Wang Can
Encyclopedia
Wang Can was a politician, scholar and poet during the late Han Dynasty
period of Chinese history
. He contributed greatly to the establishment of laws and standards during the founding days of the Principality of Wei – predecessor to the later Cao Wei
kingdom – under Cao Cao
. For his literary achievement Wang Can was ranked among the Seven Scholars of Jian'an
(建安七子).
Wang Can was also renowned for his eidetic memory
. Chen Shou
's Records of Three Kingdoms
describes an incident where Wang Can was watching a game of weiqi
. Someone accidentally knocked into the board and scattered the pieces. Wang Can then placed the pieces back to their original positions based on memory.
), Wang Can was born in a family of high-ranking bureaucrats. His greatgrandfather and grandfather were among the Three Excellencies
under Emperor Shun and Emperor Ling respectively.
When the warlord Dong Zhuo
usurped power in 190, placing in the throne the puppet Emperor Xian, Wang Can was merely thirteen years of age. A year later, Dong Zhuo moved the capital from Luoyang
to the more strategically secure Chang'an
. Wang Can then headed for the new capital, where he settled down for the next three years. During his stay in Chang'an, Wang Can's talent was recognized by the prominent scholar and calligrapher Cai Yong
(蔡邕). The young Wang Can was also offered several posts, all of which he turned down.
In 194, Wang Can went to Jingzhou (荆州, present day Hubei
and Hunan
) to seek a position under the governor Liu Biao
. However, Liu Biao did not favor Wang Can as the latter looked pallid and sickly. After the death of Liu Biao in 208, his son Liu Cong (刘琮) was persuaded by Wang Can to surrender to Cao Cao
.
Wang Can's talent was finally exploited under his new lord. In 213, Cao Cao was enfeoffed the Duke of Wei and given ten cities under his fiefdom, which was named the State of Wei. Wang Can was then entrusted with establishing a new system of laws and standards to replace the old one, which had largely fallen into disuse. In late 216, Wang Can followed Cao Cao on his fourth southern campaign against Sun Quan
. He died on the way due to sickness in the spring of 217 at the age of 40.
(建安七子).
The civil strife towards the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty gave the jian'an poems their characteristic solemn yet heart-stirring tone, while lament over the ephemerality of life was also a central theme of works from this period. In terms of the history of Chinese literature, the jian'an poems were a transition from the early folksongs into scholarly poetry.
The representative work by Wang Can was the Poem of Seven Sorrows (七哀诗), a five-character poem lamenting the suffering of the people during the years of war.
¹ Jian'an was the era name
for the period from 196 to 220.
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
period of Chinese history
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
. He contributed greatly to the establishment of laws and standards during the founding days of the Principality of Wei – predecessor to the later Cao Wei
Cao Wei
Cao Wei was one of the states that competed for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period. With the capital at Luoyang, the state was established by Cao Pi in 220, based upon the foundations that his father Cao Cao laid...
kingdom – under Cao Cao
Cao Cao
Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
. For his literary achievement Wang Can was ranked among the Seven Scholars of Jian'an
Seven Scholars of Jian'an
Seven scholars of Jian'an , also translated as the "seven philosophers of Jian'an", or the "seven masters of Jian'an", is composed of seven Chinese intellectuals of the Eastern Han period. The name was coined by Cao Pi. "Jian'an" refers to the 196—220 period during the rulership of the Emperor Xian...
(建安七子).
Wang Can was also renowned for his eidetic memory
Eidetic memory
Eidetic , commonly referred to as photographic memory, is a medical term, popularly defined as the ability to recall images, sounds, or objects in memory with extreme precision and in abundant volume. The word eidetic, referring to extraordinarily detailed and vivid recall not limited to, but...
. Chen Shou
Chen Shou
Chen Shou was a historian during the Jin Dynasty period of Chinese history. He is best known as the author of Records of Three Kingdoms, a historical account of the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period.-Biography:...
