Wang Yan (王衍) | 24 Histories

Overview

The translated histories identify Wang Yan as a named individual and ruler. This record brings together 42 passages from 12 chapters across 2 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Wang Yan	王衍	Wang Yan
Title	King of Shu	蜀王	Shu Wang
Title	Shu ruler	蜀主
Personal name	Wang Yan	王衍	Wang Yan
Given	Yan	衍	Yan
Personal name	Yan	衍	Yan

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Strongly inferred · jiuwudaishi:031:s0023, jiuwudaishi:037:s0061, jiuwudaishi:057:s0116, jiuwudaishi:070:s0094, jiuwudaishi:071:s0136, jiuwudaishi:073:s0020, jiuwudaishi:074:s0003, xinwudaishi:038:s0121, xinwudaishi:044:s0114
Sex: male
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:051:s0051, jiuwudaishi:072:s0105
Value: male
Explicit · xinwudaishi:026:s0107

Roles

Named Individual
Ruler

Life and dates

Death

Cause: execution / 就戮 · Place: Qinchuan post station / 秦川驛 · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 四年三月 · Western Year: AD 926
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:072:s0109
Manner: ordered killed · Note: edict altered to family only
Explicit · xinwudaishi:038:s0122, xinwudaishi:038:s0123

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: AD 925 · Western Year: AD 925
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:026:s0107
Source Date: Text: 三年 · Western Year: AD 925
Explicit · xinwudaishi:044:s0114
Source Date: Text: 同光三年 · Western Year: AD 925
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:051:s0048, jiuwudaishi:051:s0051, jiuwudaishi:074:s0003
Source Date: Text: 同光中 · Western Interval: Start: AD 923 · End: AD 926
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:070:s0094
Source Date: Text: 同光二年 · Western Year: AD 924
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:031:s0023
Source Date: Text: 四年三月 · Western Year: AD 926
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:072:s0105
Source Date: Text: 天成元年 · Western Year: AD 926
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:037:s0061
Source Date: Text: 王衍可圖 · Western Year: AD 925
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:057:s0116
Western Interval: Start: AD 918 · End: AD 925 · Source Date: Text: 王衍嗣偽位後數年，復用為宰相。
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:071:s0136
Source Date: Text: 蜀平 · Western Year: AD 925
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:073:s0015, jiuwudaishi:073:s0020
Source Date: Text: 魏王破蜀，王衍朝京師 · Western Year: AD 925
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:038:s0121

Family

Immediate source-linked family. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select a person to open their record.

Child of Mother of Wang Yan (王衍之母)
Kinship Term: mother / 母 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: mother
Child of Wang Jian (王建)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father
Kinship Term: successor/son / 嗣 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father
Spouse of Wife of Wang Yan (王衍之妻)
Kinship Term: wife / 妻 · Union Category: marriage
Sibling of Wang Zongbi (王宗弼)
Kinship Term: younger brother / 弟 · Subject Relative Age: elder · Subject Role: elder-brother · Object Role: younger-brother
Kinship Term: younger brother / 弟 · Subject Relative Age: younger · Subject Role: younger-brother · Object Role: elder-brother

Kinship Role: clan-members · Count: 2
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:072:s0105, jiuwudaishi:072:s0109

Places and affiliations

Label: Former Shu / 蜀 · Relation: ruled
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:073:s0020, xinwudaishi:026:s0107
Polity: Former Shu / 前蜀 · Relation: ruled
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:074:s0003
Polity: Former Shu · Relation: associated-with
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:037:s0061

Events and relationships

Kind: diplomatic · Role: surrendering-ruler · Action: begged-to-surrender
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:051:s0060
Kind: military · Role: ruler · Action: defeated-and-fled · Place: Lizhou / 利州
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:051:s0051, jiuwudaishi:051:s0052
Kind: military · Role: ruler · Action: surrendered-Chengdu · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 是歲 · Western Year: AD 925
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:057:s0138
Kind: political · Role: ruler · Action: surrendered · Other Person Id: Li Yan (李嚴) · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 蜀降 · Western Year: AD 925
Explicit · xinwudaishi:026:s0130
Kind: travel · Role: subject · Action: went-to-capital
Explicit · xinwudaishi:038:s0121

