Wang Shenzhi

Emperor Taizu of Min
閩太祖
Prince of Min
Statue of Wang Shenzhi in Fuzhou.
Statue of Wang Shenzhi in Fuzhou.
Prince of Min (閩王)
ReignApril 27, 909[1][2][3] – December 30, 925
SuccessorWang Yanhan
Commandery Prince of Langya
(琅琊郡王)
Reign904–909
Jiedushi of Weiwu Circuit
(威武軍節度使)
Tenure898 – 925
PredecessorWang Chao
SuccessorWang Yanhan
Born862[4]
Gushi County, Guāngzhōu Prefecture, Huainan Circuit, Tang
DiedDecember 30, 925[5][1]
Fuzhou, Min
Burial
Xuanling Mausoleum (宣陵, in modern Jin'an District, Fuzhou)
Full name
Posthumous name
Prince Zhōngyì
(忠懿王, "faithful and benevolent"),
later Emperor Zhāowǔxiào
(昭武孝皇帝, "accomplished, martial, and filial")
Temple name
Tàizǔ (太祖)
HouseWang
DynastyMin
Wang Shenzhi
Traditional Chinese王審知
Simplified Chinese王审知

Wang Shenzhi (Chinese: 王審知; 862 – December 30, 925), courtesy name Xintong (信通) or Xiangqing (詳卿), posthumous name Prince[6] Zhongyi of Min (閩忠懿王) and also known by his temple name as the Emperor Taizu of Min (閩太祖), was the founding monarch of Min during China's Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, reigning as prince but posthumously promoted to the rank of emperor. He was from Gushi in modern-day Henan.

  1. ^ a b Academia Sinica Chinese-Western Calendar Converter.
  2. ^ Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 267.
  3. ^ The start of Wang Shenzhi's "reign," as used here, is set at the time when Zhu Wen created him the Prince of Min. One can also set it at the time of the death of his brother and predecessor Wang Chao on January 2, 898, although Wang Chao did not carry any princely titles at that point and Wang Shenzhi did not carry any immediately after Wang Chao's death.
  4. ^ New History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 68.
  5. ^ Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 274.
  6. ^ Wang Shenzhi's title, in Chinese, was Wang (王), which can be translated as either "prince" or "king" in English. It will be rendered "prince" here to distinguish it from the greater title of Guowang (國王), carried by some contemporary rulers, which would be translated as "king."