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Wei Guan (220 – 25 July 291[3]), courtesy name Boyu, was a Chinese military general and politician of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He served under the Jin dynasty after the end of the Three Kingdoms period.
Wei Guan | |
|---|---|
| 衛瓘 | |
| Manager of the Affairs of the Masters of Writing (錄尚書事) | |
| In office late April 291[1] – 25 July 291 | |
| Monarch | Emperor Hui of Jin |
| Grand Protector (太保) | |
| In office 5 February 290[2] – 25 July 291 | |
| Monarch | Emperor Wu of Jin / Emperor Hui of Jin |
| Crown Prince's Junior Tutor (太子少傅) | |
| In office ?– 290 | |
| Minister of Works (司空) | |
| In office 283– 5 February 290 | |
| Palace Attendant (侍中) | |
| In office 278–290 | |
| Prefect of the Masters of Writing (尚書令) | |
| In office 278–290 | |
| Colonel of the Wuhuan (烏桓校尉) | |
| In office 271–278 | |
| Inspector of You Province (幽州刺史) | |
| In office 271–278 | |
| Senior General Who Attacks the North (征北大將軍) | |
| In office 271–278 | |
| Governor of Qing Province (青州牧) | |
| In office 269–271 | |
| Senior General Who Attacks the East (征東大將軍) | |
| In office 269–271 | |
| General Who Attacks the East (征東將軍) | |
| In office February 266–269 | |
| Monarch | Emperor Wu of Jin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 220 Xia County, Shanxi |
| Died | July 291 (aged 71) |
| Relations | Wei Shuo (granddaughter) |
| Children |
|
| Parent |
|
| Occupation | Military general, politician |
| Courtesy name | Boyu (伯玉) |
| Posthumous name | Cheng (成) |
| Peerage | Duke of Lanling (蘭陵公) |
Early life and career
editWei Guan was from Anyi County (安邑縣), Hedong Commandery (河東郡), which is located west of present-day Xia County, Shanxi. His father Wei Ji (衛覬; 168 - 229) was a high-ranking Wei official and marquis.[4] Wei Guan inherited his father's peerage, and when he grew older became an official. Throughout the years, he became known for his capability and was continuously promoted. After Cao Huan became emperor, he became an Official of Justice (廷尉卿), and was known for his strength in logical thinking.
When the Wei regent Sima Zhao ordered the generals Zhong Hui and Deng Ai to attack Wei's rival state Shu Han in 263, Wei Guan served as Deng Ai's deputy. After the fall of Shu that year, Zhong Hui planned a rebellion, and the first step of his preparation was to falsely accuse Deng Ai of treason. Sima Zhao, believing Zhong Hui's accusations, ordered Deng Ai arrested, and Zhong Hui in turn ordered Wei Guan to arrest Deng Ai, hoping that Wei Guan would fail and be killed by Deng Ai so that he could further affirm his accusations against Deng Ai. Wei Guan knew this, so he surprised Deng Ai in the middle of the night and arrested him. When Zhong Hui rebelled later, Wei Guan pretended to be seriously ill, so Zhong Hui lowered his guard against Wei Guan. Later, Wei Guan participated in inciting the soldiers to start a mutiny against Zhong Hui and end the rebellion. Fearful that Deng Ai would then retaliate against him, he had Deng Ai tracked down and killed. When Du Yu publicly denounced Wei Guan, instead of becoming angry and retaliate against Du Yu, Wei Guan visited him and apologised. He also declined a larger fief that Sima Zhao was ready to bestow on him for his accomplishments.
Career during the Jin dynasty
editIn September 265, Sima Zhao died and was succeeded as regent by his son Sima Yan (Emperor Wu). In February 266, Sima Yan usurped the throne from Cao Huan, thus ending the Cao Wei state and establishing the Jin dynasty. Throughout Emperor Wu's reign, Wei Guan continued to be an important official and general, serving in a variety of roles capably. As a result, one of his brothers and one of his sons were granted marquis titles. Wei Guan attempted to implement a revised civil service system, where the civil service examiner (中正) would have less input on grading officials, and actual job performance would become more important, but while Emperor Wu liked Wei Guan's suggestions, he did not carry them out.
Wei Guan was one of the few officials who dared to openly speak to Emperor Wu about his choice of heir apparent, his son Sima Zhong, who was developmentally disabled. On one occasion, Emperor Wu, after Wei Guan hinted that Sima Zhong should not be crown prince, sent a number of inquiries to Sima Zhong to have answered. When the inquiries were appropriately answered (because Sima Zhong's wife Jia Nanfeng had someone else answer the inquiries for Sima Zhong), Emperor Wu was happy and publicly showed Wei Guan the answers, embarrassing Wei Guan greatly and making it clear to other officials that Wei Guan had said something.
