Wang Ze

Wang Ze 王則
Reign December 18, 1047[1] – February 17, 1048[2]
Born Unknown
Zhuo Prefecture, Liao Empire
Died March 14, 1048(1048-03-14)[2]
Kaifeng Prefecture, Song Empire
Era name and dates
Déshèng (得聖): December 20, 1047 – February 17, 1048
Regnal name
King of Dongping (東平郡王)
Dynasty Anyang (安陽)
Wang Ze
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
This is a Chinese name; the family name is Wang.

Wang Ze (died 14 March 1048) was a rebel leader during Emperor Renzong's reign in the Song dynasty, whose agrarian army occupied Bei Prefecture for 65 days before it was crushed by the government army led by Wen Yanbo.

Wang utilized Maitreya teachings as a tool to organize his Millenarian troops. A much later supernatural novel The Three Sui Quash the Demons' Revolt based its story on this rebellion.

Early life

Wang Ze was a Zhuo Prefecture native who during a famine drifted to Bei Prefecture, where he sold himself to become a goatherd. Later he became a corporal in the army. Back when he left Zhuo Prefecture, his mother had tattooed the Chinese character fu (福; "auspiciousness") on his back as a talisman. Believers in the Maitreyan cult, present in great numbers in Bei Prefecture and the neighboring Ji Prefecture, spread the false rumor about his tattoo, and soon enough Wang became the cult leader. Their doctrine proclaimed, "Sakyamuni has declined and Maitreya shall rule the world."[3]

With the assistance of subprefectural clerks Zhang Luan and Bu Ji, Wang's following spread to neighboring De Prefecture and Qi Prefecture. The original plan was to destroy the pontoon bridge in Chan Prefecture on 10 January 1048, but after the capture of cult activist Pan Fangjing (潘方凈) — for attempting and failing to assassinate the prefect of Daming — Wang and his followers decided to rise in arms quickly.[3]

The rebellion

Once Wang Ze and his followers raided the armory, Bei's prefect Zhang Deyi (張得一) fled to the cavalry barracks, but he was captured after the rebels burned down the doors. After some fighting on the streets, Wang's followers successfully drove away general Tian Bin (田斌) and his cavalry from the city, then proceeded to massacre most officials that could not get away. They also released all prisoners from jail.[3]

Once order was restored, Wang proclaimed himself the King of Dongping (東平郡王), founder of a new state called Anyang (安陽). His era name was to be "Desheng" (得聖; "Acquiring God"), and a new calendar was drawn up changing the twelfth lunar month to the first month (as the rebellion happened in the twelfth lunar month). He also named Zhang Luan the chancellor and Bu Ji the commissioner of military affairs.[3]


Notes and references

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