Sui and Tang · Warlord and Bandit Leader

Wang Xu 王緒

Wáng Xù

First attested AD 881; died AD 884

Passages: 9
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Wang Xu was a warlord and Bandit Leader.

Life and dates

Death

AD 884 to AD 885 唐末
Suicide · At army camp at Nan'an 南安軍中
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 68, passage 12

Attested activity

AD 881 to AD 885 唐末
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 68, passages 4, 12

Career and standing

governor of Guang Prefecture 光州刺史
AD 881 to AD 884 唐末 · Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 68, passage 5
Entered
Deposed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 68, passage 177
Seized
Imprisoned · At army camp 軍中
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 68, passage 12

Places and affiliations

At Shou Prefecture 壽州
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 68, passage 4

Events and relationships

Captured Gushi
AD 881 to AD 885 唐末 · Military · Commander · At Gushi 固始
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 68, passage 4
Fled south and plundered
Military · Commander · At from Nankang through Linting to Zhangpu 自南康入臨汀，陷漳浦
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 68, passage 7
Refused to march
Military · Commander · With Qin Zongquan (秦宗權)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 68, passage 6

Assessments and attributes

Assessment suspicious; killed capable subordinates · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 68, passage 8

References in the histories

Search passages

History

9 passages

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 68Volume 68: Hereditary House of Min · 9 passages

唐末群盜起，壽州人王緒攻陷固始，緒聞潮兄弟材勇，召置軍中，以潮為軍校。 When the Tang dynasty was collapsing and rebels swarmed the realm, a man from Shou Prefecture named Wang Xu seized Gushi. Hearing of the Chao brothers' courage and ability, Xu enrolled them in his forces and appointed Chao a company commander.

是時，蔡州秦宗權方募士以益兵，乃以緒為光州刺史，召其兵會擊黃巢。 Qin Zongquan of Cai Prefecture was then recruiting soldiers to swell his ranks. He named Xu governor of Guang Prefecture and called on his troops to march with him against Huang Chao.

緒遲留不行，宗權發兵攻緒。 Xu lingered and refused to move, so Zongquan sent an army against him.

緒率眾南奔，所至剽掠，自南康入臨汀，陷漳浦，有眾數萬。 Xu fled south with his host, looting every district they passed through. They marched from Nankang into Linting, took Zhangpu, and mustered a force of tens of thousands.

緒性猜忌，部將有材能者，多因事殺之，潮頗自懼。 Xu was suspicious by temperament and routinely found excuses to kill capable subordinates. Chao began to fear for his life.

軍次南安，潮說其前鋒將曰：「吾屬棄墳墓、妻子而為盜者，為緒所脅爾，豈其本心哉！ When the army encamped at Nan'an, Chao addressed the vanguard commander: "We left our ancestors' graves and our families behind to live as outlaws only because Xu forced us—surely that was never what we wanted!

今緒雄猜，將吏之材能者必死，吾屬不自保朝夕，況欲圖成事哉！」 Xu is brutal and mistrustful now; any officer with talent is as good as dead. We cannot count on living from one day to the next, much less hope to achieve anything lasting!"

乃選壯士數十人，伏篁竹間，伺緒至，躍出擒之，囚之軍中，緒所自殺。 They chose several dozen strong men, concealed them in a bamboo thicket, and when Xu arrived sprang out to seize him and hold him prisoner in the camp. Xu then killed himself.

緒已見廢，前鋒將曰：「生我者潮也。」 With Xu deposed, the vanguard commander declared, "Chao gave me life."