's Records of Three Kingdoms
Records of Three Kingdoms
Records of Three Kingdoms , is regarded as the official and authoritative historical text on the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history covering the years 184-280 CE. Written by Chen Shou in the 3rd century, the work combines the smaller histories of the rival states of Cao Wei , Shu Han and...
describes an incident where Wang Can was watching a game of weiqi
Go (board game)
Go , is an ancient board game for two players that originated in China more than 2,000 years ago...
. Someone accidentally knocked into the board and scattered the pieces. Wang Can then placed the pieces back to their original positions based on memory.
Biography
A local of Guangping Commandery (present day Zou County, ShandongShandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
), Wang Can was born in a family of high-ranking bureaucrats. His greatgrandfather and grandfather were among the Three Excellencies
Three Excellencies
The Three Ducal Ministers , also translated as the Three Dukes, Three Excellencies, or the Three Lords, was the collective name for the three highest officials in ancient China...
under Emperor Shun and Emperor Ling respectively.
When the warlord Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo was a politician and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He seized control of the capital city Luoyang in 189 when it was in a state of turmoil following the death of Emperor Ling and a clash between the eunuch faction and some court officials led by...
usurped power in 190, placing in the throne the puppet Emperor Xian, Wang Can was merely thirteen years of age. A year later, Dong Zhuo moved the capital from Luoyang
Luoyang
Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...
to the more strategically secure Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
. Wang Can then headed for the new capital, where he settled down for the next three years. During his stay in Chang'an, Wang Can's talent was recognized by the prominent scholar and calligrapher Cai Yong
Cai Yong
Cai Yong was a Chinese scholar of the Eastern Han Dynasty. He was well-versed in calligraphy, music, mathematics and astronomy. One of his daughters is the famous Cai Wenji.-Early life:...
(蔡邕). The young Wang Can was also offered several posts, all of which he turned down.
In 194, Wang Can went to Jingzhou (荆州, present day Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
and Hunan
Hunan
' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
) to seek a position under the governor Liu Biao
Liu Biao
Liu Biao , style name Jingsheng , was a warlord and the governor of Jing Province during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was a member of the extended family of the Han Dynasty emperors...
. However, Liu Biao did not favor Wang Can as the latter looked pallid and sickly. After the death of Liu Biao in 208, his son Liu Cong (刘琮) was persuaded by Wang Can to surrender to Cao Cao
Cao Cao
Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
.
Wang Can's talent was finally exploited under his new lord. In 213, Cao Cao was enfeoffed the Duke of Wei and given ten cities under his fiefdom, which was named the State of Wei. Wang Can was then entrusted with establishing a new system of laws and standards to replace the old one, which had largely fallen into disuse. In late 216, Wang Can followed Cao Cao on his fourth southern campaign against Sun Quan
Sun Quan
Sun Quan , son of Sun Jian, formally Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He ruled from 222 to 229 as King of Wu and from 229 to 252 as Emperor of Wu....
. He died on the way due to sickness in the spring of 217 at the age of 40.
Literary achievement
Wang Can was an established poet. Along with six other poets of his time, their poems formed the backbone of what was to be known as the jian'an¹ style (建安风骨). They were collectively called the Seven Scholars of Jian'anSeven Scholars of Jian'an
Seven scholars of Jian'an , also translated as the "seven philosophers of Jian'an", or the "seven masters of Jian'an", is composed of seven Chinese intellectuals of the Eastern Han period. The name was coined by Cao Pi. "Jian'an" refers to the 196—220 period during the rulership of the Emperor Xian...
(建安七子).
The civil strife towards the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty gave the jian'an poems their characteristic solemn yet heart-stirring tone, while lament over the ephemerality of life was also a central theme of works from this period. In terms of the history of Chinese literature, the jian'an poems were a transition from the early folksongs into scholarly poetry.
The representative work by Wang Can was the Poem of Seven Sorrows (七哀诗), a five-character poem lamenting the suffering of the people during the years of war.
¹ Jian'an was the era name
Chinese era name
A Chinese era name is the regnal year, reign period, or regnal title used when traditionally numbering years in an emperor's reign and naming certain Chinese rulers . Some emperors have several era names, one after another, where each beginning of a new era resets the numbering of the year back...
for the period from 196 to 220.
See also
- List of people of the Three Kingdoms
- List of Chinese language poets