Wang Sui

Life

His genealogy places Wang Shao among his ancestors, but the exact relationship differs: one account calls Wang Sui his great-great-grandson, while another makes Wang Shao his great-grandfather; his father was Wang Wanshu, he was described as the third son, and his younger brothers included Wang Xun, Wang Xuan, and Wang Zhishu.

In the second year of the Jiatai era under Emperor Ningzong (1202), he passed the jinshi examination, was appointed assistant magistrate of Fuyang, and later served as magistrate of Dangtu, Lishui, and Shanyin Counties. The dating of his appointments to the Shaowu and Anfeng armies differs: one account places them in the third year of the Shaoding era (1230), while the appointment entries give Shaowu in 1231 and Anfeng from 1231 to 1232. As governor of Shaowu Army, he tended to a population afflicted by hardship, and the people found security in him.

He subsequently became Registrar of the Directorate of Education, served in the Three Institutes and among the palace attendants, and held posts including Right Remonstrance Censor and Censor. In the sixth year of Shaoding, he was appointed Investigating Censor and submitted memorials urging the promotion of gentlemen and the removal of petty men; early in Duanping, he became Palace Censor and again denounced Li Zhixiao and others as the “three villains.” In 1236, the third year of Duanping, he was appointed Vice Minister of Revenue, concurrently serving as a joint compiler of the History of the State and a joint compiler in the Institute for the Veritable Records; he also served as Acting Left Vice Minister.

He then went out as Military Commissioner for Sichuan while concurrently serving as prefect of Chengdu, and also held the posts of Deputy Military Commissioner and Pacification Military Commissioner; he later served as Jiangxi Transport Vice Commissioner and as Pacification Commissioner. He served as prefect of Suining, Chengdu, Qingyuan, Pingjiang, Ningguo, and Jianning; he was also prefect of Taiping, Quanzhou, and Wenzhou, and of Longxing. His career also included service in the Nanping Army, Xuanzhou, and Hongzhou, as well as titles such as Chaofeng Daifu (朝奉大夫), Chaoqing Daifu (朝請大夫), the Three Institutes, palace attendant, censor, Xianmoge daizhi (顯謨閣待制), Huanzhangge daizhi (煥章閣待制), Huawenge zhixueshi (華文閣直學士), Baozhangge zhixueshi (寶章閣直學士), and Baozhangge daizhi (寶章閣待制).

Summoned to court, he was made Acting Minister of Works; he later retired as a Direct Academician of the Longtu Pavilion. The accounts give different ages at death, 67 and 76; his posthumous name was Zhengsu (正肅).

Writing

His prose was described as elegant and vigorous, without the affectations of worldly writing. His Shizhai wengao (實齋文稿) has been lost; his poetry was compiled in a single volume from pieces preserved in other works.

Associations and literary exchange

Wang Sui recommended Liu Chun to the court; Liu Chun was then appointed magistrate of Shaowu County and later led troops against the bandit Liu Anguo. He exchanged literary work with Liu Kezhuang and Zhen Dexiu: Liu Kezhuang wrote a colophon for him, while Zhen Dexiu composed explanations of his courtesy name and personal name. Wang Sui wrote a sacrificial text for Wang Ping; Huang Zhen and Bao Hui, in turn, wrote sacrificial texts for him. Liu Zai gave him parting words; Liu Kezhuang and Du Fan were associated with inscriptions, notes, or names for buildings, and Wang Sui instructed Lin Conggui.