Wang Ling

Historical Record

Wang Ling, courtesy name Yanyun, was a native of Qi in Taiyuan. His uncle Wang Yun had been Minister over the Masses of Han, and was later killed for slaying Dong Zhuo, with the family also implicated. The young Wang Ling and his elder brother Wang Chen were able to climb over the wall and escape, fleeing back to their home village. He was recommended as a Filial and Incorrupt candidate, first served as Chief of Fagan, later rose to Administrator of Zhongshan, and because he governed effectively was recruited by Cao Cao as an Aide to the Chancellor. ^c:2729

After Emperor Wen, Cao Pi, ascended the throne, Wang Ling was appointed Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary and subsequently served as Inspector of Yanzhou. He once joined Zhang Liao and other generals in campaigning against Sun Quan; at Guangling they met with a great wind in the night, and the fleet of the Wu general Lü Fan was driven to the north bank. Wang Ling led troops to strike it head-on, capturing and seizing in abundance, and was therefore enfeoffed as Pavilion Marquis of Yicheng and made General Who Establishes Valor. He was then transferred to Inspector of Qing Province, where in the seaboard region he reformed the laws, rewarding the good and punishing the wicked, deeply winning the people's praise. He also followed Cao Xiu in campaigning against Wu; encountering the enemy at Jiashi, when Cao Xiu's army fared ill, Wang Ling fought valiantly and broke through the encirclement, enabling Cao Xiu to escape danger. ^c:2730

Thereafter Wang Ling served in succession as Inspector of Yang and Yu Provinces, in both winning the hearts of soldiers and people. During his tenure in Yu Province, he honored the descendants of former worthies and recruited men of obscurity who had not yet risen; his administrative policies were of far-reaching significance. In the early years of Zhengshi, Wang Ling was promoted to General Who Conquers the East, bearing the Staff of Authority and made Commander of the Military Affairs of Yang Province. In the second year of Zhengshi, the Wu grand general Quan Cong led a host of tens of thousands to raid Shaobei; Wang Ling led troops to meet him, fought the enemy in fierce battle for days, and finally repulsed the Wu army. For this merit he was advanced in rank to Marquis of Nanxiang, with a fief of 1,350 households, and was promoted to General of Chariots and Cavalry, with ceremonial equal to that of the Three Excellencies. ^c:2730

Wang Ling's nephew Linghu Yu, for his outstanding ability, was appointed Inspector of Yanzhou and stationed his troops at Ping'e, so that uncle and nephew together held the key garrisons of Huainan. Wang Ling was later transferred to Minister of Works. After Sima Yi killed Cao Shuang, Wang Ling was promoted to Grand Commandant, bearing the Staff and Battle-Axe of Authority. However, Wang Ling and Linghu Yu secretly schemed, holding that the Prince of Qi, Cao Fang, was unfit to be sovereign, while the Prince of Chu, Cao Biao, was older and able; they intended to enthrone Cao Biao as emperor and move the capital to Xuchang. In the ninth month of the first year of Jiaping, Linghu Yu sent the general Zhang Shi to Baima to make contact with Cao Biao. Wang Ling also sent his retainer Lao Jing to Luoyang to inform his son Wang Guang. Wang Guang dissuaded him, saying: "Deposing and enthroning emperors is a grave matter; by no means bring disaster upon yourself with this." ^c:2736 In the eleventh month of the same year, Linghu Yu again sent Zhang Shi to Cao Biao, but before Zhang Shi returned, Linghu Yu fell ill and died. ^c:2738

In the second year of Jiaping, when the planet Mars stayed in the Southern Dipper, Wang Ling held that "when there is a star within the Dipper, there must be one who suddenly rises to honor," and, believing the words of the diviner Hao Xiang, fixed upon a plan of revolt. In the spring of the third year of Jiaping, the Wu army blocked the Tu River, and Wang Ling, wishing to seize this opportunity to send out troops, mustered his army on a large scale and submitted a memorial requesting permission to campaign against the Wu army, but received no imperial sanction. Wang Ling's plot grew ever deeper, and he sent the general Yang Hong to inform the Inspector of Yanzhou Huang Hua of the deposing-and-enthroning scheme. Huang Hua and Yang Hong jointly reported the matter in secret to the Grand Mentor Sima Yi. Sima Yi at once led the central army down the waterways to campaign against Wang Ling, and first issued an edict of amnesty pardoning Wang Ling's crime. At the same time he sent the Master of Writing Guang Dong to write and admonish Wang Ling, while the main army rapidly closed in. Knowing that the tide had turned against him, Wang Ling went alone by boat to meet Sima Yi, sent his subordinate Wang Yu to apologize, and presented his seal and ribbon, Staff, and Battle-Axe. When the army reached Qiutou, Wang Ling was bound by the water. Sima Yi, in obedience to an edict, sent his Registrar to untie Wang Ling and console him, returned his seal, ribbon, Staff, and Battle-Axe, and dispatched six hundred horse and foot to escort him back to the capital. However, when Wang Ling reached Xiang County, he took poison and died. ^c:2738 In the sixth month of the same year, Cao Biao was also ordered to take his own life. ^c:2726

In the Novel

Romance of the Three Kingdoms gives no independent literary portrayal of Wang Ling; his deeds largely accord with the historical record, with no episodes unique to the novel or notable departures from the histories. Thus in the novel Wang Ling appears mainly as a participant in historical events, and his character of "high principle and lofty integrity" and his ultimate tragic end receive no special embellishment or adaptation in the novel.

