Wang Bangrui

Life

His great-grandfather was Wang Lin (王璘), his grandfather Wang Chen (王臣), and his father Wang Mo (王謨); his mother was of the Qu clan, his younger brother was Wang Bangqi (王邦綺), his wife was of the Ji clan, and his son was Wang Zhengguo (王正國), who died in 1601. His aunt was the consort of Zhu Mentan, Prince Guangyang of the Yifu. Under the Ming rule that civil officials with royal kin could not be appointed to central posts, he did not become governor of Guangde until after she had died without issue, in the sixteenth year of the Zhengde reign.

In Zhengde 8 (1513), he ranked nineteenth in the Henan provincial examination and became a juren; in Zhengde 12 (1517), he ranked 183rd in the metropolitan examination, passed the palace examination in the third class, and was selected as a shujishi. His jinshi year is given differently: one account places it in Zhengde 9, another in Zhengde 12 (1517); his palace-examination rank is likewise given as 191st in one account and 190th in another.

After his grandfather’s death early in the Jiajing reign, he observed mourning; once the mourning period ended, he became governor of Chuzhou, rose to yuanwailang in the Nanjing Ministry of Personnel (another listing places the post in the Nanjing Ministry of Punishments), acted as langzhong of the Bureau of Personnel Selection, and became an educational commissioner in Shaanxi. In the eleventh year of the Jiajing reign (1532), he was implicated because more than five recommended tribute students had failed the examination and was demoted to governor of Binzhou; he later served as a Shaanxi surveillance commissioner and vice commissioner, became Guyuan’s military-defense vice commissioner in the third month of Jiajing 16 (1537), and suppressed Li Mengchun’s bandit uprising.

After his grandmother’s death, he again observed mourning. Once the mourning period ended, he returned as Shaanxi educational vice commissioner and in the eighth month of Jiajing 22 (1543) became right canzheng of the Shaanxi provincial administration commission; he left office again to mourn his mother and was later restored. In the fourth month of Jiajing 26 (1547), he was promoted to right vice censor-in-chief and governor of Ningxia; in Jiajing 28 (1549), he was transferred to Chief Justice of the Nanjing Court of Judicial Review, did not take up the post, became right vice minister of War in the sixth month, transferred to right vice minister of Personnel in the tenth month, and was promoted to left vice minister in the third month of the following year.

During Altan Khan’s attack on Beijing in Jiajing 29 (1550), the Shizong Emperor ordered Wang to command the city’s nine gates; when Minister of War Ding Rukui was imprisoned, Wang acted in his capacity and concurrently supervised the troop camps. After Altan Khan withdrew, Wang memorialized to abolish the twelve camps and consolidate them into the three main camps under Qiu Luan, Marquis of Xianing; he was then made left vice minister of War and concurrently right vice censor-in-chief, assisted with metropolitan camp affairs, took sole responsibility for camp administration, and became Minister of War in November. After Qiu Luan falsely accused him, Wang was dismissed in the second month of Jiajing 30 and later stripped of office, becoming a commoner.

After Qiu Luan’s execution, the emperor reappointed Wang in the sixth month of Jiajing 39 (1560) to assist with the military administration of the metropolitan camps. He died in office in the twelfth month of Jiajing 40, and was posthumously named Xiangyi and granted the title Grand Protector of the Heir Apparent. His recorded offices also include the rank-title Jiayi Dafu (嘉議大夫).

Character and views

He was described as stern and capable of judgment; in a memorial, he called eunuchs’ command of troops the greatest danger of all ages.

Writings

His works include the Wang Xiangyi gong ji (《王襄毅公集》), in twenty juan with a one-juan appendix.

Associations and literary exchanges

Lu Nan sent him poems, prose, and a farewell message; Yang Shouli, Tang Long, Li Huai, Wang Tingxiang, and Wang Weizhen exchanged farewell messages with him. Wang Weizhen also corresponded with him, Xu Jie sent him letters, and Zhang Qin and Ji Ben sent congratulations.

He wrote epitaphs for Wu Han and Wang Yue, commemorative steles for Sun Cun and Wang Yue, and sacrificial texts for Tang Long and Wen Xiu. He wrote prefaces for the poetry and prose of Wen Xiu and Wen Xin; Zhang Yigui wrote a preface for his book, and Guo Pu and Lu Kejiao wrote his epitaphs. Huang Chen praised his achievements, and Xu Gao wrote a shrine inscription for him.