Wang Dan

Life

His father is named as Wang Hu, also written Wang You; his great-grandfather was Wang Yan and his grandfather Wang Che. His father-in-law was Zhao Changyan, and his maternal uncle was Li Xu; his elder brother was Wang Yi, his younger brother Wang Xu, and his clan younger brother Wang Zhao.

His two daughters married Han Yi and Su Qi. His sons were Wang Yong, Wang Chong, and Wang Su, listed respectively as eldest, second, third, and youngest. Other sons-in-law were Lü Gongbi and Fan Lingsun; Wang Zhi was listed as a nephew. His descendants included the grandson Wang Ao, the clan grandson Wang Lun, the sixth-generation descendant Wang Yan, the direct descendants Wang Shu, Wang Tailai, and Wang Huanzhi, and the fifth-generation descendant Wang Cong.

In 980, the fifth year of the Taiping Xingguo era under Emperor Taizong, he passed the jinshi examination. After becoming magistrate of Pingjiang, he was recommended for appointment as zhuzuo zuolang (著作佐郎). He also took part in compiling Wen yuan ying hua (《文苑英華》). Early in the Chunhua era he served as a transport commissioner; in 991 he was appointed you zhengyan (右正言) and zhizhigao (知制誥). He later rose to supervise the Court of Judicial Review (知理檢院).

After Zhenzong's accession, he became Zhongshu Sheren and a Hanlin Academician. He concurrently supervised the Office of Evaluating Officials and the Tongjin Yintai Fengbo offices (審官院、通進銀臺封駁司). In 1000, he was appointed jishizhong (給事中) and tongzhi Shumi yuan shi (同知樞密院事); in the following year he served as gongbu shilang (工部侍郎) and canzhi zhengshi (參知政事). Other offices in his career included zhi Linjiang junshi (知臨江軍), shangshu zuocheng (尚書左丞), qianshu Shumi yuan shi (簽書樞密院事), Academician of the Jixian Academy (集賢院大學士), and taiwei (太尉).

During the Khitan invasion, Wang Dan accompanied Zhenzong to Chanzhou. When Yong Prince, the capital's acting governor, fell gravely ill, he hurried back to serve as acting governor. In 1006, the third year of the Jingde era, he was appointed Minister of Works, tong Zhongshu menxia pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事), and Academician of Jixian Hall (集賢殿大學士). He also supervised the compilation of the History of the Two Reigns (《兩朝國史》). During the Dazhong Xiangfu era, he accompanied the imperial rites at Mount Tai and the sacrifice at Fenyin, served as Commissioner for Grand Rites, and was promoted to Right Vice Director and Grand Academician of Zhaowen Hall (右僕射、昭文館大學士). He held the reins of government for eighteen years. Illness forced him to relinquish the chancellorship in the first year of the Tianxi era, and he died in September that year at the age of sixty-one. His posthumous honors are variously given as Grand Preceptor (太師) and Duke of Wei (魏國公), while Wenzheng was his posthumous name.

Politics and Recommendations

Wang Dan urged Zhenzong to follow the institutions of the founding emperors and to be cautious about altering them; he was also known for recognizing talent and recommending many serious, steady men. When Wang Dan was serving as the magistrate of Yuezhou-Pingjiang, Zhao Changyan judged that he possessed the capacity of a chief minister; Wang Dan and Du Yan jointly recommended Huang Zhongtong, who was subsequently appointed zhuzuo zuolang and later served as governor of Huizhou.

As colleagues, Li Hang reported the floods, droughts, and banditry of the western regions to the emperor every day, while Wang Dan considered these minor matters not worth troubling the emperor with; Li Hang replied that a young ruler should be made aware of the hardships throughout the empire. In discussions over the appointment of a drafter of imperial edicts, Wang Dan expressed regret for Zhang Shide and said that he had repeatedly told the emperor that Zhang was the son of a distinguished family and possessed scholarly conduct. Wang Dan also memorialized the throne on behalf of his maternal grandson Su Shunyuan, securing for him the status of tongxuejiu chushen (同學究出身); Su was later appointed registrar of Xingping and transferred to serve as magistrate of Xinchang.

Writings and Later Memory

Wang Dan had a collected literary works in twenty juan, now lost; other works for which he is listed as author include Guoshi (《國史》), in 120 juan, and Mingxian yifan lu (《名賢遺範錄》), in 14 juan. Four of his poems are now transmitted.

Wang Dan received a farewell inscription or poem from Wang Yucheng, and Yang Yi once sent him a letter. Later writings about Wang Dan include prefaces to his books by Han Qi and Zhou Bida, a postface by Wu Cheng, and a biography by Luo Congyan; Ye Shi composed a genealogy inscription, Ouyang Xiu and Kong Wuzhong wrote his spirit-way stele, and Kong Wuzhong and Ye Shi also composed shrine records.