Key Relationships

* Cao Wei (serves): Wang Ling was loyal to the Cao Wei regime all his life, serving from Cao Cao's time through Cao Pi, Cao Rui, and into the reign of Cao Fang. He repeatedly earned military merit for Cao Wei, guarded the frontier, and governed the regions, deeply winning the hearts of soldiers and people. ^c:2730 Yet in the end, out of dissatisfaction with Sima Yi's monopoly of power and his intent to depose and enthrone an emperor, he turned against the Cao Wei imperial house (especially the imperial house controlled by the Sima clan). ^c:2736
* Cao Fang (enemy_of): Wang Ling held that the Prince of Qi, Cao Fang, was young and unable to bear the imperial position, and was controlled by the powerful minister Sima Yi; he therefore schemed with Linghu Yu to depose Cao Fang and enthrone the Prince of Chu, Cao Biao. ^c:2736 This made him an enemy of Cao Fang (and of Sima Yi behind him).
* Linghu Yu (friend_of): Linghu Yu was Wang Ling's nephew and also his chief ally and fellow planner. Uncle and nephew together guarded Huainan and secretly discussed the deposing-and-enthroning scheme, seeking to alter the political configuration of Cao Wei. ^c:2736 Linghu Yu's death by illness dealt a heavy blow to Wang Ling's plan.
* Man Chong (rival_of): Wang Ling and Man Chong were on bad terms during their time as colleagues. Man Chong repeatedly saw through Wang Ling's schemes; for instance, in the Sun Bu false-surrender affair, Man Chong foresaw the deception and prevented Wang Ling from sending troops to receive him, avoiding losses. ^c:2728 Wang Ling also submitted a memorial impeaching Man Chong as old and addicted to drink and unfit for an important post, but after Emperor Ming summoned Man Chong and found him hale and vigorous, he did not adopt Wang Ling's advice. ^c:2728
* Sima Yi (enemy_of): Wang Ling's scheme to depose and enthrone emperors stemmed at root from his dissatisfaction with Sima Yi's monopoly of power. After Sima Yi learned of Wang Ling's plot, he swiftly sent troops to put down the revolt, ultimately leading to Wang Ling's suicide. ^c:2738 Wang Ling's dying challenge to Sima Yi—"You had only to summon me with a folded slip; would I have dared not to come? And yet you led an army here!"—and Sima Yi's reply—"Because you are not one to be moved by a folded slip"—fully embody the opposition between the two and the cruelty of their political struggle. ^c:2738

Signature Scenes

* Striking Wu at Guangling, first showing his edge: During Emperor Wen's reign, Wang Ling joined the campaign against Sun Quan. When a great wind in the night drove the fleet of the Wu general Lü Fan to the north bank, Wang Ling decisively led troops to strike it head-on, capturing and seizing in abundance, and was therefore enfeoffed as a marquis. This battle displayed Wang Ling's military talent and adaptability, an important highlight of his early military career. ^c:2730
* Repulsing the enemy at Shaobei, awing Huainan: In the second year of Zhengshi, the Wu grand general Quan Cong led a host of tens of thousands to raid Shaobei. Wang Ling led troops to meet him, fought the enemy in fierce battle for days, and finally succeeded in repulsing the Wu army. This engagement consolidated his military standing in the Huainan region and won him higher rank and honor. ^c:2730
* Plotting to depose and enthrone, uncle and nephew conspiring together: In the first year of Jiaping, Wang Ling secretly discussed with his nephew Linghu Yu, holding that Cao Fang was unfit for the heavenly position, and sought to enthrone the Prince of Chu, Cao Biao, as emperor. This event was the turning point of Wang Ling's political career, and the beginning of his eventual tragedy. ^c:2736
* Taking his own life at Xiang County, a sorrowful end: In the third year of Jiaping, Wang Ling's deposing-and-enthroning scheme was detected by Sima Yi. Sima Yi swiftly sent troops, and Wang Ling, knowing his strength exhausted, in the end took poison and died on the way to the capital, when he reached Xiang County. Before his death he lamented, "At eighty years of age, my life and name are both destroyed!" and called out the name of Jia Kui, declaring his loyal heart toward the Wei dynasty—a scene that moves one to sighs. ^c:2738