Wang Yanzhang (王彥章)

Overview

The translated histories identify Wang Yanzhang as a general, military officer, official, and soldier. This record brings together 79 passages from 11 chapters across 2 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Wang Yanzhang	王彥章	Wáng Yànzhāng
Surname	Wang	王	Wáng
Nickname	Wang Iron Spear	王鐵槍	Wáng Tiěqiāng
Personal	Wang Yanzhang	王彥章
Personal name	Wang Yanzhang	王彥章	Wang Yanzhang
Personal	Wang Yanzhang	王彥章	Wang Yanzhang
Personal name	Wang Yanzhang	王彦章	Wang Yanzhang
Personal name	Wang Yanzhang	王彥章	Wáng Yànzhāng
Personal name	Wang Yanzhang	王彥章
Personal name	Yanzhang	彥章	Yanzhang
Given	Yanzhang	彥章	Yànzhāng
Courtesy name	Ziming	子明	Zǐmíng

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:012:s0118, xinwudaishi:029:s0057, xinwudaishi:032:s0007, xinwudaishi:049:s0022
Sex: male
Strongly inferred · jiuwudaishi:057:s0025, jiuwudaishi:070:s0054, jiuwudaishi:073:s0076, jiuwudaishi:074:s0070, xinwudaishi:003:s0077, xinwudaishi:044:s0152

Roles

General
Military Officer
Official
Soldier

Life and dates

Death

Manner: execution · Age: 61 · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 遂見殺 · Western Year: AD 923
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0064
Place: Rencheng / 任城 · Statement: died the day after his capture · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 翌日 · Relative: day after the battle of Zhongdu · Western Year: AD 923
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:010:s0166, jiuwudaishi:010:s0167
Manner: killed-in-battle · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 龙德三年冬十月甲戌 · Western Year: AD 923
Explicit · xinwudaishi:003:s0080

Age

Age: 61 · Reckoning: sui
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0064

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 龍德元年春正月 · Regnal Year: 1 · Season: spring · Lunar Month: 1 · Western Year: AD 921
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:010:s0201, jiuwudaishi:010:s0205
Source Date: Text: 貞明六年春正月 · Regnal Year: 6 · Season: spring · Lunar Month: 1 · Western Year: AD 920
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:010:s0001, jiuwudaishi:010:s0002
Source Date: Text: 龍德三年五月至冬十月 · Regnal Year: 3 · Western Year: AD 923
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:010:s0149, jiuwudaishi:010:s0167
Source Date: Text: 同光中 · Western Interval: Start: AD 923 · End: AD 926
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:070:s0054
Source Date: Text: 同光前河上對壘 · Western Year: AD 923
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:074:s0070
Source Date: Text: 唐莊宗 · Western Year: AD 923
Explicit · xinwudaishi:049:s0022
Source Date: Text: 彥章被擒見殺 · Western Year: AD 923
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0052, xinwudaishi:032:s0064
Source Date: Text: 战中都 · Western Year: AD 923
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:029:s0057
Source Date: Text: 末帝即位 · Western Interval: Start: AD 913 · End: AD 923
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:032:s0009
Source Date: Text: 梁太祖時 · Western Interval: Start: AD 907 · End: AD 912
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:032:s0008
Source Date: Text: 梁末議論 · Western Year: AD 923
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:044:s0100
Source Date: Text: 莊宗入汴 · Western Year: AD 923
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:073:s0076, jiuwudaishi:073:s0084
Source Date: Text: 莊宗即位於魏州 · Western Year: AD 923
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:057:s0023, jiuwudaishi:057:s0025
Source Date: Text: 貞明元年 · Western Year: AD 915
Explicit · xinwudaishi:044:s0152
Source Date: Text: 龍德三年夏 · Western Year: AD 923
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0022, xinwudaishi:032:s0027, xinwudaishi:032:s0033
Source Date: Text: 龍德元年 · Western Year: AD 921
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:012:s0117, jiuwudaishi:012:s0118
Source Date: Text: 龙德三年五月 · Western Year: AD 923
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:003:s0077
Source Date: Text: 龙德三年冬十月 · Western Year: AD 923
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:003:s0080

