Wang Shizhen (Tang Dynasty)

Wang Shizhen (王士真) (759-809), formally Prince Jingxiang of Qinghe (清河景襄王), was a general of the Chinese Tang Dynasty who served as a military governor (Jiedushi) of Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei) and ruled it in a de facto independent manner from the imperial regime.

Wang Shizhen was born in 759. It is known that his father was Wang Wujun, who was, around or sometime after his birth, an officer serving under the general Li Baochen, the military governor (Jiedushi) of Chengde Circuit, and that he was Wang Wujun's oldest son. Wang Shizhen had at least three younger brothers, Wang Shiqing (王士清), Wang Shiping (王士平), and Wang Shize (王士則).

It was said that Wang Shizhen became a fierce soldier in his youth and was capable in strategies. He became a guard commander for Li Baochen, and Li Baochen gave him a daughter in marriage. Wang Shizhen carefully cultivated his relationships with Li Baochen's close associates. Late in Li Baochen's life, he wanted to pass his position to his son Li Weiyue, but feared that Li Weiyue was weak in personality and could not control the officers, and therefore began killing the more capable officers. However, due to the marriage relationship and Wang Shizhen's carefulness in befriending Li Baochen's close associates, Wang Wujun was able to escape this fate.

Li Baochen died in 781, and Emperor Dezong refused to let Li Weiyue inherit his position. Thereafter, Li Weiyue and the rulers of three other allied circuits — Li Na, whom Emperor Dezong similarly refused to allow to inherit his father Li Zhengji's position as military governor of Pinglu Circuit (平盧, headquartered in modern Tai'an, Shandong) when Li Zhengji died in 781 as well; Tian Yue the military governor of Weibo Circuit (魏博, headquartered in modern Handan, Hebei); and Liang Chongyi the military governor of Shannan East Circuit (山南東道, headquartered in modern Xiangfan, Hubei) prepared for war against the imperial government. Liang was quickly defeated by Li Xilie and committed suicide, while imperial forces inflicted serious damage on Tian's and Li Na's forces. Meanwhile, Zhu Tao the acting military governor of Lulong Circuit (盧龍, headquartered in modern Beijing) attacked Li Weiyue from the north and was quickly able to persuade two key Chengde officers, Zhang Xiaozhong the prefect of Yi Prefecture (易州, in modern Shijiazhuang) and Kang Rizhi (康日知) the prefect of Zhao Prefecture (趙州, in modern Shijiazhuang), to submit their respective prefectures turn against Li Weiyue. When Li Weiyue tried to counterattack in spring 782, Zhu and Zhang's joint forces defeated him at Shulu (束鹿, in modern Shijiazhuang), forcing him to flee back to Chengde's capital Heng Prefecture. It was said that during the Battle of Shulu, Wang Wujun, serving as Li Weiyue's forward commander and believing that Li Weiyue was already suspicious of him, decided not to fight to the best of his ability, and that this led to the defeat.

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