Wang Zongji

Wang Zongji (王宗佶) (died May 1, 908), né Gan (甘), was an adoptive son of Wang Jian, the founding emperor of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period state Former Shu. He was the oldest among Wang Jian's 120 adoptive sons and considered himself a potential successor to Wang Jian. In 908, Wang Jian, angry over his arrogance, had him put to death. Background It is not known when Wang Zongji was born. He was said to be from Hong Prefecture (洪州, in modern Nanchang, Jiangxi) and had the surname of Gan. When Wang Jian was still a soldier at Zhongwu Circuit (忠武, headquartered in modern Xuchang, Henan), he captured Wang Zongji; he then adopted and raised Wang Zongji as his own son. Service under Wang Jian during Tang Dynasty Later, during Wang Jian's campaigns that eventually allowed him to gain control of the modern Sichuan and Chongqing region, Wang Zongji served under him with distinction. As a result, in 899, when, under Wang Jian's request, five prefectures were carved out of Dongchuan Circuit (東川, headquartered in modern Mianyang, Sichuan), which Wang Jian had just conquered by defeating Gu Yanhui, to establish a new Wuxin Circuit (武信, headquartered in modern Suining, Sichuan), Wang Zongji was made its military governor (Jiedushi). In 901, after the powerful eunuch Han Quanhui forced then-reigning Emperor Zhaozong of Tang to leave Chang'an to go to the territory of Han's ally Li Maozhen the military governor of Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji, Shaanxi), Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng, Henan), whom Emperor Zhaozong's chancellor Cui Yin had just summoned in order to carry out Cui's plot of slaughtering the eunuchs (and whose plot Han was reacting to), attacked Fengxiang to try to recapture the emperor. Both Li and Zhu sought aid from Wang Jian. Wang Jian tried to play both sides by outwardly agreeing with Zhu and rebuking Li, but sent secret messengers to Fengxiang to encourage Li to hold out — while sending Wang Zongji and another adoptive son, Wang Zongdi, north to attack Shannan West Circuit (山南西道, headquartered in modern Hanzhong, Shaanxi), which Li possessed at the time. In 902, Li's adoptive son Li Jimi the military governor of Shannan West surrendered it, allowing Wang Jian to take it under possession.