Three Kingdoms and Six Dynasties · Official

Wang Yan 王晏

Attested AD 494 - AD 498

Passages: 8
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Wang Yan was an official.

Life and dates

Death

Execution · Authority Emperor Gao (高宗)
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 43, passage 243

Attested activity

AD 494 to AD 498 建武中
Dated from the passage context · Book of Southern Qi 43, passage 212
AD 494 隆昌之末
Dated from the passage context · Book of Southern Qi 43, passage 235
AD 494 to AD 498 高宗
Dated from the passage context · Book of Southern Qi 43, passage 210
AD 494 高宗廢立之際
Dated from the passage context · Book of Southern Qi 43, passages 232, 234

Family

Kin of Wang Siyuan (王思遠)
elder cousin 從兄 · paternal line
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 43, passages 210, 212, 216

Kinship Role sons and nephews · Quantity unspecified · Source Term kin / sons and nephews 子弟
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 43, passage 235

Origins and identity

Lineage Wang 王
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 43, passage 210

Career and standing

Rapid Cavalry Commander 驃騎
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 43, passage 235
Director of the Imperial Secretariat 尚書令
AD 494 to AD 498 建武中 · Held
Dated from the passage context · Book of Southern Qi 43, passage 212
Executed
Executed · Authority Emperor Gao (高宗)
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 43, passage 243

Places and affiliations

Polity Southern Qi 南齊 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 43, passage 212

Works and attributed material

AD 494 隆昌之末
Speech · Speaker · Addressed to Wang Siwei (思微) · Direct quotation
Dated from the passage context · Book of Southern Qi 43, passage 235

Events and relationships

Aided the deposition and enthronement associated with Gao
AD 494 高宗廢立之際 · Coup · Participant · With Emperor Gao (高宗)
Dated from the passage context · Book of Southern Qi 43, passage 232
Asked Siyuan to drop the impeachment
AD 494 to AD 498 高宗 · Legal · Intervenor · Participants Wang Siyuan (王思遠), Shen Zhaolüe (沈昭略)
Dated from the passage context · Book of Southern Qi 43, passage 210
Did not heed Siyuan's warning to take his own life
AD 494 高宗廢立之際 · Counsel · Addressee · With Wang Siyuan (王思遠)
Dated from the passage context · Book of Southern Qi 43, passage 234
Was ruined / defeated
Political · Fallen official
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 43, passage 237

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 43, passage 210

References in the histories

Search passages

History

8 passages

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 43Volume 43 Biographies 24: Jiang Xiao, He Changyu, Xie Yao, Wang Siyuan · 8 passages

臨海太守沈昭略贓私，思遠依事劾奏，高宗及思遠從兄晏、昭略叔父文季請止之，思遠不從，案事如故。 When Shen Zhaolüe, Administrator of Linhai, was found corrupt, Siyuan impeached him on the evidence; Emperor Gao, Siyuan's cousin Wang Yan, and Zhaolüe's uncle Wenji asked him to desist, but he refused and pursued the case.

思遠以從兄晏爲尚書令，不欲竝居內臺權要之職，上表固讓。 Because his cousin Wang Yan was Director of the Imperial Secretariat, Siyuan did not wish to hold a key inner-court post alongside him and submitted a firm memorial declining the appointment.

旣自誓輕軀命，不復以塵黷爲疑，正以臣與晏地惟密親，必不宜俱居顯要。 I have sworn to hold my life lightly and no longer fear worldly stain; it is precisely because Yan and I are close kin that we must not both hold prominent posts at court.

初，高宗廢立之際，思遠與晏閑言，謂晏曰：「兄荷世祖厚恩，今一旦贊人如此事，彼或可以權計相須，未知兄將來何以自立。 Earlier, when Emperor Gao was deposing and enthroning emperors, Siyuan spoke privately with Yan and said, "Brother, you received great favor from Emperor Wu; now you have aided others in such a coup—they may need you for their schemes; I do not know how you will stand on your own afterward.

晏不納。 Yan did not heed him.

及拜驃騎，集會子弟，謂思遠兄思微曰：「隆昌之末，阿戎勸吾自裁，若從其語，豈有今日。」 When Yan was appointed Rapid Cavalry Commander he gathered his kin and said to Siyuan's elder brother Siwei, "At the end of Longchang, your brother urged me to take my own life; had I listened, would I be here today?"

及晏敗，故得無他。 When Yan fell, Siyuan therefore escaped further harm.

上旣誅晏，遷爲侍中，掌優策及起居注。 After the emperor executed Yan, Siyuan was made Palace Attendant, in charge of court policy and the Daily Records.