Qin and Han · Grand Marshal and elder brother of Wang Li

Wang Shang 王商

First attested BC 32; died BC 12

Passages: 15
Chapters: 4
Histories: 1

Overview

Wang Shang was a Grand Marshal and elder brother of Wang Li.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Alternate name	Chengdu Shang	成都侯商

Life and dates

Death

BC 12 元延元年冬十二月辛亥
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 11, passage 254
衛將軍商薨
En General Wang Shang died
Directly stated · Book of Han 96, passage 305

Attested activity

BC 12 元延元年冬十二月辛亥
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 11, passage 254
BC 32 賜舅王譚、商、立、根、逢時爵關內侯
Directly stated · Book of Han 11, passage 16

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Kin of Emperor Xiaocheng (孝成皇帝)
maternal uncle 舅 · maternal line
Directly stated · Book of Han 11, passage 16
Sibling of Wang Li (王立)
brother 兄弟 · Full siblings
Strongly inferred · Book of Han 11, passages 15-16, 316
Sibling of Wang Tan (王譚)
brother 兄弟 · Full siblings
Strongly inferred · Book of Han 11, passages 15-16, 316
Sibling of Empress Wang (王皇后)
maternal uncle 舅 · Full siblings
Directly stated · Book of Han 11, passage 16
Parent of Wang Yi (王邑)
son 子
Directly stated · Book of Han 104, passage 153

Key source chapters

Book of Han, Chapter 96 Volume 85: Gu Yong and Du Ye 8 passages
Book of Han, Chapter 104 Volume 92: Youxias 4 passages
Book of Han, Chapter 11 Volume 10: Annals of Emperor Cheng 2 passages
Book of Han, Chapter 88 Volume 77: Gai, Zhuge, Liu, Zheng, Sun, Wujiang and He 1 passage

Career and standing

Grand Commander 大司馬
Held
Directly stated · Book of Han 11, passage 254
Grand General 大將軍
Held
Directly stated · Book of Han 11, passage 254
Grand Marshal and General of the Guards 大司馬衛將軍
Held
Directly stated · Book of Han 104, passage 139
grand marshal and general of the guards 大司馬衛將軍
Directly stated · Book of Han 96, passage 324
special advancement commanding gate troops 特進領城門兵
Directly stated · Book of Han 96, passages 311, 318
grand marshal and general of the guards
大司馬衛將軍
Directly stated · Book of Han 96, passage 270

Show 4 more source-backed claims

Marquis Within the Passes 關內侯
BC 32 建始元年 · Granted
Directly stated · Book of Han 11, passage 16
Marquis of Chengdu 成都侯
Held
Directly stated · Book of Han 104, passage 139
Marquis of Chengdu 成都侯
Directly stated · Book of Han 96, passages 311, 318
Marquis of Chengdu
成都侯
Directly stated · Book of Han 96, passage 270

Places and affiliations

Polity Western Han 西漢 · Relation Associated with
Directly stated · Book of Han 11, passage 16
Polity Western Han 西漢 · Relation Lived under
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 104, passage 139
Polity Western Han 西漢 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Han 11, passage 254

Events and relationships

Dismissed chief clerk with lifelong ban
Personnel · Authority
Directly stated · Book of Han 104, passage 142
Visited Lou Hu against advice
Social · Visitor · With Lou Hu (樓護)
Directly stated · Book of Han 104, passages 139-140
譚弟
Type younger-brother · Person Wang Tan (王譚)
Directly stated · Book of Han 96, passage 311
Relation Elder brother of · Target Wang Li (王立)
Directly stated · Book of Han 88, passage 306

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Han 11, passage 16; Book of Han 104, passage 139

References in the histories

Search passages

History

15 passages

Book of Han, Chapter 11Volume 10: Annals of Emperor Cheng · 2 passages

賜舅王譚、商、立、根、逢時爵關內侯。 Granted his maternal uncles Wang Tan, Shang, Li, Gen, and Fengshi the noble rank of Marquis Within the Passes.

冬十二月辛亥，大司馬大將軍王商薨。 On Xinhai of the twelfth month of winter, Grand Commander and Grand General Wang Shang passed away.

Book of Han, Chapter 88Volume 77: Gai, Zhuge, Liu, Zheng, Sun, Wujiang and He · 1 passage

立雖不坐，後兄大司馬衞將軍商薨，次當代商，上度立而用其弟曲陽侯根爲大司馬票騎將軍。 Wang Li escaped punishment, but when his brother Wang Shang died the emperor skipped him and made Wang Gen Grand Marshal instead.

Book of Han, Chapter 96Volume 85: Gu Yong and Du Ye · 8 passages

音薨，成都侯商代為大司馬衛將軍，永乃遷為涼州刺史。 When Wang Yin died, Marquis of Chengdu Shang succeeded him as grand marshal and general of the guards, and Gu Yong was made inspector of Liang province.

衛將軍商密□永令發去。 General Wang Shang secretly told Yong to flee.

永所居任職，為北地太守歲餘，衛將軍商薨，曲陽侯根為票騎將軍，薦永，徵入為大司農。 After more than a year as governor of Beidi, General Wang Shang died; Marquis of Quyang Wang Gen became general of agile cavalry, recommended Yong, and he was summoned in as minister of grand granaries.

平阿侯譚不受城門職，後薨，上閔悔之，乃復令譚弟成都侯商位特進，領城門兵，得舉吏如將軍府。 Marquis of Ping'a Tan refused the gate command; after he died the emperor regretted it and made Tan's younger brother Marquis of Chengdu Shang special advancement commanding gate troops, with power to recommend clerks like a general's headquarters.

竊見成都侯以特進領城門兵，復有詔得舉吏如五府，此明詔所欲寵也。 I see Marquis of Chengdu holding special advancement and commanding gate troops, with an edict allowing recommendation of clerks like the five ministries—this is what the clear edict means to favor.

音甚嘉其言，由是與成都侯商親密，二人皆重鄴。 Yin greatly approved his words; from this he grew intimate with Marquis of Chengdu Shang, and both men valued Ye.

商為大司馬衛將軍，除鄴主簿，以為腹心，舉侍御史。 When Shang became grand marshal and general of the guards, he appointed Ye chief clerk as trusted inner counsel and recommended him as attendant censor.

及欽欲挹損鳳權，而鄴附會音、商。 When Du Qin tried to check Wang Feng, Du Ye curried Wang Yin and Wang Shang instead.

Book of Han, Chapter 104Volume 92: Youxias · 4 passages

時成都侯商為大司馬衛將軍，罷朝，欲候護，其主簿諫：「將軍至尊，不宜入閭巷。」 At the time Wang Shang, Marquis of Chengdu, was Grand Marshal and General of the Guards. After leaving court, he wanted to call on Lou Hu, but his chief clerk remonstrated, "Your rank is supremely exalted; you should not enter common lanes and alleys."

商不聽，遂往至護家。 Wang Shang ignored the advice and rolled up to Lou Hu's door.

商還，或白主簿語，商恨，以他職事去主簿，終身廢錮。 When Wang Shang heard the clerk's gibe on his return, he dismissed him on a trumped-up charge and barred him from office for life.

而成都侯商子邑為大司空，貴重，商故人皆敬事邑，唯護自安如舊節，邑亦父事之，不敢有闕。 Wang Yi, Wang Shang's son, became Grand Minister of Works; every old friend flattered him—except Lou Hu, who kept the easy equality of earlier days, so Yi treated him like a father and never slipped in courtesy.