Wang Jien (王繼恩) | 24 Histories

Overview

The translated histories identify Wang Jien as an envoy, eunuch, official, and scholar. This record brings together 9 passages from 1 chapter across 1 history, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Wang Jien	王繼恩	Wang Ji'en
Personal	Jien	繼恩	Ji'en
Surname	Wang	王

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · liaoshi:109:s0029

Roles

Envoy
Eunuch
Official
Scholar

Life and dates

Death

Statement: end unknown / 後不知所終 · Unresolved: true
Explicit · liaoshi:109:s0037

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 統和 · Reign Id: liao-tonghe · Western Interval: Start: AD 983 · End: AD 1012
Explicit event contextual date · liaoshi:109:s0030, liaoshi:109:s0029
Source Date: Text: 聖宗親政 · Western Interval: Start: AD 1009 · End: AD 1031
Explicit event contextual date · liaoshi:109:s0034

Career and standing

Label: Chief Intendant of the Inner Treasury / 內庫都提點 · Action: appointed
Explicit · liaoshi:109:s0034
Label: chief steward of the left wing of the inner palace / 內侍左廂押班 · Action: appointed
Explicit · liaoshi:109:s0033
Label: Director of the Imperial Wardrobe / 尚衣庫使 · Action: appointed
Explicit · liaoshi:109:s0034
Label: Grand General of the Gate Guards / 監門衛大將軍 · Action: appointed
Explicit · liaoshi:109:s0034
Label: Inner Attendant / 內謁者 · Action: appointed
Explicit · liaoshi:109:s0033
Label: Left Commissioner of Announcement / 左承宣 · Action: appointed
Explicit · liaoshi:109:s0034
Label: Military Commissioner of Lingzhou / 靈州觀察使 · Action: appointed
Explicit · liaoshi:109:s0034
Label: commissioner of gifts and grants / 宣賜使 · Action: served
Explicit · liaoshi:109:s0036
Status: enslavement · Action: castrated-as-palace-attendant · Authority Person Id: Wise Empress Dowager (睿智皇后)
Explicit · liaoshi:109:s0031
Status: captivity · Action: entered · Authority Person Id: Wise Empress Dowager (睿智皇后)
Explicit · liaoshi:109:s0030

Places and affiliations

Polity Id: liao · Relation: served
Explicit · liaoshi:109:s0028, liaoshi:109:s0029
Place: Dizhou / 棣州
Explicit · liaoshi:109:s0029
Place: Lingzhou / 靈州 · Relation: posted-to
Explicit · liaoshi:109:s0034

Learning and skills

Skill: Khitan language / 遼語 · Level: mastered
Explicit · liaoshi:109:s0032
Skill: written Chinese / 書 · Level: mastered
Explicit · liaoshi:109:s0032

Events and relationships

Kind: personal · Role: captive-child · Action: castrated-and-made-attendant · Other Person Id: Wise Empress Dowager (睿智皇后) · Place: Liangjin / 涼陘
Explicit · liaoshi:109:s0031
Kind: diplomatic · Role: gift-commissioner · Action: received-Song-envoys
Explicit · liaoshi:109:s0036

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: fortunate to escape a bad end · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · liaoshi:109:s0057
Assessment: Inner Attendant fitting; Military Commissioner and Grand General excessive favor · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · liaoshi:109:s0054, liaoshi:109:s0055
Assessment: loved pure conversation and disliked power and profit · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · liaoshi:109:s0035
Item: books by the ten thousand scrolls / 書至萬卷 · Relation: purchased-and-carried
Explicit · liaoshi:109:s0035

References in the histories

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

History of Liao, Chapter 109Volume 109 Biographies 39: Music and Imperial Officials · 9 passages

Open chapter

◎宦官 ○王繼恩趙安仁 ◎ Eunuch Officials ○ Wang Jien and Zhao Anren

王繼恩，棣州人。 Wang Jien came from Dizhou.

睿智皇后南征，繼恩被俘。 When Empress Ruizhi marched south, Jien was taken prisoner.

初，皇后以公私所獲十歲已下兒容貌可觀者近百人，載赴涼陘，並使閹為豎，繼恩在焉。 Earlier the empress had gathered nearly a hundred children under ten, handsome boys taken in raids and by other means, sent them to Liangjin, and had them all castrated as palace attendants; Jien was one of them.

聖宗親政，累遷尚衣庫使、左承宣、監門衛大將軍、靈州觀察使、內庫都提點。 After Emperor Shengzong assumed personal rule, Jien was promoted in succession to Director of the Imperial Wardrobe, Left Commissioner of Announcement, Grand General of the Gate Guards, Military Commissioner of Lingzhou, and Chief Intendant of the Inner Treasury.

繼恩好清談，不喜權利，每得賜賚，市書至萬卷，載以自隨，誦讀不倦。 Jien loved scholarly talk and cared nothing for power or gain; whenever he received rewards he bought books by the thousands, carried them wherever he went, and read without cease.

每宋使來聘，繼恩多充宣賜使。 Whenever Song envoys arrived on diplomatic missions, Jien was often appointed to distribute imperial gifts.

繼恩為內謁者，安仁為黃門令，似矣，何至溺於私愛，而授以觀察使、大將軍耶？ Jien as Inner Attendant and Anren as Yellow Gate Commandant would have been fitting enough—how could private affection run so deep that they were made military commissioners and grand generals?

此安仁所以不克有終，繼恩幸而免歟？ Is this not why Anren failed to end well, while Jien was fortunate enough to escape a similar fate?