Wang Zongyan was born in 899, during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong of Tang, as the youngest of the 11 sons of Wang Jian,[4] who was then a major warlord late in the Tang dynasty as the military governor (jiedushi) of its Xichuan Circuit (西川, headquartered in modern Chengdu, Sichuan), ruling over modern Sichuan and Chongqing.
She thus entered into an alliance with Tang Wenyi (唐文扆) the overseer of the imperial stables and the chancellor Zhang Ge.
He summoned the officials to the palace and, apparently still having reservations about Wang Zongyan, stated to them:[1] The Crown Prince is kind but weak.
As far as Consort Xu's brothers are concerned, you may give them stipends and honors, but do not let them hold military commands, so that they can be preserved.However, thereafter, Tang Wenyi blocked off access between Wang Jian and the officials, including Wang Zongbi, wanting to hold control of the ill emperor himself.
)[10] Later in 920, during a campaign against Qi, Wang Yan decided to personally, with much fanfare, head to the frontline, despite contrary urging by official Duan Rong (段融).
There was also an incident where a beautiful lady, the daughter of one He Kang (何康) of Lang Prefecture (閬州, in modern Nanchong, Sichuan) was ready to be married.
[10] Over the years, Wang Yan became accustomed to spend time in feasting, talking, and singing with Pan Zaiying, as well as the officials Han Zhao (韓昭) and Gu Zaixun (顧在珣).
When Later Tang's Emperor Zhuangzong sent the news of Later Liang's destruction to Former Shu, the state was in much shock, but took no further action.
[12] Wang Yan was not completely oblivious to the possible Later Tang attack, as later in 924, he commissioned his adoptive brother Wang Zong'e (王宗鍔) as the commander at a task force, placed at Yang Prefecture (洋州, in modern Hanzhong, Shaanxi), and the general Lin Si'e (林思諤) to be the military governor of Zhaowu Circuit (昭武, headquartered in modern Guangyuan, Sichuan), to increase the preparedness.
Further, by the end of 924, believing that there would be peace between Former Shu and Later Tang (as the states have further sent emissaries to each other), Wang Yan began to cut back on some of the army deployments that he had ordered.
[12] By fall 925, Later Tang was deep in the preparation of an invasion of Former Shu, and Emperor Zhuangzong commissioned his son Li Jiji the Prince of Wei to serve as titular commander of the operations while making the major general Guo Chongtao Li Jiji's deputy, in actual command of the operations.
He paid no heed to advice to the contrary, including urging by Wang Zongbi and even Empress Dowager Xu not to undertake the trip.
When he reached Han Prefecture, news came from the Wang Chengjie (王承捷) the military governor of Wuxing Circuit (武興, headquartered in modern Baoji, Shaanxi) that Later Tang had launched from an invasion, but Wang Yan believed this to be false report to dissuade him from the Qin trip, and therefore paid no heed.
Only after, when he reached Li Prefecture (利州, Zhaowu's capital) and fleeing soldiers from Wuxing (where Wang Chengjie had surrendered by this point) arrived there as well did he believe that there was an actual Later Tang invasion.
When the main Later Tang forces under Li Jiji arrived at Chengdu, Wang Yan formally surrendered.
[3] Emperor Zhuangzong initially tried to appear lenient, sending an edict addressed to Wang Yan, stating:[3] I will surely create a fiefdom for you.
I will use sun, moon, and the stars as my proof, that I am not deceiving you.In spring 926, Li Jiji sent Wang Yan and his household, as well as a large group of Former Shu officials, from Chengdu, on a journey to the Later Tang capital Luoyang, to formally surrender themselves to Emperor Zhuangzong.
By the time that Wang Yan reached Chang'an, however, the Later Tang realm had begun to fall into disorder due to mutinies, spurred by a famine at that time, as well as Emperor Zhuangzong's unjustified killing of the major generals Guo Chongtao and Zhu Youqian earlier in the year.
[3] As the mutinies multiplied, Emperor Zhuangzong's favorite performer Jing Jin (景進) suggested to Emperor Zhuangzong that given the size of Wang Yan's train of imperial household members and officials, they might pose a threat for mutiny as well, and therefore called for Wang Yan's death.
Emperor Zhuangzong agreed and sent the eunuch Xiang Yansi (向延嗣) to do so, initially decreeing that Wang Yan's entire train be executed.
It was said that as Empress Dowager Xu was to be executed, she cried out in cursing Emperor Zhuangzong, "My son surrendered an empire to you but could not avoid having his clan slaughtered.
)[3] By 928, at which time Li Siyuan was emperor (as Emperor Mingzong), Wang Zongshou, who was then a military commander at Later Tang's Baoyi Circuit (保義, headquartered in modern Sanmenxia, Henan) requested permission to try to locate Wang Yan's body and bury it properly.
Emperor Mingzong agreed, and also posthumously created Wang Yan the Duke of Shunzheng, ordering that he be buried with ceremony due a prince.