Wang Shouen (王守恩)

Overview

Wang Shouen was an official.

PeriodFive Dynasties

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Life and dates

Death

Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 46, passage 181

Attested activity

AD 947 契丹滅晉
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 46, passage 250
AD 954 to AD 959 顯德中
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 46, passage 181

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Kin of Zhang Congen (張從恩)
related by marriage 姻家 · Other
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 46, passage 251
Child of Wang Jianli (王建立)
son 子
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 46, passage 249

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · With Hidden Emperor (隱帝)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 46, passage 179

Assessments and attributes

Assessment greedy and base · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 46, passage 175

References in the histories

Search passages

History

12 passages

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 46Volume 46 Miscellaneous Biographies 26: Zhao Zaili, Huo Yanwei, Fang Zhiwen, Wang Yanqiu, An Zhongba, Wang Jianli, Kang Fu, Guo Yanlu · 12 passages

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子守恩，以蔭補，稍遷諸衞將軍。 His son Shou’en entered service by yin privilege and rose gradually to general of the guards.

建立已卒，家于潞，守恩自京師得告歸，而契丹滅晉。 Jianli had died and the family was at Lu. Shou’en obtained leave from the capital to return home, and the Khitan destroyed Jin.

昭義節度使張從恩與守恩姻家，乃以守恩權巡檢使，以守潞州，而從恩入見契丹。 Zhang Cong’en of Zhaoyi was related to Shou’en by marriage. He made Shou’en acting inspector to hold Luzhou while he went to audience with the Khitan.

從恩既去，守恩因剽劫從恩家貲，以潞州降漢。 After Cong’en left, Shou’en plundered his household goods and surrendered Luzhou to Han.

漢高祖即位，以守恩為昭義軍節度使，徙鎮靜難、西京留守，加同中書門下平章事。 When Han Gaozu took the throne, Shou’en was made military governor of Zhaoyi, moved to Jingnan and western capital regent, and made co–Grand Councillor.

守恩性貪鄙，人甚苦之。 His son Shou’en was greedy and base; people suffered greatly under him.

時周太祖以樞密使將白文珂等軍西平三叛，還過洛陽，守恩以使相自處，肩輿出迎。 Zhou’s Taizu, as Bureau of Military Affairs, led Bai Wenke and others west to pacify the three rebellions. Returning through Luoyang, Shou’en treated himself as envoy-minister and came out in a shoulder carriage to welcome him.

太祖怒，即日以頭子命文珂代守恩為留守，而守恩方詣館謁，坐於客次以俟見，而吏馳報新留守視事於府矣。 Taizu was angry. That very day with a head-crest token he ordered Wenke to replace Shou’en as regent. Shou’en was at the guest lodge, sitting in the outer hall to await audience, when clerks galloped word that the new regent was already conducting affairs at the office.

守恩大驚，不知所為，遂罷去，奉朝請於京師。 Shou’en was alarmed, knew not what to do, resigned, and served at court in the capital as a court gentleman.

後隱帝殺史弘肇等，召群臣上殿慰諭之，群臣恐懼，無敢言者，獨守恩前對曰：「陛下始睡覺矣。」 Later when the Hidden Emperor killed Shi Hongzhao and others he summoned ministers to the hall to comfort them. All were afraid; none spoke. Only Shou’en stepped forward: “Your Majesty has only just awakened.”

若文珂、守恩皆位兼將相，漢大臣也，而周太祖以一樞密使頭子易置之，如更戍卒。 Wenke and Shou’en both held rank combining general and minister—Han’s great ministers—yet Zhou’s Taizu with one Bureau head-crest token shifted them as easily as changing garrison soldiers.

蓋其習為常事，故特發於喜怒頤指之間，而文珂不敢違，守恩不得拒。 Because it had become routine, it burst forth only between anger, pleasure, and a nod—and Wenke did not dare disobey, Shou’en could not refuse.