Family

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

Spouse of Wife of Wang Yanzhang
Kinship Term: wife / 妻子 · Union Category: marriage · Subject Role: husband · Object Role: wife · Relationship State: active

Kinship Role: children · Quantity: plural
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0016

Career and standing

Label: common soldier / 軍卒
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0008
Label: Northern Campaign Pacification commissioner / 北面行營招討使 · Action: appointed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 龍德三年五月 · Regnal Year: 3 · Lunar Month: 5 · Western Year: AD 923
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:010:s0149
Labels: deputy Xuanyi Army military commissioner and acting commissioner / 宣義軍節度副大使，知節度事, Zheng, Hua, and Pu observation and disposition commissioner / 鄭、滑、濮等州觀察處置等使 · Action: appointed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 龍德元年春正月 · Regnal Year: 1 · Western Year: AD 921
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:010:s0205
Label: Kuangguo Army military commissioner / 匡國軍節度使 · Action: appointed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 貞明六年春正月 · Regnal Year: 6 · Western Year: AD 920
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:010:s0002
Label: campaign commissioner / 招討使 · Action: appointed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 龍德三年夏 · Western Year: AD 923
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0027
Label: commander-in-chief of the northern-route campaign headquarters / 北面行营招讨使 · Action: appointed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 龙德三年五月庚申 · Western Year: AD 923
Explicit · xinwudaishi:003:s0077
Label: defender of Ru and Zheng / 汝鄭二州防禦使 · Action: appointed
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0019
Label: deputy northern campaign commissioner / 北面行營副招討使 · Action: appointed
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0019
Label: military governor of the Kuangguo Army / 匡國軍節度使 · Action: appointed
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0019
Label: northern campaign commander-in-chief / 招討使 · Action: appointed
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:073:s0076
Label: prefect of Pu / 濮州刺史 · Action: appointed
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0009
Label: commander-in-chief of the northern-route campaign headquarters / 招討使 · Action: dismissed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 龙德三年 · Western Year: AD 923
Strongly inferred · xinwudaishi:003:s0111, xinwudaishi:003:s0078
Label: commander of the Left Personal Followers / 左親從指揮使 · Action: held
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0008
Label: Kaifeng escort officer / 開封府押衙 · Action: held
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0008
Label: military governor of Xuanyi / 宣义军节度使 · Action: held
Explicit · xinwudaishi:003:s0077, xinwudaishi:003:s0080
Label: vanguard cavalry commander on campaign / 行營先鋒馬軍使 · Action: held
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0008
Labels: Kuangguo observation commissioner at Xu / 許州匡國軍節度觀察留後, acting commander of the Scattered Command / 充散指揮都軍使, honorary Grand Mentor / 檢校太傅 · Action: held
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:010:s0002
Labels: Northern Campaign deputy Pacification commissioner / 北面行營副招討使, Kuangguo Army military commissioner / 匡國軍節度使, Chen, Xu, and Cai observation and disposition commissioner / 陳許蔡等州觀察處置等使, Grand Master for Splendid Happiness / 光祿大夫, honorary Grand Mentor / 檢校太傅 · Action: held
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:010:s0205
Label: campaign commissioner / 招討使 · Action: removed
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0045
Label: Northern Campaign Pacification commissioner / 北面行營招討使 · Action: replaced-by · Other Person Id: Duan Ning (段凝) · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 龍德三年八月 · Regnal Year: 3 · Lunar Month: 8 · Western Year: AD 923
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:010:s0159
Label: military governor of the Xuanyi Army / 宣義軍節度使 · Action: transferred
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0019
Label: prefect of Chan / 澶州刺史 · Action: transferred
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0009
Title: Marquis Who Opens the State / 開國侯 · Action: advanced
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:010:s0002
Label: Grand Preceptor / 太師 · Action: posthumously-granted · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 晉高祖時 · Western Interval: Start: AD 936 · End: AD 942
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0065
Status: captured · Action: entered
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0052
Status: dismissed · Action: removed-command
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:073:s0081

