Historical Record
Regarding Lady Wang, the official histories contain no clear record of her life or specific words and deeds. In the *Records of the Three Kingdoms* and other historical sources there is no independent biography of Lady Wang, nor any incidental mention of her, and so it is impossible to verify from the historical sources her actual existence or the role she played.
In the Novel
In the narrative of Luo Guanzhong's *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, Lady Wang appears in Chapter 64 as the wife of Zhao Ang, in the image of a woman of staunch and resolute character c:2790. When Zhao Ang conspired with Jiang Xu, Yang Fu, Yin Feng, and others to avenge Wei Kang, Zhao Ang, because his son Zhao Yue served as a subordinate general under Ma Chao, feared that raising troops against Ma Chao would lead to his son's death, and was inwardly hesitant and irresolute c:2790. At this point, Lady Wang displayed extraordinary decisiveness. She said sternly to her husband Zhao Ang: "To wipe away the great disgrace done to your lord's father, even the loss of life would not be too much to grudge—how much less a single son? If you, out of regard for your son, will not act, then I shall die first." c:2790 These words not only dispelled Zhao Ang's misgivings, but, pressing him even unto death, firmed his resolve to raise troops. Thereafter Zhao Ang, together with Jiang Xu and others, rose in arms against Ma Chao. Lady Wang not only urged her husband on with words, but supported the righteous cause with deeds. She "took all her jewelry and silks and went in person to the army at Mount Qi to reward and console the soldiers, so as to hearten the host" c:2790. This act of giving over all her family's wealth and going in person to the front to reward the troops greatly raised morale, displaying her grasp of the greater righteousness and an heroic spirit in which a woman gave way to no man. Through the character of Lady Wang, the novel shapes the image of a woman who, in a moment of crisis, could put the larger cause above all, set aside private feeling, and throw herself actively into the cause of upholding justice. Her appearance not only advances the plot, but also adds a tragic and heroic coloring to Zhao Ang's act of loyalty and righteousness.
Key Relationships
* Zhao Ang (spouse_of): Lady Wang is the wife of Zhao Ang c:2790. In the novel her influence on Zhao Ang is crucial; with her firm stance and fierce words she spurred Zhao Ang to make up his mind to avenge Wei Kang, thus changing Zhao Ang's hesitation and indecision c:2790. She was not only Zhao Ang's domestic companion, but also his spiritual pillar and the driving force behind his actions.
* Zhao Yue (son_of): Zhao Yue is the son of Lady Wang c:2790. In the novel, Zhao Yue served as a subordinate general under Ma Chao, and Zhao Ang had once hesitated for fear that raising troops against Ma Chao would endanger his son's life c:2790. Lady Wang, however, with the bold words "to wipe away the great disgrace done to your lord's father, even the loss of life would not be too much to grudge—how much less a single son," placed family honor and loyal righteousness above her son's life, displaying her resolve to sacrifice kin for righteousness (novel only).
* Jiang Xu, Yang Fu, Yin Feng (ally_of): By spurring on Zhao Ang, Lady Wang indirectly supported the military action of Jiang Xu, Yang Fu, Yin Feng, and others in jointly opposing Ma Chao c:2790. Her going in person to the army to reward the soldiers was, moreover, direct participation in heartening the troops of these allies (novel only).
Iconic Scenes
Lady Wang's best-known iconic scene occurs in Chapter 64 of *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, in the moment when she sternly spurred on her husband Zhao Ang c:2790. When Zhao Ang hesitated over whether to take part in the campaign against Ma Chao because his son Zhao Yue was in Ma Chao's army, Lady Wang said to Zhao Ang in an utterly resolute tone: "To wipe away the great disgrace done to your lord's father, even the loss of life would not be too much to grudge—how much less a single son? If you, out of regard for your son, will not act, then I shall die first." c:2790 These words not only displayed her staunch and unyielding character, but, pressing him even unto "death," entirely dispelled Zhao Ang's misgivings and made him resolve to raise troops together with Jiang Xu and the others. This scene fully embodies Lady Wang's noble quality of grasping the greater righteousness and setting aside the small home for the larger cause. The other iconic scene that follows is that, to support her husband's righteous undertaking, Lady Wang gave over all her family's wealth c:2790. She "took all her jewelry and silks and went in person to the army at Mount Qi to reward and console the soldiers, so as to hearten the host" c:2790. This act was not only material support but also a tremendous spiritual encouragement, greatly raising morale, and displaying her courage and sense of responsibility as a woman who, in an age of chaos, was in no way inferior to a man. Together these two scenes shape Lady Wang's classic image in the novel as loyal, righteous, decisive, and deeply mindful of the greater good, making her one of the female characters of *Romance of the Three Kingdoms* who, though given little ink, leave a deep impression (novel only).
Relationships
1 relationships
Family1
Lines
- 演 ch.64 §26→ Zhao Ang
「雪君之父大恥，雖喪身亦不惜，何況一子乎？君若顧子而不行，吾當先死矣。」
Chapters1 回 ▸
- 演ch.64
Relationship timeline1 条 ▸
演 ch.64
- Zhao Ang§26
spouse_of
妻；以"雪君之父大耻"激其举兵
Inner monologues · AI-generated1 段 ▸
- When my husband returned, he told me that Jiang Xu, Yang Fu, Yin Feng, and the others had agreed to raise an army to ave