Governing the Realm: The Biography of Wang Lang

Wang Lang (?-228), courtesy name Jingxing, was from Tan County, Donghai Commandery (present-day Tancheng, Shandong). A senior minister and master of the Confucian classics during the late Han and Three Kingdoms periods, he studied under Grand Commandant Yang Ci in his youth and once served as Administrator of Kuaiji. After being defeated while resisting Sun Ce, he joined Cao Cao. He served Cao Cao, Cao Pi, and Cao Rui in succession, eventually rising to Grand Minister over the Masses and receiving the title of Marquis of Lanling, placing him among the Three Excellencies. A man of vast learning, he annotated and explained classics such as the Book of Changes, the Classic of Filial Piety, and the Spring and Autumn Annals. His Commentary on the Book of Changes founded the “Wang School” tradition and became part of the official curriculum. In government, he advocated lighter punishments and lower taxes so the people could recover, and he repeatedly offered frank remonstrances. Throughout his life, he devoted himself to preserving texts and passing down classical scholarship. He oversaw the rescue of Cai Yong’s lost writings and helped foster scholarly exchange between north and south, profoundly influencing the development of classical studies during the Wei and Jin dynasties. He was a guardian of culture and an intellectual bridge from the Han to the Wei.