Wang Kuang

Historical Record

Wang Kuang, courtesy name Gongjie, once served as Administrator of Henei. During Dong Zhuo's autocratic rule, he joined the various lords east of the pass in raising troops to campaign against Dong Zhuo. In the second month of the first year of Chuping (190 CE), Dong Zhuo intended to move the capital to Chang'an and convened the high ministers to deliberate. Although the Minister over the Masses Yang Biao and other ministers strongly argued the harm of moving the capital, pointing out such problems as the ruin of the Chang'an palaces and the fear and unease of the people, Dong Zhuo had his own way, even threatening Yang Biao and the Yuan family with going west, and in the end forcibly moved the capital. After moving the capital to Chang'an, Dong Zhuo not only burned the Luoyang palaces but also dug up tombs and plundered treasures, his atrocities outrageous. Against this background, Wang Kuang, as Administrator of Henei, sent the Mount Tai troops to garrison the Heyang Ford, intending to block Dong Zhuo.^[1]

However, Dong Zhuo was well versed in the art of war and adopted a feint to the east while striking the west. He first sent decoy troops feigning that they would cross the river at Pingyin, drawing Wang Kuang's attention, while secretly sending elite forces to cross the river north of Xiaoping, circling around to the rear of Wang Kuang's army to launch a surprise attack. Wang Kuang's Mount Tai troops were fiercely assaulted by Dong Zhuo's army north of the ford and were almost annihilated, suffering heavy casualties. This crushing defeat dealt a severe setback to Wang Kuang's military action.^[1]

After moving the capital to Chang'an, Dong Zhuo's power blazed; he styled himself Grand Preceptor and was called "Honored Father," rode in a carriage with a blue canopy and golden florets, its wheels painted with claw patterns—men of the time called it the "encroaching carriage," meaning it approached the position of the Son of Heaven. His younger brother Dong Min was enfeoffed as General of the Left and Marquis of Hu, and his nephew Dong Huang served as Palace Attendant and Colonel of the Central Army in charge of troops; the inner and outer relatives of the Dong clan all held important posts at court, their power overwhelming for a time. Dong Zhuo even built at Mei County the Mei Fort, as high as the wall of Chang'an, stockpiled in it grain for thirty years, and declared that if his enterprise succeeded he would dominate the realm, and if it failed he could grow old there. He once induced several hundred rebels of Beidi to surrender, and at a banquet cruelly cut out their tongues, severed their hands and feet, gouged out their eyes, or boiled them in cauldrons; his savage acts made the high ministers present tremble, while Dong Zhuo ate and drank as though nothing were amiss. His laws were harsh, his loves and hates pronounced, so that the unjustly killed were beyond counting and the people groaned in resentment.^[1]

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Wang Kuang's image is reflected mainly within the allied army campaigning against Dong Zhuo, appearing as one of the eighteen lords. He, together with the other lords, responded to Cao Cao's call, and when Cao Cao proposed to elect an alliance leader, Wang Kuang endorsed the proposal and clearly declared, "Now that we uphold the great cause, we must establish an alliance leader; let all heed his command, and then advance the troops."^[2] In the end Yuan Shao was elected alliance leader, and Wang Kuang also took part in the oath-taking ceremony.

Wang Kuang's chief part in the novel centers on his clash with Lü Bu, the foremost fierce general under Dong Zhuo. At the Battle of Hulao Pass, facing Lü Bu's valor, none of the allied army could match him. When Lü Bu charged into the ranks, Wang Kuang turned and asked, "Who dares go out to fight?" Whereupon one of his renowned generals, Fang Yue, stepped forward. However, Fang Yue, after fewer than five bouts with Lü Bu, was stabbed from his horse by Lü Bu's halberd, and Wang Kuang's army was thereby badly defeated and scattered in flight.^[3] Lü Bu charged and dashed through Wang Kuang's army as though into an unmanned place. Fortunately the armies of Qiao Mao and Yuan Yi arrived in time to reinforce, causing Lü Bu to fall back. After this engagement, Wang Kuang, along with two other lords, lost part of their forces, retreated thirty li to make camp, and, together with the five contingents that arrived afterward, deliberated and lamented that Lü Bu's heroism could be matched by none.^[3] The novel's depiction of Wang Kuang serves more as a background figure, setting off Lü Bu's valor and the allied army's plight; his personal ability and stratagems receive no deep portrayal. This echoes to a degree the historical episode of his army being defeated by Dong Zhuo, though the details differ.

Key Relationships

* Dong Zhuo: Wang Kuang was one of the lords campaigning against Dong Zhuo, in a hostile relationship with him. In the historical record, Wang Kuang sent troops to garrison the Heyang Ford to plot against Dong Zhuo, but was defeated by Dong Zhuo's stratagem and suffered heavy losses.^[1] In the novel, Wang Kuang's subordinate general Fang Yue also died at Lü Bu's hand, indirectly embodying the opposition to Dong Zhuo's faction.^[3]
* Yuan Shao: Wang Kuang was a member of the allied army campaigning against Dong Zhuo, responding to Cao Cao's proposal and supporting Yuan Shao to become alliance leader.^[2]
* Lü Bu: In the novel, Lü Bu was a direct threat to Wang Kuang's army. Wang Kuang's renowned general Fang Yue was stabbed to death by Lü Bu, leading to the rout of Wang Kuang's army (novel only).^[3]
* Fang Yue: A general under Wang Kuang, killed by Lü Bu in the novel (novel only).^[3]

Signature Scenes

* The Battle of Heyang Ford: Wang Kuang sent the Mount Tai troops to garrison the Heyang Ford in an attempt to block Dong Zhuo. However, Dong Zhuo used a feint to the east while striking the west, crossing the river north of Xiaoping and circling to the rear of Wang Kuang's army to launch a surprise attack, causing Wang Kuang's army to be almost annihilated.^[1] This was Wang Kuang's most important military action in the historical record, and a major setback in his military career.
* Electing the alliance leader at the anti-Dong assembly: At the assembly of lords campaigning against Dong Zhuo, Wang Kuang clearly proposed, "Now that we uphold the great cause, we must establish an alliance leader; let all heed his command, and then advance the troops," supporting the election of Yuan Shao as alliance leader and displaying his agreement to a unified command of the allied army (novel only).^[2]
* Fang Yue fighting Lü Bu: At the Battle of Hulao Pass, Wang Kuang's subordinate general Fang Yue stepped forward to challenge Lü Bu, but was stabbed to death by Lü Bu within a few bouts, leading to the rout of Wang Kuang's army. This scene highlights Lü Bu's might and indirectly reflects the insufficient combat strength of Wang Kuang's army (novel only).^[3]