Places and affiliations

Polity: Later Liang / 梁 · Relation: served
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0008, xinwudaishi:032:s0018, xinwudaishi:049:s0022
Place: Shouzhang, Yun Prefecture / 鄆州壽張
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0007

Learning and skills

Skill: mounted spear combat / 鐵槍馳突 · Level: renowned
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0011

Works and attributed material

Kind: speech · Role: speaker · Quoted: true
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0012, xinwudaishi:032:s0028, xinwudaishi:032:s0041, xinwudaishi:032:s0056, xinwudaishi:032:s0058, xinwudaishi:032:s0060, xinwudaishi:032:s0061, xinwudaishi:032:s0062, xinwudaishi:032:s0063

Events and relationships

Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: broke-Desheng-south-city-in-three-days · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 龍德三年夏 · Western Year: AD 923 · Place: Desheng / 德勝
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0030, xinwudaishi:032:s0031, xinwudaishi:032:s0032, xinwudaishi:032:s0033
Kind: military · Role: captive · Action: captured-by · Other Person Id: Xia Luqi (夏魯奇)
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0051, xinwudaishi:032:s0052
Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: captured · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 是歲 · Western Year: AD 923
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:057:s0059
Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: captured · Place: southern citadel of Desheng / 德勝之南城
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:073:s0076
Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: defeated and captured by Tang forces at Zhongdu · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 龍德三年冬十月甲戌 · Regnal Year: 3 · Season: winter · Lunar Month: 10 · Sexagenary Day: 甲戌 · Western Year: AD 923
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:010:s0164, jiuwudaishi:010:s0166
Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: defeated-and-killed-at-Zhongdu · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 龙德三年冬十月甲戌 · Western Year: AD 923
Explicit · xinwudaishi:003:s0080
Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: defeated-at-Difang-and-Zhongdu
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0049, xinwudaishi:032:s0050
Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: defeated-at-Yang-Liu
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0040
Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: defeated · Place: Zhongdu / 中都
Explicit · xinwudaishi:029:s0057
Kind: political · Role: subject · Action: executed-Jin-envoys
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0016
Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: fled-south-after-Wei-mutiny
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0014, xinwudaishi:032:s0015
Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: fought-along-river-to-Yang-Liu · Other Person Id: Emperor Zhuangzong of Later Tang (後唐莊宗)
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0038, xinwudaishi:032:s0039
Kind: political · Role: captive · Action: refused-to-serve-Jin · Other Person Id: Emperor Zhuangzong of Later Tang (後唐莊宗)
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0060, xinwudaishi:032:s0061, xinwudaishi:032:s0062, xinwudaishi:032:s0063
Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: sent-to-Wei · Place: Jinbo Pavilion / 金波亭
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0013
Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: took-Desheng-south-citadel · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 龙德三年五月庚申 · Western Year: AD 923
Explicit · xinwudaishi:003:s0077
Kind: military · Role: commander · Actions: cut Desheng pontoon bridge, captured the south city, besieged Yangliu, attacked Bozhou fortifications, withdrew to Yang village · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 龍德三年五月至七月 · Regnal Year: 3 · Western Year: AD 923
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:010:s0150, jiuwudaishi:010:s0151, jiuwudaishi:010:s0153, jiuwudaishi:010:s0155, jiuwudaishi:010:s0157, jiuwudaishi:010:s0158
Relation: rival-of · Person Id: Emperor Zhuangzong of Later Tang (後唐莊宗)
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0012
Relation: served · Person Id: Youzhen (友貞)
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0009
Relation: subordinate-of · Person Id: Youzhen (友貞)
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0027
Relation: ordered-against · Person Id: You Neng (友能)
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:012:s0118
Relation: commander-of · Person Id: Feng Hui (馮暉)
Explicit · xinwudaishi:049:s0022
Relation: served · Person Id: Zhu Quanzhong (朱全忠)
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0008
Relation: colleague-of · Person Id: Xia Luqi (夏魯奇)
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0051

