Wang Jian (Former Shu)

Emperor Gaozu of Former Shu
前蜀高祖
Emperor of the Great Shu
Statue of Wang Jian found in his tomb
1st Emperor of Former Shu
ReignNovember 3, 907[1][2][3] – July 11, 918
SuccessorWang Yan
Prince of Shu (蜀王)
Reign903 – November 3, 907
jiedushi of Jiannan and Xichuan Circuit
(劍南西川節度使)
Tenure891 – November 3, 907
PredecessorChen Jingxuan
SuccessorZhou Xiang (as the Intendant of Chengdu)
Born847[4]
DiedJuly 11, 918[1][5] (Aged 70-71)
Burial
Full name
Era dates
Tiānfù (天復): 907[6]
Wǔchéng (武成): 908-910
Yǒngpíng (永平): 911-915
Tōngzhèng (通正): 916
Tiānhàn (天漢): 917
Guāngtiān (光天): 918
Posthumous name
Emperor Shenwu Shengwen Xiaode Minghui (神武聖文孝德明惠皇帝)
Temple name
Gāozǔ (高祖)
HouseWang
DynastyFormer Shu
The gate of Wang Jian's tomb (Yong Mausoleum), in Chengdu
Wang Jian's tomb

Wang Jian (Chinese: 王建; 847 – July 11, 918), courtesy name Guangtu (光圖), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Gaozu of Former Shu (前蜀高祖), was the founding emperor of the Chinese Former Shu dynasty during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. He started his career as an army officer under the Tang dynasty eunuch generals Yang Fuguang and Tian Lingzi, eventually seizing control of the modern Sichuan and Chongqing region, founding his state after Tang's destruction.

  1. ^ a b Academia Sinica Chinese-Western Calendar Converter.
  2. ^ Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 266.
  3. ^ The date that Wang Jian claimed the title of Emperor of Shu is used here as date for the start of his reign. One could also consider 903, when Emperor Zhaozong of Tang created him the Prince of Shu, as the start of his reign.
  4. ^ History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 136.
  5. ^ Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 270.
  6. ^ Adopted the era name of Emperor Zhaozong of Tang. 907 was the 7th year of Tiānfù.