Three Kingdoms and Six Dynasties · Official and General

Wang Shu 王述

Attested AD 355

Passages: 9
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Wang Shu was an official and General.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Huai Zu	懷祖	Huai Zu

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 355 永和十一年
Directly stated · Book of Jin 80, passages 152, 156, 159, 162

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Mother of Wang Shu (王述母)
mother 母
Directly stated · Book of Jin 80, passage 153
Parent of Tan (坦之)
son 子
Strongly inferred · Book of Jin 80, passage 161

Career and standing

Inspector of Yang province 揚州刺史
AD 355 永和十一年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Jin 80, passage 156
General of Agile Cavalry 驃騎將軍
Held
Directly stated · Book of Jin 80, passage 152
Kuaiji 會稽
Held
Directly stated · Book of Jin 80, passage 153
Entered
Mourning
Directly stated · Book of Jin 80, passage 153

Places and affiliations

Polity Id eastern-jin · Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Jin 80, passages 152, 156
At Kuaiji 會稽 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · Book of Jin 80, passage 153
At Yang province 揚州 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · Book of Jin 80, passage 156

Events and relationships

Audited Kuaiji records
Administrative · Inspector
Directly stated · Book of Jin 80, passage 162
Toured border without calling
Political · Inspector · With Wang Xizhi (羲之)
Directly stated · Book of Jin 80, passage 156
Waited in vain for Xizhi
Personal · Mourner · With Wang Xizhi (羲之)
Directly stated · Book of Jin 80, passages 154-155

Assessments and attributes

Assessment ranked equal in fame with Wang Xizhi · With Wang Xizhi (羲之) · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Jin 80, passage 152

References in the histories

Search passages

History

9 passages

Book of Jin, Chapter 80Volume 80 Biographies 50: Wang Xizhi · 9 passages

時驃騎將軍王述少有名譽，與羲之齊名，而羲之甚輕之，由是情好不協。 General of Agile Cavalry Wang Shu had enjoyed some fame and was ranked with Wang Xizhi, but Xizhi despised him, and the two never got along.

述先為會稽，以母喪居郡境，羲之代述，止一吊，遂不重詣。 Wang Shu had governed Kuaiji and, mourning his mother, stayed within the commandery when Wang Xizhi succeeded him. Xizhi paid a single condolence call and never returned.

述每聞角聲，謂羲之當候己，輒灑掃而待之。 Whenever Wang Shu heard a horn—thinking Xizhi might be coming—he swept his courtyard and waited.

如此者累年，而羲之竟不顧，述深以為恨。 Years passed, and Wang Xizhi never came; Wang Shu nursed a deep grudge.

及述為揚州刺史，將就征，周行郡界，而不過羲之，臨發，一別而去。 When Wang Shu was appointed Inspector of Yang province, he toured the Kuaiji border on his way to take up the post but did not call on Xizhi; he paid one farewell visit only as he was leaving.

先是，羲之常謂賓友曰：「懷祖正當作尚書耳，投老可得僕射。 Earlier Wang Xizhi had told friends, "Huai Zu might rise to Minister of the Masters of Writing; in his old age he could make Vice Director.

及述蒙顯授，羲之恥為之下，遣使詣朝廷，求分會稽為越州。 When Wang Shu won a lofty post, Wang Xizhi was humiliated at ranking beneath him and sent a messenger to court asking that Kuaiji be split off as a separate Yue province.

既而內懷愧歎，謂其諸子曰：「吾不減懷祖，而位遇懸邈，當由汝等不及坦之故邪！」 Ashamed, he told his sons, "I am no less able than Huai Zu, yet our fortunes could not be more different—can it be because none of you measures up to his son Tan?"

述後檢察會稽郡，辯其刑政，主者疲于簡對。 Later, as inspector, Wang Shu audited Kuaiji's legal and administrative records; the clerks were worn out answering his queries.