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: died as he ought · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0108
Assessment: loyalty and righteousness were inborn · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0059
Kind: physical-description · Statement: fierce and strong enough to walk a hundred paces barefoot over thorns
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0010
Kind: skill · Statement: wielded an iron spear no other man could lift; mounted charges
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0011

Source notes

Historicity: historical
Explicit · xinwudaishi:032:s0007

References in the histories

Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 10Volume 10 Book of Later Liang 10: Later Emperors Annals 3 · 13 passages

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以許州匡國軍節度觀察留後、充散指揮都軍使、檢校太傅王彥章為匡國軍節度使，進封開國侯，軍職如故。 Wang Yanzhang—Kuangguo observation commissioner at Xu, acting commander of the Scattered Command, and honorary Grand Mentor—was made Kuangguo military commissioner and enfeoffed Marquis Who Opens the State, retaining his army posts.

以北面行營副招討使、匡國軍節度、陳許蔡等州觀察處置等使、光祿大夫、檢校太傅王彥章為宣義軍節度副大使，知節度事，鄭、滑、濮等州觀察處置等使，依前北面副招討使。 Wang Yanzhang was named deputy Xuanyi military commissioner over Zheng, Hua, and Pu while keeping his Northern Campaign deputy Pacification post.

其行營將士賞賚已給付本家，宜令招討使霍彥威、副招討使王彥章、陳州行營都指揮使張漢傑曉示諸軍知委。」 Campaign bonuses sent to soldiers’ families should be announced by Huo Yanwei, Wang Yanzhang, and Zhang Hanjie."

五月，以滑州節度使王彥章為北面行營招討使。 In the fifth month Wang Yanzhang of Hua became Northern Campaign Pacification commissioner.

辛酉，王彥章率舟師自楊村寨浮河而下，斷德勝之浮梁。 On xinyou Wang Yanzhang sailed from Yang village and severed Desheng’s pontoon bridge.

己巳，王彥章、段凝圍楊劉城。 On jisi Wang Yanzhang and Duan Ning besieged Yangliu.

戊子，王彥章、杜晏球率兵急攻博州之新壘，不克，遂退保於鄒口。 On wuzi Yanzhang and Du Yanqiu failed to storm Bozhou’s new works and fell back to Zou mouth.

王彥章棄鄒口，復至楊劉。 Wang Yanzhang left Zou mouth and returned to Yangliu.

八月，以段凝代王彥章為北面行營招討使。 In the eighth month Duan Ning replaced Wang Yanzhang as northern commander.

命滑州節度使王彥章率兵屯守鄆之東境。 The Emperor sent Wang Yanzhang of Hua to guard Yan’s eastern frontier.

九月戊辰，彥章以眾渡汶，與唐軍遇於遞防鎮，彥章不利，退保中都。 On wuchen in the ninth month Yanzhang crossed the Wen, lost at Difang, and retreated to Zhongdu.

甲戌，唐帝引師襲中都，王彥章兵潰，於是彥章與監軍張漢傑及趙廷隱、劉嗣彬、李知節、唐文通、王山興等皆為唐人所獲。 On jiaxu the Tang emperor stormed Zhongdu; Yanzhang’s army broke; he, Zhang Hanjie, Zhao Tingyin, and others were taken.

