Wang Qiong

Life

The Wang family had settled in Liulin east of the Fen River, now Liujiabao in Taiyuan. His paternal uncle Wang Yongshou rose to Minister of Works in Nanjing during Tianshun; his father Wang Yongheng served as prefect of Longqingzhou during Chenghua and began a new residence on the eastern street of the county seat. His sons included Wang Ruzhong and Wang Huhan, and his grandson was Wang Zhuang.

In the twentieth year of Chenghua (1484), he earned the jinshi degree, ranking second in the second class; his examination career also included the status of a provincial tribute candidate. He entered the Ministry of Works as a secretary in the Tuntian Office, later serving as assistant director and director in the Waterways Office; he administered the canal for three years and became known for his competence.

During the Hongzhi era he served successively as vice commissioner, director in the Shaanxi Office of the Ministry of Revenue, right administrative commissioner in Shandong, and left and right administrative commissioners in Henan; at the beginning of Zhengde, he became vice chief censor. He then held the right vice-ministership of Revenue, including a period in Nanjing, the left and right vice-ministerships of Personnel, the left assistant censorate, and the left vice-ministership of Revenue, becoming Minister of Revenue in Zhengde 8. He had a calculating mind, was skilled at checking accounts, knew old documents and regulations well, and understood revenue and expenditure in detail. He twice served as a reader of examination scripts, in Zhengde 9 and Zhengde 12.

In Zhengde 10 (1515), he was promoted to Minister of War and remained in the post until Zhengde 15 (1520), serving under the Chenghua, Hongzhi, Zhengde, and Jiajing reigns. As Minister of War, he cultivated close ties with Qian Ning and Jiang Bin, and requests he sponsored were often approved; between Zhengde 12 and 14, he successively received the ranks of Shaobao, Shaofu, and Shaoshi, as well as Taizi Shaobao, Taizi Taifu, and Taizi Taishi. From Zhengde 15 to the first year of Jiajing, he was Minister of Personnel.

When Shizong took the throne, Wang Qiong was impeached and was sent to garrison Suide on the charge of associating with palace attendants; he was also imprisoned in connection with Chen Jiuchou’s mishandling of an affair. Restored in Jiajing 6 (1527), he became, in the following year, Minister of War concurrently serving as Right Chief Censor and overseeing the military affairs of the three frontier commands of Shaanxi. From Jiajing 7 through 10 (1528–1531), his military responsibility extended from Yansui and Ningxia to beyond Jiayuguan in the Hexi Corridor; he strengthened the frontier defenses, and the northwestern border became more secure.

He favored appointing men for their ability and appointed Wang Shouren to suppress Zhu Chenhao’s rebellion. Wang Shouren wrote to him in Zhengde 13–14 (1518–1519); Cui Xian wrote a postscript to one of his books, while Gao Shusi, Huo Tao, and Kou Tianxu wrote sacrificial texts for him, and Huo Tao also composed his spirit-way inscription. Wang Qiong in turn wrote a tomb inscription for Bai Siming and a preface to prose and poetry by Han Wen.

In Jiajing 10 (1531), he again became Minister of Personnel; he died in office the following year and was posthumously granted the title Taishi and the name Gongxiang.

Writings

Wang Qiong served as chief editor of the eight-volume *Caohe Tuzhi* and was associated with the *Jingxi Zouyi*, the two-volume *Shuangxi Zaji*, the one-volume *Beibian Shiji*, the one-volume *Xifan Shiji*, and the one-volume *Yuancao Mingchen Lu*.