References in the histories

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Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 31Volume 31 Book of Later Tang 7: Zhuangzong Annals 5 · 1 passage

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壬子，蜀主王衍致書於帝，稱有詐為天使，馳報收復汴州者，詔捕之，不獲。 On renzi Wang Yan of Shu wrote that a fake envoy had reported Bian recovered; Cunxu ordered arrest but found no one.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 37Volume 37 Book of Later Tang 13: Mingzong Annals 3 · 1 passage

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傳美為蜀王衍之舊僚，家在成都，便於歸計，且言成都具有本朝實錄，及傳美使回，所得才九朝實錄及殘缺雜舊而已。 Chuanmei, once Wang Yan's retainer, had family in Chengdu and claimed the city still held Tang Veritable Records; his mission brought back only nine reigns' records and damaged old texts.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 51Volume 51 Book of Later Tang 27: Biographies 3: Imperial Family · 3 passages

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時偽蜀主王衍率親軍五萬在利州，令步騎親軍三萬逆戰於三泉，康延孝、李嚴以勁騎三千犯之，蜀軍大敗，斬首五千級，餘皆奔潰。 The Shu pretender Wang Yan was then at Lizhou with fifty thousand household troops. He sent thirty thousand foot and horse of his personal guard to meet the Tang advance at Sanquan. Kang Yanxiao and Li Yan charged with three thousand elite cavalry; the Shu force was shattered, five thousand heads were taken, and the survivors fled in disorder.

王衍聞其敗也，棄利州奔歸西川，斷吉柏津，浮梁而去。 Hearing of the defeat, Wang Yan abandoned Lizhou and fled west into Shu, severing the Jibo crossing and escaping over a pontoon bridge.

己酉，至綿州，王衍遣使上箋乞降。 On jiyou they reached Mianzhou, where Wang Yan sent envoys with a written plea to surrender.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 57Volume 57 Book of Later Tang 33: Biographies 9: Gao Chongtao · 5 passages

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會客省使李嚴使西川回，言王衍可圖之狀，莊宗與崇韜議討伐之謀，方擇大將。 About then Guest Affairs Commissioner Li Yan returned from his mission to the West River circuit and reported that Wang Yan's realm was ripe for conquest. Emperor Zhuangzong and Guo Chongtao debated the campaign and were still choosing a commander.

王衍以成都降，崇韜居王宗弼之第。 When Wang Yan surrendered Chengdu, Guo Chongtao took up residence in Wang Zongbi's mansion.

宗弼選王衍之妓妾珍玩以奉崇韜，求為蜀帥，崇韜許之。 Zongbi selected Wang Yan's courtesans and treasures to present to Guo Chongtao and asked to be made governor of Shu; Chongtao agreed.

及王師至，令其子承班齎衍玩用直百萬，獻於魏王，並賂郭崇韜，請以己為西川節度使。 When the imperial army arrived, he had his son Chengbian bring Wang Yan's playthings worth a million in cash, present them to the Prince of Wei, and also bribe Guo Chongtao, asking to be made military commissioner of the West River circuit.

延嗣奏曰：「臣問蜀人，知蜀中寶貨皆入崇韜之門，言崇韜得金萬兩，銀四十萬，名馬千匹，王衍愛妓六十，樂工百，犀玉帶百。 Yansi reported, "I questioned people in Shu and learned that the region's treasures had all passed through Guo Chongtao's hands. They say he took ten thousand liang of gold, four hundred thousand of silver, a thousand fine horses, sixty of Wang Yan's favorite concubines, a hundred musicians, and a hundred rhinoceros-horn and jade belts.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 70Volume 70 Book of Later Tang 46: Biographies 22: Yuan Xingqin, Xia Luqi, Yao Hong, Li Yan, Li Renju, Kang Sili, Zhang Jingda · 5 passages

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奉使於蜀，及與王衍相見，陳使者之禮，因於笏記中具述莊宗興復之功，其警句云：「才過汶水，縛王彥章於馬前； Sent on embassy to Shu, he met Wang Yan and performed the rites due an envoy. In the notes on his tablet he recounted Zhuangzong's deeds of restoration, with this striking line: "Hardly past the Wen River, Wang Yanzhang was bound before his horse;

時王衍失政，嚴知其可取，使還具奏，故平蜀之謀，始於嚴。 Wang Yan's rule was failing, and Yan saw that Shu could be taken. He returned and reported in full, and thus the plan to conquer Shu began with Yan.