翌日，彥章死於任城。 The next day Yanzhang was killed at Rencheng.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 12Volume 12 Book of Later Liang 12: Biographies 2: Imperial Family · 1 passage

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詔陝州留後霍彥威、宣義節度使王彥章、控鶴指揮使張漢傑將兵討之。 An edict sent Shaanzhou commissioner Huo Yanwei, Xuanyi commissioner Wang Yanzhang, and Crane-Control commander Zhang Hanjie against him.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 57Volume 57 Book of Later Tang 33: Biographies 9: Gao Chongtao · 4 passages

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俄而王彥章陷德勝南城，敵勢滋蔓，汴人急攻楊劉城。 Soon Wang Yanzhang captured the southern sector of Desheng, enemy strength swelled, and the Liang forces pressed hard against Yangliu.

居三日，梁軍果至，城壘低庳，沙土散惡，戰具不完，汴將王彥章、杜晏球率眾攻擊，軍不得休息。 Three days later the Liang army arrived. The walls were low, the soil loose and poor, and the equipment incomplete. Wang Yanzhang and Du Yanqiu of Liang led their forces in repeated assaults, giving the defenders no respite.

又聞精兵盡在段凝麾下，王彥章日寇鄆境，彼既以大軍臨我南鄙，又憑恃決河，謂我不能南渡，志在收復汶陽，此汴人之謀也。 Their best troops are massed under Duan Ning, while Wang Yanzhang harasses Yun daily. They mean to pin us with a great army on our southern frontier while trusting the breached river to keep us from crossing south and reconquering Wenyang. That is the Liang plan.

是歲，擒王彥章，誅梁氏，降段凝，皆崇韜讚成其謀也。 That year Wang Yanzhang was captured, the Liang dynasty was overthrown, and Duan Ning surrendered—all achievements that Guo Chongtao had urged and helped bring to pass.

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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中都之戰，汴人大敗，魯奇見王彥章，識之，單馬追及，槍擬其頸； At the battle of Zhongdu the Bian army was routed. Luqi spotted Wang Yanzhang, recognized him, rode after him alone, and set a spear against his neck;

彥章顧曰：「爾非餘故人乎？」 Yanzhang looked back and said, "Aren't you my old friend?"

〈（《九國誌·趙庭隱傳》：王彥章守中都，庭隱在其軍中。 (From the Biography of Zhao Tingyin in the Jiuguo Zhi: Wang Yanzhang defended Zhongdu, and Tingyin served in his army.

及彥章敗，庭隱為莊宗所獲，將以就戮，大將夏魯奇奏曰：「此矬也，其材可用。」 When Yanzhang was defeated, Tingyin was taken by Zhuangzong and was about to be executed. The great general Xia Luqi memorialized, "He is a short man, but his abilities are worth keeping."

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;

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 · 5 passages

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行師不利，用王彥章代之，受任之翌日，取德勝之南城，軍聲大振。 When campaigns went badly, Wang Yanzhang replaced him. The day after taking command, Yanzhang seized the southern citadel of Desheng, and army morale soared.

張漢倫等推功於凝，凝掎摭彥章之失以間之。 Zhang Hanlun and others credited Ning with the success, and Ning seized on Yanzhang's faults to drive a wedge between them.

〈（《通鑒》：彥章棄鄒家口，復趨楊劉。 (According to the Zizhi Tongjian: Yanzhang abandoned Zujiakou and hurried toward Yangliu.

遊奕將李紹興敗梁遊兵於清邱縣南，段凝以為唐兵已自上流渡，驚駭失色，麵數彥章，尤其深入。）〉 Patrol general Li Shaoxing defeated Liang scouts south of Qingqiu County. Ning concluded that Tang troops had already crossed upstream, turned pale with fright, and berated Yanzhang to his face, reproaching him above all for advancing too far.)〉

梁末帝怒，罷彥章兵權。 The last Liang emperor was enraged and stripped Yanzhang of his military command.

