Wang Lie

Historical Record

Wang Lie, styled Yanfang, was renowned in the late Eastern Han for his noble virtue and outstanding learning, his reputation even surpassing that of Guan Ning and Hua Xin of the same commandery. In his early years he studied under Chen Taiqiu of Yingchuan, and was on good terms with Chen Taiqiu's two sons as well as the notables Xun Ciming, Jia Weijie, Li Yuanli, Han Yuanchang, and others; because his capacity and learning surpassed those of others, he was deeply admired by all, and his fame spread far throughout the realm^[1].

After Wang Lie's way was attained and his virtue established, he returned to his home village. It happened that his father died, and he observed three years of mourning, weeping without cease throughout. Then came a famine, with the starved lying in the roads, and Wang Lie distributed the food his household had stored to his fellow villagers, relieving the people; he was therefore praised by his clan as a filial son and looked to by the village as a benevolent man^[1].

He devoted himself to education, amusing himself with the classics, and founded schools, earnestly promoting learning. In teaching his students, he guided them step by step, not constraining their nature but transforming them through moral instruction, leading them toward the good and away from evil. Under his influence, the students' virtue improved without their realizing it, their conduct and bearing all worthy of regard, so that even amid the marketplace their gait differed from that of ordinary people, and others could tell that they were disciples of Wang Lie. Under his inspiration, the whole village formed a fine custom, with people vying to do good^[1].

Wang Lie transformed the world through his unique benevolence and virtue. There was once a man who stole an ox and was caught by its owner; the thief repented and begged that Wang Lie not be told. When Wang Lie learned of this, he instead presented the thief with a bolt of cloth, explaining that since the thief knew shame at his wrongdoing, a good heart would be born in him, and that this act was meant to urge him toward goodness. Some years later, this ox thief carried goods for someone over a distance of dozens of li, and on another occasion guarded a sword lost on the road; in the end he was discovered by Wang Lie, who praised his benevolence and had the people commend him in his neighborhood^[1].

At that time, when people had disputes they often wished to go to Wang Lie for judgment, but frequently, on the way there or at the mere sight of his dwelling, they would reconcile of their own accord, yielding to one another, unwilling to let Wang Lie know. Even the ruler of the time personally drove to Wang Lie's private home to consult him on matters of government. He was once recommended as Filial and Incorrupt and summoned by the offices of the Three Excellencies, but he took up none of these posts^[1].

When Dong Zhuo threw the realm into chaos, Wang Lie moved to Liaodong to avoid the turmoil, tilling the fields with his own hands, enrolled among the common folk, living in plain clothes and on coarse fare, yet never altering his contentment. The people of Liaodong revered him as a lord. In that age of decline, many who had taken refuge in the eastern lands met with persecution, but Wang Lie, in his many years in Liaodong, never once met with misfortune. Under his influence, in the Liaodong region the strong did not bully the weak, the many did not oppress the few, and merchants in their trade kept to a single price. Cao Cao several times summoned Wang Lie, but the Liaodong side always declined on various pretexts, unwilling to let him go. In the twenty-third year of Jian'an (218 CE), Wang Lie died of illness at the age of seventy-eight^[1].

In the Novel

*Romance of the Three Kingdoms* gives Wang Lie no independent literary treatment, and so there is no episode or character description in the novel proper to him. Wang Lie's deeds are found mainly in the historical sources; his noble virtue, his outstanding power to transform through teaching, and his positive influence on society are recorded in detail and highly praised in the *Records of the Three Kingdoms* and other official histories^[1]. Since *Romance of the Three Kingdoms* focuses chiefly on war, political struggle, and the shaping of heroic figures, a man like Wang Lie—who transformed the world through virtuous conduct and did not take part in the core of military and political affairs—would generally not be drawn into its main narrative. In the novel, therefore, Wang Lie is a figure with no clear record, and his image depends entirely on the historical sources.

Key Relationships

* Cao Wei: Wang Lie was once summoned by Cao Cao (Grand Progenitor) to be a Chancellery Aide, and again summoned several times afterward, but owing to obstruction by the Liaodong side he was unable to take up the posts^[1].
* Gongsun Du's faction: Wang Lie once resigned the post of Chief Clerk under Gongsun Du, and later took refuge from the chaos in Liaodong, where he was revered by the local people; for this reason Gongsun Du's faction too was unwilling to hand him over to Cao Cao^[1].
* Chen Taiqiu of Yingchuan: Wang Lie once took Chen Taiqiu as his teacher, and was on good terms with Chen Taiqiu's two sons as well as the notables Xun Ciming, Jia Weijie, Li Yuanli, Han Yuanchang, and others^[1].
* The people of Liaodong: After Wang Lie took refuge in Liaodong, he tilled the fields with his own hands and lived in plain clothes and on coarse fare; his noble virtue transformed the local people, so that Liaodong formed a fine social custom and the people revered him as a lord^[1].

Iconic Scenes

* Resigning the post of Chief Clerk under Gongsun Du, and defiling himself with trade: Wang Lie once resigned the post of Chief Clerk under Gongsun Du, and defiled himself by engaging in trade so as to avoid the chaos of the age^[1]. This act reflects his character of not craving glory and keeping himself pure.
* Distributing his stored grain to save the lives of the village: In a year of famine, Wang Lie distributed the food his household had stored to his fellow villagers, saving many lives^[1]. This is a concentrated embodiment of his benevolent heart and filial virtue.
* Founding schools, earnestly promoting learning, and bringing about great transformation: Wang Lie founded schools and devoted himself to education, transforming his students through moral instruction, so that the village's customs were greatly changed and people vied to do good^[1]. This is his iconic contribution as an educator and a model of virtue.
* Presenting a bolt of cloth to the ox thief, urging him toward goodness: Learning that the ox thief knew shame and repented, Wang Lie instead presented him with cloth, encouraging him to reform and turn toward the good^[1]. This event fully displays his unique wisdom and benevolence in repaying wrong with kindness and transforming the heart.
* The people commending him in his neighborhood and marking him out: That man who had stolen an ox and then reformed and did good was, through Wang Lie's transforming guidance, in the end commended by the people in his neighborhood^[1]. This is not only a mark of the thief's own moral elevation, but also clear proof of the power of Wang Lie's transforming influence.
* People with disputes turning back at the sight of his dwelling: When people had disputes, they had meant to go to Wang Lie for judgment, but often, before even seeing his dwelling, they would reconcile of their own accord and yield to one another^[1]. This reflects Wang Lie's lofty moral prestige and his unseen role in maintaining social order.
* The Grand Progenitor summoning him repeatedly, but Liaodong declining and not sending him: Cao Cao summoned Wang Lie several times, but the Liaodong side always declined on various pretexts, unwilling to let him go^[1]. This shows Wang Lie's extremely high prestige and influence in the Liaodong region, able even to sway the decisions of the local separatist power.