Wang Shu

Life

He was a descendant of Wang Ji, and his father was Wang Jingchun.

In the third year of the Chunhua era (992), Wang passed the jinshi examination, beginning his career as registrar of Gong County and then serving as judicial aide to the Dingguo Army. During the Xianping era, he was recommended for the Worthy and Upright examination, appointed Literary Court Gentleman in the Secretariat, helped compile the Cefu Yuangui, went out as magistrate of Dinghai County, and was subsequently promoted to a Grand Master of the Palace Secretariat.

After returning to court, he served as a Group Herds Office Judge, a judge in the offices administering arrears, and a Court Gentleman of the Ministry of Works; he was then appointed Palace Attendant for Literary Glory, transferred as Huainan Transport Commissioner, assigned to supervise the Three Classes Court, and made acting prefect of Kaifeng. In the eighth year of Dazhong Xiangfu (1015), he became Privy Council Academician and prefect of Yizhou; his administration there was severe, after which he returned to court as a Drafter and concurrently Palace Attendant to the Heir Apparent.

His later provincial appointments included Yizhou, Ruzhou, Xiangzhou, Luzhou, Shaanzhou, and Henan Prefecture. The chronology for the fourth year of Tianxi (1020) is variant: one account has him leaving for Ruzhou after his father-in-law Kou Zhun was dismissed, while an appointment for Haizhou is also given for the same period; in the first year of Qianxing (1022), he was demoted to Assistant Military Commissioner of Yingzhou.

In the sixth year of Tiansheng (1028), he was promoted to Vice Minister of Works and made prefect of Yongxing Circuit; in the seventh year (1029), he entered the court as Censor-in-Chief, concurrently supervising the judicial review office, and became Vice Chief Councillor. After requesting removal because of illness, he was sent out as prefect of Shaanzhou, transferred to Henan Prefecture, and in the second year of Mingdao (1033) was recalled as Commissioner of the Privy Council. In the first year of Jingyou (1034), he was granted the concurrent title of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi and died at the age of seventy-two.

Other offices recorded for him include Guanglu Temple卿, Right Remonstrance Grandee, Academician of the Zizheng Hall, and acting Vice Minister of Revenue. He was fond of Buddhism, practiced deep self-restraint, and was described as upright, austere, restrained, and dignified.

Writings

Wang Shu wrote *Qunmu gushi* in six juan, a forty-juan collected works, *Zhou shu yinxun* in twelve juan, *Tang shu beiwen* in three juan, and *Daidou fengshi lu* in two juan; a forty-juan *Liang Han zhaoyi* is also attributed to him. The collected works were already lost, and five poems are recorded today.

The titles and lengths vary: *Liang Han zhaoyi* also appears as 《兩漢詔義》, *Tang shu beiwen* as 《唐書修問》, and *Daidou fengshi lu* as 《戴斗奏使錄》 in two juan and as a one-juan title; the catalogues also list 《列子指歸》 in one juan and 《莊子指歸》 in three.

Family and associations

His wife Liu (996–1074) was a daughter of Kou Zhun and the mother of Wang Yirou. Wang Yigong (992–1065) is identified as the eldest son, while Wang Yirou (1015–1086) is variously identified as the second or youngest son. His daughter Wang (1017–1038) married Chen Anshi; other sons-in-law named are Sun Yu, Zhang Zongjian, Zhao Shizong, Yang Shunchen, and Yin Zongji. His descendants included Wang Shenyan (1011–1087), Wang Shenxing, and Wang Shenzhu; a collateral grandson was Wang Shenwei, and a great-great-granddaughter Wang (1061–1118) married Wu Zhen.

Xing Ang valued him, and the monk Jingxuan once sent him a letter. Yin Zhu composed his tomb inscription and spirit-way stele; Ouyang Xiu received a reply from him, and Han Qi received a qi from him.