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 · 1 passage

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守殷守德勝寨，為梁將王彥章所攻，守殷無備，遂陷南寨。 Shouyin held Desheng Stockade when the Liang general Wang Yanzhang attacked. Caught unprepared, he lost the southern stockade.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 3Volume 3 Later Liang Annals 3: Later Emperors · 3 passages

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五月庚申，宣义军节度使王彦章为北面行营招讨使，取德胜南城。 In the fifth month, on the day gengshen, Wang Yanzhang of Xuanyi was appointed to command the northern campaign and recovered the southern citadel at Desheng.

冬十月甲戌，宣义军节度使王彦章及唐人战于中都，败绩，死之。 In the tenth month of winter, on the day jiaxu, Wang Yanzhang of Xuanyi met Tang forces at Zhongdu, was defeated, and was killed.

凡官皆不重書，此書者，嫌彥章已罷招討使而與唐戰，蓋罷使而別將兵以戰也。 Offices are normally not repeated. It is repeated here lest readers think Yanzhang had already been removed as campaign commander when he fought Tang; apparently he had been dismissed from that commission but separately led troops into battle.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 29Volume 29 Later Jin Biographies 9: Sang Weihan, Jing Yanguang, Wu Luan · 1 passage

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后从王彦章战中都，彦章败，延广身被数创，仅以身免。 He followed Wang Yanzhang at Zhongdu; Yanzhang fell and Yanguang was riddled with wounds, barely alive.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 32Volume 32 Biographies of Martyrs to Virtue 12: Wang Yanzhang · 41 passages

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王彥章 Wang Yanzhang

王彥章，字子明，鄆州壽張人也。 Wang Yanzhang, styled Ziming, came from Shouzhang in Yun Prefecture.

彥章為人驍勇有力，能跣足履棘行百步。 Yanzhang was fierce and strong enough to walk a hundred paces barefoot over thorns.

持一鐵槍，騎而馳突，奮疾如飛，而佗人莫能舉也，軍中號王鐵槍。 He wielded an iron spear no other man could lift. Mounted, he charged like a gale. The army called him Wang Iron Spear.

梁、晉爭天下為勁敵，獨彥章心常輕晉王，謂人曰：「亞次鬥雞小兒耳，何足懼哉！」 Liang and Jin were mortal rivals, yet Yanzhang alone always scorned the Prince of Jin. "That second-rate cockfighting brat," he said—"what is there to fear?"

梁分魏、相六州為兩鎮，懼魏軍不從，遣彥章將五百騎入魏，屯金波亭以虞變。 Liang split Wei and Xiang into two commands. Fearing mutiny among the Wei troops, they sent Yanzhang with five hundred cavalry into Wei and camped at Jinbo Pavilion to watch for trouble.

魏軍果亂，夜攻彥章。 The Wei army did rebel and attacked Yanzhang by night.

彥章南走，魏人降晉。 Yanzhang fled south; the Wei men went over to Jin.

晉軍攻破澶州，虜彥章妻子歸之太原，賜以第宅，供給甚備，間遣使者招彥章，彥章斬其使者以自絕。 Jin took Chan Prefecture, carried Yanzhang’s family to Taiyuan, gave them a mansion and rich provision, and sent envoys now and then to win him over. Yanzhang killed every envoy and broke for good.

然晉人畏彥章之在梁也，必欲招致之，待其妻子愈厚。 Jin feared Yanzhang as long as he served Liang and was bent on winning him—they treated his family even more generously.

自梁失魏、博，與晉夾河而軍，彥章常為先鋒。 Once Liang lost Wei and Bo, the two powers faced each other across the Yellow River—and Yanzhang was always in the vanguard.

而梁末帝昏亂，小人趙巖、張漢傑等用事，大臣宿將多被讒間，彥章雖為招討副使，而謀不見用。 The Last Emperor was lost; Zhao Yan and Zhang Hanjie ran the court, and veteran ministers and generals were slandered aside. Yanzhang was deputy campaign commander, but no one listened.

翔曰：「事急矣，非彥章不可！」 Xiang said: "It is desperate—only Yanzhang can save us!"

