Wang Mi (died c.November 311[2]), courtesy name Zigu, was a Chinese bandit leader and military general of Han-Zhao during the Western Jin dynasty.
He participated in a rebellion led by Liu Bogen during the War of the Eight Princes but after it was quelled, he fled to Mount Zhangguang where he became a notorious outlaw and was given the nickname "Flying Leopard".
He became one of the state's most important commanders in their war against Jin, playing a crucial role in capturing Luoyang during the Disaster of Yongjia.
A hermit by the name of Dong Zhongdao (董仲道)[3] encountered Wang Mi on the road and said to him, “My Lord speaks like a wolf and looks like a leopard.
Not the acts of a scholar and nobleman!”[4] During the War of the Eight Princes in April 306,[5] the Prefect of Jian County (惤縣, near Longkou, Shandong), Liu Bogen (劉柏根) staged a revolt in Donglai.
Hearing this, Wang Mi brought his followers along with him in order to join the rebellion and he was appointed as Bogen's Chief Clerk.
Bogen was killed in battle and Wang Mi decided to lead the remaining forces to the small islets in the east.
Wang Mi survived the attack and fled to Mount Zhangguang (長廣山; in present-day Pingdu, Shandong) instead to become a bandit.
Liu Yuan accepted his submission and appointed him the Duke of Donglai, Inspector of Qingzhou and Great General who Garrisons the East.
[14] Under Han, Wang Mi was first tasked in accompanying Liu Yao in invading Henei before joining with Shi Le to attack Linzhang in 308.
Emperor Huai sent Pei Xian (裴憲) to camp at Baima (白馬; near present-day Hua County, Henan) to defend against Wang Mi.
However, at the same time, many refugees in Yingchuan, Xiangcheng, Runan, Nanyang, and Henan commanderies were rebelling in order to join Wang Mi.
In order to show their loyalty to Wang Mi, they set fire to the towns and cities and killed the chief clerks and local officials.
[20] Wang Mi followed Shi Le in invading Xuzhou, Yuzhou and Yanzhou, routing many of the local generals.
After the death of Sima Yue, Emperor Huai of Jin's new paramount general, Gou Xi, waited for his arrival at Cangyuan (倉垣, in modern Kaifeng, Henan), leaving Luoyang vulnerable to the Han forces.
However, they quarreled again after Wang Mi advised Yao to persuade Liu Cong to move Han's capital from Pingyang to Luoyang.
Furthermore, Wang Mi's generals Xu Miao (徐邈) and Gao Liang (高梁) had abandoned him with their troops for Cao Ni.
Shi Le was not amused but his advisor Zhang Bin told him that he should wait until Wang Mi's forces had truly dwindled.
Yin's father was Ju Peng (鞠彭), a general who had fought against Cao Ni in Donglai before fleeing to the Liaodong Peninsula to serve Murong Hui.
When Ju Yin was commissioned to govern Donglai, Peng urged his son to find Wang Mi and Cao Ni's descendants and befriend them so that they could properly resolve their conflict.