Wang Sengbian

Wang Sengbian (王僧辯) (died 555), courtesy name Juncai (君才), was a general of the Chinese dynasty Liang Dynasty. He came to prominence as the leading general under Emperor Yuan (Xiao Yi)'s campaigns against the rebel general Hou Jing and other competitors for the Liang throne, and after Emperor Yuan was defeated by Western Wei in 554 and killed around the new year 555 became the de facto regent over the remaining provinces of Liang. He made Xiao Yuanming the Marquess of Zhenyang, a cousin of Emperor Yuan and a candidate for the throne favored by Northern Qi, emperor, but four months later, his subordinate Chen Baxian carried out a coup, killing him and deposing Xiao Yuanming.

Wang Sengbian's father Wang Shennian (王神念) was originally from Northern Wei's Taiyuan Commandery (太原, roughly modern Taiyuan, Shanxi). When he was Northern Wei's governor of Yingchuan Commandery (潁川, roughly modern Xuchang, Henan), he, along with Wang Sengbian and his brothers, surrendered to Liang Dynasty. (It is not known when this happened, but it must have happened between 502, when Liang was founded, and 511, when the Northern Wei official Lu Chang (盧昶)'s submission to Emperor Xuanwu of Northern Wei referred to Wang Shennian as a Liang general.) Wang Shennian was created the Marquess of Nancheng, and became successively the governor of several commanderies and eventually a provincial governor. Wang Sengbian was Wang Shennian's second son. He had one known older brother, Wang Zunye (王遵業) and three known younger brothers, Wang Senglüe (王僧略), Wang Sengzhi (王僧智), and Wang Sengyin (王僧愔).

In his youth, Wang Sengbian was known for being studious, particularly of the Zuo Zhuan. He was also well-versed in military strategy, although he was noted for not being physically strong for a soldier. When Xiao Yi, then the Prince of Xiangdong, was made the governor of Jiang Province (江州, modern Jiangxi) by his father Emperor Wu in 540, Wang Sengbian served on his military staff, and in 542, when a member of Ancheng Commandery (安成, roughly modern Anfu County, Ji'an, Jiangxi), Liu Jinggong (劉敬躬) rebelled, Xiao Yi sent Wang and Cao Ziying (曹子郢) against Liu. Wang captured Liu, and also suppressed the aborigines of the region, and thereafter became well-known. When Xiao Yi was made governor of Jing Province (荊州, modern central and western Hubei) in 547, Wang followed him to Jing Province and was made the governor of Jingling Commandery (竟陵, roughly modern Jingmen, Hubei).

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