| Wang Dao | |||||||||
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| Born | 276 | ||||||||
| Died | 339 (aged 62–63) | ||||||||
| Spouse | Lady Cao | ||||||||
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| Father | Wang Cai 王裁 | ||||||||
| Occupation | Politician | ||||||||
Wang Dao (Chinese: 王導; Wade–Giles: Wang Tao; 276[1] – 7 September 339[2]), courtesy name Maohong (茂弘), formally Duke Wenxian of Shixing (始興文獻公), was a Chinese politician during the Jin dynasty who played an important role in the administrations of Emperor Yuan, Emperor Ming, and Emperor Cheng, including as Emperor Cheng's regent. In these capacities, he served as a crucial governing figure of the Eastern Jin Dynasty during its first decades, as well as the leading member of the prominent Wang clan of Langya. His governance style was to be lenient with the laws, and he handed out few punishments—which stabilized the Jin regime greatly, but which also led to extensive, if moderate, corruption and incompetence in the Jin regime, making it difficult for Jin armies to recapture northern China.
Wang's line, during the subsequent Southern Dynasties, was known as one of the two most honored lines of nobles—the other being Xie An's line—and in the people's minds no less honored than imperial households.
- ^ According to Wang Dao's biography in Book of Jin, he was 64 (by East Asian reckoning) when he died. (咸康五年薨，时年六十四。) Jin Shu, vol.65. Thus by calculation, his birth year should be 276.
- ^ According to Emperor Cheng's biography in Book of Jin, Wang Dao died on the gengshen day of the 7th month of the 5th year of the Xiankang era of his reign. This corresponds to 7 Sep 339 in the Julian calendar. [(咸康五年)秋七月庚申，使持节、侍中、丞相、领扬州刺史、始兴公王导薨] Jin Shu, vol. 07