After Emperor Wu's death in May 290, Yang Jun, the father of Empress Dowager Yang, assumed the regency for Sima Zhong, who ascended the throne as Emperor Hui. However, in April 291, Yang Jun was overthrown and killed in a coup started by Empress Jia. Wei Guan was then made regent, along with Emperor Hui's granduncle Sima Liang in May.[5] Wei Guan and Sima Liang tried to get the government on track, but Empress Jia continued to interfere with governmental matters. They also became concerned about the violent temper of Emperor Hui's half-brother Sima Wei (who was heavily involved in the coup against Yang Jun) and therefore tried to strip him of his military command, but Sima Wei persuaded Empress Jia to let him keep his military command. Sima Wei's assistants Qi Sheng (岐盛) and Gongsun Hong (公孫宏) thereafter falsely told Empress Jia that Sima Liang and Wei Guan planned to depose the emperor. Empress Jia, who had already resented Wei Guan for having, during Emperor Wu's reign, suggested that he change his choice of heir apparent, also wanted more direct control over the government, and therefore resolved to undergo a second coup.
In summer 291, Empress Jia instructed Emperor Hui to write an imperial edict to Sima Wei, ordering him to have Sima Liang and Wei Guan removed from their offices. His forces thereby surrounded Sima Liang and Wei Guan's mansions, and while both men's subordinates recommended resistance, each declined and was captured. Against what the edict said, both were killed – Sima Liang with his heir Sima Ju (司馬矩) and Wei Guan with nine of his sons and grandsons. After Empress Jia, concerned about Sima Wei's power, then falsely declared that the edict was forged by Sima Wei and had him executed, Wei Guan was posthumously rehabilitated and restored to the status of a duke.
Calligraphy
editWei Guan was a famous calligrapher during his time, being a master of the cursive script. He and his colleague, Suo Jing, were collectively referred to as "One terrace, two wonders" due to their calligraphy skills.[6] The two were also compared to the Eastern Han dynasty calligrapher, Zhang Zhi, and a common saying in their day was "[Wei] Guan received Boying's tendons, [Suo] Jing received Boying's flesh".[7] Wei Guan's granddaughter, Wei Shuo, was another famous calligrapher, most known for being the teacher of Wang Xizhi.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Wei Guan's biography in Book of Jin indicated that he was made Manager of the Affairs of the Masters of Writing after Yang Jun's death, which was on 23 April 291 in the Julian calendar.
- ^ jisi day of the 1st month of the 1st year of the Tai'xi era, per Emperor Wu's biography in Book of Jin
- ^ Although the exact day of Wei Guan's death was not recorded, Emperor Hui's biography in Book of Jin recorded that Wei was killed together with Sima Liang, who died on 25 July 291. [(永平元年)六月，贾后矫诏使楚王玮杀太宰、汝南王亮，太保、菑阳公卫瓘.] Jin Shu, vol.04
- ^ Wei Ji was also a master calligrapher. According to Hu Zhao's biography in Records of the Three Kingdoms, Wei Ji's calligraphy was widely emulated by others, alongside those of Hu, Handan Chun, Zhong Yao, and Wei Dan (韦诞). (昭善史书，与锺繇、邯郸淳、卫觊、韦诞并有名，尺牍之迹，动见模楷焉。) Sanguozhi, vol.11. Shu Duan recorded that Wei Ji died at the age of 62 (by East Asian reckoning) (魏卫觊，字伯儒，河南安邑人，官至侍中。尤工古文、篆、隶、草体。伤瘦，笔迹精绝。魏初传曰：古文者篆，出于邯郸淳，伯儒尝写淳古文尚书，还以示淳，淳不能别。年六十二卒。) Shu Duan, part 03. Wei Guan's biography in Book of Jin recorded that Guan was 10 (by East Asian reckoning) when his father died. (父觊，魏尚书。瓘年十岁丧父，...) Jin Shu, vol.36
- ^ Sima Liang was at Xuchang and not the capital Luoyang when Yang Jun was killed.
- ^ [瓘學問深博，明習文藝，與尚書郎敦煌索靖俱善草書，時人號為「一台二妙」。] Jin Shu, vol.36
- ^ Boying is Zhang Zhi's courtesy name. [漢末張芝亦善草書，論者謂「瓘得伯英筋，靖得伯英肉」。] Jin Shu, vol.36
- Fang, Xuanling (ed.) (648). Book of Jin (Jin Shu).