延孝在漢州，王衍與書曰：「可請李司空先來，餘即舉城納款。」 Yanxiao was at Hanzhou when Wang Yan wrote to him: "Please ask Minister Li to come first, and I will surrender the city at once."

眾咸以討蜀之謀始於嚴，衍以甘言，將誘而殺之，欲不令往。 The troops all said the Shu campaign had begun with Yan, that Wang Yan's flattering words were a trap to lure and kill him, and they wanted to keep him from going.

嚴聞之喜，即馳騎入益州，衍見嚴於母前，以母、妻為托。 Yan was delighted to hear it and rode at once into Yizhou. Wang Yan received him before his mother and entrusted his mother and wife to Yan's care.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 71Volume 71 Book of Later Tang 47: Biographies 23: Ma Yu, Si Kongting, Cao Tingyin, Xiao Xifu, Yao Zongzhi, Jia Fu, Ma Gao, Luo Guan, Chun Yuyan, Zhang Ge, Xu Ji, Zhou Xuanbao · 2 passages

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王衍嗣偽位後數年，復用為宰相。 Several years after Wang Yan took the throne, he was again made chief minister.

同光末，平蜀，與王衍俱從於東，授工部尚書致仕，卜居於洛。 When Shu fell at the end of Tongguang he followed Wang Yan east, retired as Minister of Works, and settled at Luoyang.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 72Volume 72 Book of Later Tang 48: Biographies 24: Zhang Chengye, Zhang Juhan, Ma Shaohong, Meng Hangqiong · 4 passages

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四年三月，偽蜀王衍既降，詔遷其族於洛陽。 In the third month of the fourth year, after the Shu ruler Wang Yan had surrendered, an edict ordered his clan relocated to Luoyang.

行及秦川，時關東已亂，莊宗慮衍為變，遣中官向延嗣馳騎齎詔殺之。 When they reached Qinchuan, the region east of the pass was already in turmoil. Zhuangzong feared Yan might stir up trouble and sent the palace eunuch Xiang Yansi galloping with an edict to kill him.

詔云：「王衍一行，並宜殺戮。」 The edict read, "Wang Yan's entire party should be put to death."

及衍就戮於秦川驛，止族其近屬而已，其偽官及從行者尚千餘人，皆免其枉濫，居翰之力也。 When Yan was executed at the Qinchuan post station, only his close kin were killed. More than a thousand former Shu officials and attendants who accompanied him were all spared from wrongful slaughter — this was Juhan's doing.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 73Volume 73 Book of Later Tang 49: Biographies 25: Mao Zhang, Nie Yu, Wen Tao, Duan Ning, Kong Qian, Li Ye · 1 passage

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洎至潞州，狂妄不悛，每擁川妓於山亭院，服赭黃，縱酒，令為王衍在蜀之戲。 Once at Luzhou he remained as reckless as ever. He often gathered Sichuan courtesans in the Mountain Pavilion courtyard, dressed in imperial ochre-yellow, drank heavily, and had them reenact the amusements of Wang Yan's court in Shu.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 74Volume 74 Book of Later Tang 50: Biographies 126: Kang Yanxiao, Zhu Shouyin, Yang Li, Dou Tingwan, Zhang Qianzhao, Yang Yanwen · 5 passages

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以前鋒下鳳州，收固鎮，降興州，敗王衍軍於三泉，所俘蜀軍皆諭而釋之，自是晝夜兼行。 Leading the vanguard, he took Feng Prefecture, seized Gu Town, accepted the surrender of Xing Prefecture, and routed Wang Yan's army at Sanquan. Every Shu soldier taken captive was reasoned with and then set free. From that point he pressed on day and night without pause.

王衍自利州奔歸成都，斷吉柏津浮梁，以絕諸軍。 Wang Yan fled from Lizhou to Chengdu, destroyed the pontoon bridge at Jibai Ford, and thereby severed the route of the invading armies.

延孝復造浮梁以渡，進收綿州，王衍復斷綿江浮梁而去。 Yanxiao built another pontoon bridge and crossed, then advanced to take Mian Prefecture. Wang Yan once more destroyed the pontoon bridge on the Mian River and withdrew.