末帝乃召彥章為招討使，以段凝為副。 The Last Emperor summoned Yanzhang as campaign commander and made Duan Ning his deputy.

末帝問破敵之期，彥章對曰：「三日。」 The Last Emperor asked when he could break the enemy. Yanzhang said: "Three days."

彥章受命而出，馳兩日至滑州，置酒大會，陰遣人具舟於楊村，命甲士六百人皆持巨斧，載冶者，具韝炭，乘流而下。 Yanzhang took command and rode. Two days later he was at Hua Prefecture, feasting while secretly preparing boats at Yang Village—six hundred armored men with great axes, smiths with bellows and charcoal, all drifting downstream.

彥章會飲，酒半，佯起更衣，引精兵數千，沿河以趨德勝。 Mid-feast he pretended to leave and change clothes, then led several thousand picked troops along the river toward Desheng.

舟兵舉鎖燒斷之，因以巨斧斬浮橋，而彥章引兵急擊南城。 The boatmen burned through the chains, smashed the floating bridge with great axes, and Yanzhang stormed the south city.

是時莊宗在魏，以朱守殷守夾寨，聞彥章為招討使，驚曰：「彥章驍勇，吾嘗避其鋒，非守殷敵也。 Zhuangzong was at Wei; Zhu Shouyin held the Twin Forts. Hearing Yanzhang had command, he said in alarm: "Yanzhang is fierce—I have always dodged his spear. Shouyin cannot stand against him.

然彥章兵少，利於速戰，必急攻我南城。」 But his force is small. He lives by speed—and he will hit our south city at once."

即馳騎救之，行二十里，而得夾寨報者曰：「彥章兵已至。」 He galloped to the rescue. Twenty li out a messenger from the Twin Forts cried: "Yanzhang is here!"

莊宗徹北城為筏，下楊劉，與彥章俱浮於河，各行一岸，每舟抃相及輒戰，一日數十接。 Zhuangzong broke up the north city into rafts and floated down to Yang Liu. He and Yanzhang raced along opposite banks; whenever a boat came within reach they fought—dozens of clashes in a single day.

彥章至楊劉，攻之幾下。 At Yang Liu Yanzhang nearly broke through.

晉人築壘博州東岸，彥章引兵攻之，不克，還擊楊劉，戰敗。 Jin raised fortifications east of Bo Prefecture. Yanzhang attacked and failed, turned on Yang Liu, and was beaten.

是時，段凝已有異志，與趙巖、張漢傑交通，彥章素剛，憤梁日削，而嫉巖等所為，嘗謂人曰：「俟吾破賊還，誅奸臣以謝天下。」 By then Duan Ning was already playing a double game, dealing with Zhao Yan and Zhang Hanjie. Yanzhang was blunt; he watched Liang shrink day by day and hated the court’s petty men. He often said: "When I break the enemy and march home, I will kill the traitors and answer the realm."

其破南城也，彥章與凝各為捷書以聞，凝遣人告巖等匿彥章書而上己書，末帝初疑其事，已而使者至軍，獨賜勞凝而不及彥章，軍士皆失色。 When the south city fell, Yanzhang and Ning each sent victory dispatches. Ning’s men told Zhao Yan to bury Yanzhang’s report and push Ning’s instead. The Last Emperor doubted at first—then the envoy reached camp and rewards went to Ning alone. The soldiers went white.

及楊劉之敗也，凝乃上書言：「彥章使酒輕敵而至於敗。」 After Yang Liu, Ning wrote: "Yanzhang drank, scorned the enemy, and lost."

趙巖等從中日夜毀之，乃罷彥章，以凝為招討使。 Zhao Yan and the rest tore at him day and night. Yanzhang was stripped of command; Ning took his place.

彥章馳至京師入見，以笏畫地，自陳勝敗之跡，巖等諷有司劾彥章不恭，勒還第。 Yanzhang raced to the capital and laid the battle out on the floor with his tablet. Zhao Yan and the rest had the authorities charge him with disrespect and send him home.

