Wang Yanxi (Chinese: 王延羲) (died April 8, 944[2][3]), known as Wang Xi (王曦) during his reign, also known by his temple name as the Emperor Jingzong of Min (閩景宗), was an emperor of Min during China's Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period.
He became Min's ruler after a coup that overthrew his nephew Wang Jipeng (Emperor Kangzong) in 939.
Based on the timing of subsequent events, it appeared likely (although not conclusively so) that at some point while still being a subject, he married the daughter of the official Li Zhen (李真) as his wife.
Wang Jipeng thereafter gave him Taoist monk's robes, and placed him in the Wuyi Mountains, but later recalled him to the capital Changle (長樂, in modern Fuzhou, Fujian) and put him under house arrest.
The commanders of the Gongchen and Anhe corps, Zhu Wenjin and Lian Chongyu, feared death, and therefore decided to mutiny.
[1] While Wang Yanxi took on much of the imperial trappings—including commissioning officials for his imperial administration, issuing a general pardon, and changing era name—he nevertheless only assumed the title of King of Min at the moment and submitted a petition to Shi Jingtang, the emperor of Later Jin, which then controlled the Central Plains, to be Later Jin's vassal.
His younger brother Wang Yanzheng the prefect of Jian Prefecture (建州, in modern Nanping, Fujian) often wrote him to try to correct his behavior, but that led him to be angry.
Both Ye and Du frequently submitted reports of their suspicions about Wang Yanzheng, adding to the friction.
Wuyue's king Qian Yuanguan sent a detachment commanded by Yang Renquan and Xue Wanzhong (薛萬忠) to aid Wang Yanzheng, but Wang Yanzheng defeated Pan and Wu before the Wuyue army's arrival.
Meanwhile, Shi, who had previously cut off relations with Min due to the arrogance of Wang Jipeng (who wanted the two states to be treated equally, angering Shi), received Wang Xi's petition, and thereafter created him the King of Min and gave him the titles of military governor (Jiedushi) of Weiwu Circuit (威武, headquartered at Changle)—a tradition title held by Min's rulers when in subordination to the central Chinese regimes—and honorary chancellor title of Zhongshu Ling (中書令).
In 941, when Wang Yanzheng requested the title of military governor of Weiwu, Wang Xi declined to give him the title (citing the longstanding tradition of Weiwu being seated at Changle), but commissioned him as the military governor of a new Zhen'an Circuit (鎮安), to be headquartered at Jian.
[1] In spring 942, he created Li Zhen's daughter—who, based on the sequence of events, he was likely to have married while still being a subject, as she was described to be the mother of Wang Yacheng[6]—empress.
Wang Xi was set to have him arrested, when Yu offered a large tribute of money.
Wang Xi was pleased, and, after extracting a second tribute (on Empress Li's behalf), allowed Yu to return to Quan.
[5] In spring 943, Wang Yanzheng formally declared himself emperor of a breakaway state of Yin.
Meanwhile, Wang Xi took the daughter of the general Shang Baoyin (尚保殷) and became infatuated with her due to her beauty.
They became increasingly fearful after Wang Xi, while drunk, killed their associate Wei Conglang (魏從朗), and after Wang Xi recited in their presence, in one occasion, Bai Juyi's poem, which stated, "When it comes to matching people's hearts, one cannot have any expectations even when they were physically close."