乘王衍破膽之時，人心離沮，但得百騎過鹿頭關，彼即迎降不暇。 While Wang Yan is still shaken and his men are losing heart, even a hundred horsemen who get through Deer Head Pass will find the enemy too busy surrendering to resist us.

如俟修繕津梁，便留數日，若王衍堅閉近關，折吾兵勢，儻延旬浹，則勝負莫可知也，宜促騎渡江。」 If we wait to repair the bridge and lose several days, and Wang Yan seals the passes nearby and blunts our momentum, then in ten days' time no one can say who will win. We must get the cavalry across the river immediately."

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 26Volume 26 Later Tang Biographies 6: Fu Xi, Wu Zhen, Kong Qian, Zhang Yanlang, Li Yan, Li Renju, Mao Zhang · 7 passages

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同光三年，使於蜀，為王衍陳唐興復功德之盛，音辭清亮，蜀人聽之皆竦動。 In Tongguang 3 (925) he went to Shu as envoy and before Wang Yan laid out the glory of Tang’s restoration. His voice rang clear; every Shu listener felt a shiver run through him.

衍樞密使宋光嗣召嚴置酒，從容問中國事。 Wang Yan’s chief of military affairs, Song Guangsi, called Yan to wine and, at ease, asked how things stood in the Central Realm.

莊宗聞之，大怒曰：「物歸中國，謂之『入草』，王衍其能免為『入草人』乎？」 Zhuangzong heard and raged: “Treasure bound for the Central Realm is ‘going into the grass.’ Can Wang Yan himself escape becoming grass-bound flesh?”

延孝至漢州，王衍告曰：「得李嚴來即降。」 When Yanxiao reached Han prefecture, Wang Yan sent word: “Send Li Yan and I surrender at once.”

眾皆以伐蜀之謀自嚴始，而衍怨嚴深，不宜往。 Everyone said the war on Shu had begun with Yan, and Wang Yan hated him bitterly—he should not go.

衍見嚴，以妻母為托，即日以蜀降。 Wang Yan met Yan, entrusted wife and mother to his care, and that day Shu surrendered.

嘗服赭袍飲酒，使其所得蜀奴為王衍宮中之戲於前。 Once he drank in a vermilion robe and made his Shu slaves perform Wang Yan’s palace shows before him.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 38Volume 38 Biographies 18: Zhang Chengye, Zhang Juhan · 4 passages

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魏王破蜀，王衍朝京師，行至秦川，而明宗軍變於魏。 When the Prince of Wei conquered Shu, Wang Yan set out for the capital; at Qinchuan, Mingzong's troops mutinied at Wei.

莊宗東征，慮衍有變，遣人馳詔魏王殺之。 Zhuangzong marched east, fearing Yan might turn rebellious, and sent urgent orders to the Prince of Wei to kill him.

詔書已印畫，而居翰發視之，詔書言「誅衍一行」，居翰以謂殺降不祥，乃以詔傅柱，揩去「行」字，改為一「家」。 The edict was already sealed, but Juhan opened it and read: "Execute Yan and his whole party." He held that killing surrendered men was ill-omened, pressed the edict to a pillar, wiped out the character for "party," and changed it to "family."

時蜀降人與衍俱東者千餘人，皆獲免。 More than a thousand Shu men who were traveling east with Yan were all spared.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 44Volume 44 Miscellaneous Biographies 24: Liu Zhijun, Ding Hui, He Delun, Yan Bao, Kang Yanxiao · 4 passages

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與王衍戰三泉，衍敗走，斷吉柏江浮橋，延孝造舟以渡，進取綿州。 He met Wang Yan at Sanquan and broke him. Yan fled, cut the Jibo floating bridge, and Yanxiao built boats to cross and push on Mian.

衍復斷綿江浮橋。 Yan cut the Mian bridge as well.

乘衍破膽之時，但得百騎過鹿頭關，彼將迎降不暇。 Strike while Yan’s nerve is broken. A hundred riders through Lutou Pass and he will not even have time to kneel.

若修繕橋梁，必留數日，使衍得閉關為備，則勝負未可知也。」 Repair bridges and we lose days; Yan will bar the passes and the fight becomes anyone’s guess.”