唐兵攻兗州，末帝召彥章使守捉東路。 Tang attacked Yan Prefecture; the Last Emperor called Yanzhang to hold the eastern road.

是時，梁之勝兵皆屬段凝，京師只有保鑾五百騎，皆新捉募之兵，不可用，乃以屬彥章，而以張漢傑監之。 Liang’s best troops were all with Duan Ning. The capital had only five hundred Palace Guard cavalry—raw recruits, good for nothing. These were handed to Yanzhang, with Zhang Hanjie watching over him.

彥章至遞坊，以兵少戰敗，退保中都； At Difang Yanzhang was too weak to win; he fell back on Zhongdu;

唐將夏魯奇素與彥章善，識其語音，曰：「王鐵槍也！」 The Tang general Xia Luqi had served with Yanzhang and knew his voice. He shouted: "Wang Iron Spear!"

舉槊刺之，彥章傷重，馬踣，被擒。 He drove his spear into him. Yanzhang was gravely wounded, his horse went down, and he was taken.

彥章對曰：「大事已去，非人力可為！」 Yanzhang said: "The cause is lost. No human strength can mend it!"

彥章武人不知書，常為俚語謂人曰：「豹死留皮，人死留名。」 Yanzhang could not read, but he had a saying: "The leopard dies and leaves its hide; the man dies and leaves his name."

莊宗愛其驍勇，欲全活之，使人慰諭彥章，彥章謝曰：「臣與陛下血戰十餘年，今兵敗力窮，不死何待？ Zhuangzong admired his valor and wanted to save him. He sent men to win him over. Yanzhang refused: "I fought you in blood for more than ten years. Now my army is broken and my strength spent—if I do not die, what am I waiting for?

莊宗又遣明宗往諭之，彥章病創，臥不能起，仰顧明宗，呼其小字曰：「汝非邈佶烈乎？ Zhuangzong sent Mingzong to persuade him. Yanzhang’s wounds were too grave to rise. He looked up at Mingzong and called his childhood name: "Are you not Miaojilie?

晉高祖時，追贈彥章太師。 Under Jin Gaozu he was posthumously made Grand Preceptor.

與彥章同時有裴約者，潞州之牙將也。 In Yanzhang’s day there was also Pei Yue, a staff officer of Luzhou.

然士之不幸而生其時者，不為之臣可也，其食人之祿者，必死人之事，如彥章者，可謂得其死哉！ Yet for scholars born into that age, refusing office would have been enough; but whoever ate a lord’s salary owed that lord his death. Yanzhang may truly be said to have died as he ought.

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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遣劉鄩以兵六萬渡河，聲言攻鎮定，王彥章以騎兵五百入魏州，屯金波亭以虞變； He sent Liu Yun with sixty thousand men across the river, feigning a strike on Zhen and Ding, while Wang Yanzhang entered Wei with five hundred horse and camped at Jinbo Pavilion to watch for trouble;

乃相與夜攻金波亭，彥章走出。 That night they stormed Jinbo Pavilion together, and Yanzhang fled.

王彥章，驍將也，遣漢傑監其軍而制之。 Wang Yanzhang is a fierce fighter, yet Hanjie was sent to watch his army and hold him back.

王彥章以京師禁衛擊鄆州； Wang Yanzhang with the capital guard against Yanzhou;

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 49Volume 49 Miscellaneous Biographies 29: Di Guangye, Feng Hui, Huang Fuhui, Tang Jingsi, Wang Jin, Chang Si, Sun Fangjian · 1 passage

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唐莊宗入魏，與梁相距於河上，暉以隊長亡入梁軍，王彥章以暉驍勇，隸之麾下。 Zhuangzong entered Wei and faced Liang on the river. Hui fled from his squad into Liang ranks. Wang Yanzhang took his dash and kept him close.