Wang Jin (王進) | 24 Histories

Overview

The translated histories identify Wang Jin as a bandit, general, military officer, and official. This record brings together 10 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 Jin	王進	Wáng Jìn
Given name	Jin	進
Surname	Wang	王
Personal name	Wang Jin	王進

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · xinwudaishi:049:s0129

Roles

Bandit
General
Military Officer
Official
Soldier

Life and dates

Death

Manner: illness · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 顯德元年秋 · Western Year: AD 954
Explicit · xinwudaishi:049:s0137, xinwudaishi:049:s0138

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 周太祖入立 · Western Year: AD 951
Explicit · xinwudaishi:049:s0135
Source Date: Text: 明宗 · Western Year: AD 926
Explicit · xinwudaishi:049:s0132
Source Date: Text: 漢高祖 · Western Year: AD 947
Explicit · xinwudaishi:049:s0133, xinwudaishi:049:s0134
Source Date: Text: 顯德元年秋 · Western Year: AD 954
Explicit · xinwudaishi:049:s0137, xinwudaishi:049:s0138

Career and standing

Label: company officer / 軍校 · Action: appointed
Explicit · xinwudaishi:049:s0133
Label: commander of Fengguo army / 奉國軍都指揮使 · Action: held
Explicit · xinwudaishi:049:s0134
Label: commander of right wing of Tiger Swift Army / 虎捷右廂都指揮使 · Action: held
Explicit · xinwudaishi:049:s0135
Label: defender of Ru and Zheng / 汝、鄭二州防禦使 · Action: held
Explicit · xinwudaishi:049:s0136
Label: military commissioner of Zhangde / 彰德軍節度使 · Action: held
Explicit · xinwudaishi:049:s0136
Title: Grand Preceptor / 太師 · Action: posthumously-granted
Explicit · xinwudaishi:049:s0138

Places and affiliations

Place: Liangxiang in Youzhou / 幽州良鄉
Explicit · xinwudaishi:049:s0129
Organization: Ningwei Guard / 寧衞指揮 · Relation: assigned-to
Explicit · xinwudaishi:049:s0132

Events and relationships

Kind: banditry · Role: leader · Action: gathered-band
Explicit · xinwudaishi:049:s0131
Kind: courier · Role: messenger · Action: raced-to-capital · Other Person Id: Fu Yanchao (符彥超)
Explicit · xinwudaishi:049:s0132
Relation: recruited-by · Person Id: Fu Yanchao (符彥超)
Explicit · xinwudaishi:049:s0131

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: held a commissioner’s baton merely for swift feet · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · xinwudaishi:049:s0105
Kind: physical · Statement: could run as fast as a galloping horse
Explicit · xinwudaishi:049:s0130

Source notes

Field: death-date · Statement: 顯德元年秋; one edition reads 初 instead of 秋 · Witness: 一本
Explicit · xinwudaishi:049:s0137

References in the histories

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

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 49Volume 49 Miscellaneous Biographies 29: Di Guangye, Feng Hui, Huang Fuhui, Tang Jingsi, Wang Jin, Chang Si, Sun Fangjian · 10 passages

Open chapter

王進 Wang Jin

王進，幽州良鄉人也。 Wang Jin came from Liangxiang in Youzhou.

彥超鎮安遠軍，軍中有變，遣進馳奏京師，明宗怪其來速，嘉其足力，以隸寧衞指揮。 Yanchao held Anyuan army when the camp mutinied. He sent Jin racing to the capital. Mingzong marveled at his speed and praised his legs, then assigned him to the Ningwei Guard.

漢高祖為侍衞親軍指揮使，以進為軍校。 When Han Gaozu commanded the Palace Guard, he made Jin a company officer.

高祖鎮河東，因以之從，每有急，遣進馳至京師，往返不過五六日，由是愈親愛之，累遷奉國軍都指揮使。 When Gaozu governed Hedong, Jin went with him. In every crisis Gaozu sent him racing to the capital—a round trip of five or six days at most. Gaozu grew ever fonder and raised him to commander of the Fengguo army.

予述舊史，至於王進之事，未嘗不廢書而嘆曰：甚哉，五代之君，皆武人崛起，其所與俱勇夫悍卒，各裂土地封侯王，何異豺狼之牧斯人也！ When I set down the old histories and came to Wang Jin, I never failed to lay aside the book and sigh: How extreme! Every ruler of the Five Dynasties was a warrior risen from the ranks; the bold and brutal men who rose with him carved out domains and were made marquises and kings—what but wolves herding sheep?

至如進者，徒以疾足善走而秉旄節，何其甚歟！ Jin held a commissioner’s baton for nothing but swift feet and a gift for running—how extreme is that!

如進等者，豈足道哉！ Men like Jin—what is there to speak of!

《易》否泰消長，君子小人常相上下，視在上者如進等，則其在下者可知矣。 The Changes tells how pi and tai wax and wane and gentleman and petty man trade places. When those on high are like Jin, those below may be guessed.

予書進事，所以哀斯人之亂，而見當時賢人君子之在下者，可勝道哉！ I record Jin’s story to mourn that chaos—and to show how many worthy men were kept below. What sighs could number them all!