Sui and Tang · General

Wang Tan 王壇

Attested AD 902 - AD 903

Passages: 7
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Wang Tan was a general.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 902 to AD 903 頵围镠及叛行密事
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 189, passage 166

Events and relationships

Ambushed and was routed
Military · Commander · With Li Shenfu (李神福)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 189, passage 167
Defeated
Military · Commander · At Wankou 皖口
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 189, passage 168
Fled
Military · Commander · With Tai Meng (臺濛)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 189, passage 188
Pursued without battle
Military · Commander · With Li Shenfu (李神福) · At Jiyang Ford 吉陽磯
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 189, passage 166
Went over
Military · Defector · With Xingmi (行密)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 189, passage 193

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 189, passage 166

References in the histories

New Book of Tang, Chapter 189Volume 189 Biographies 114: Gao, Zhao, Tian, Zhu · 7 passages

始，頵將王壇等以舟師躡神福後，至吉陽磯，不戰。 Yun’s generals Wang Tan and others pursued with the fleet as far as Jiyang Ford but did not give battle.

會日暮，壇掩神福軍半濟，神福反舟順流急擊，大破之，因縱火，士多死。 At dusk Tan struck while Shenfu’s men were half across the river. Shenfu wheeled his boats downstream and counterattacked, routing them and setting fire to the fleet—many drowned or burned.

明日，壇復戰，敗於皖口，頵乃自將來戰。 The next day Tan fought again and was beaten at Wankou. Yun then took the field in person.

與王壇等戰廣德，濛以行密書遺壇諸將，皆再拜氣奪。 At Guangde he fought Wang Tan and sent Xingmi’s letter to Tan’s officers. They all bowed low, their spirit broken.

濛麾兵擊之，壇走。 Meng ordered the attack and Tan fled.

聞壇敗，留精兵二萬屬郭行琮，身走城。 When he heard Tan was beaten, he left twenty thousand picked troops with Guo Xingcong and raced for the city himself.

行琮及壇皆歸行密，頵恚，自料死士數百，號「爪牙都」，身薄戰。 Xingcong and Tan both went over to Xingmi. Furious, Yun picked several hundred dare-to-die men, called them the “Fang and Claw Corps,” and led the charge himself.