Sage, the lighter the thing grows.

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 36Volume 36 Biographies 17: Xie Chaozong, Liu Xiang · 3 passages

僕射王儉嘗牛驚，跣下車。 Vice Director Wang Jian's ox once bolted and he leapt from the carriage barefoot.

永明初，遷長沙王鎮軍，板諮議參軍，撰《宋書》，譏斥禪代，尚書令王儉密以啓聞，上銜而不問。 Early in Yongming he advised the Prince of Changsha's Pacification Army and compiled the Song History, mocking the abdication; Wang Jian secretly reported; the emperor resented but did not pursue it.

私之疑事，衞將軍臣儉，宰輔聖朝，令望當世，囚自斷才短，密以諮儉，儉爲折衷，紙迹猶存。 Heaven's sun hangs far — your prisoner did not dare defile; private doubts he secretly consulted Wang Jian — Jian compromised; the paper still exists.

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 53Volume 53 Biographies 34: Virtuous Officials · 1 passage

遷王儉鎮軍長史。 He was transferred to chief secretary to the pacification army under Wang Jian.

Book of Song, Chapter 71Volume 71 Biographies 31: Xu Zhan, Jiang Zhan, Wang Sengchao · 1 passage

子儉嗣，升明末，為齊國尚書右僕射。 His son Jian succeeded; at the end of the Shengming era he was Right Vice Director of the Masters of Writing in Qi.