Early life

Wang Dan was born in 957 or January 958 during the Later Zhou, possibly in Wei County or Nanle County, where his father Wang You (王佑) served as a county magistrate during that period. His ancestral home was Shen County. When he was 3 years old, the Later Zhou was overthrown and replaced by the Song dynasty.

Wang Dan enjoyed studying from a young age. In 980 he passed the imperial examination with honors, and was assigned to govern Pingjiang County as a magistrate. The circuit fiscal commissioner (转运使) Zhao Changyan was very impressed by his governing, and betrothed his daughter to Wang Dan. In 984, after completing his assignment in Pingjiang, Wang Jiang was assigned to manage the silver mine in the Tan Prefecture. Through the recommendation of Tan's prefect He Chengju (何承矩), Wang Dan was transferred to the capital Kaifeng's Palace Library, where he worked as an assistant editorial director (著作佐郎). He worked on the compilations Wenyuan Yinghua and Shi Lei (诗类; "Poems"). He was promoted to assistant director of palace administration (殿中丞).

In 985, Wang Dan was assigned to Zheng Prefecture to serve as the controller-general (通判). Two years later he was transferred to Hao Prefecture. In 990, Wang Yucheng recommended him to become a circuit fiscal commissioner, but as Wang Dan preferred to work in the capital, he presented a paper and was assigned to work in the Historiography Institute. In 991, he became a drafter (知制诰), a post his father had filled just 10 years ago. He impressed many colleagues, and Li Hang (李沆) who graduated from the same examination class valued him highly. Qian Ruoshui (钱若水) was convinced he could become a grand councilor.

Becoming a grand councilor

Zhao Guangyi (posthumously known as Emperor Taizong) died in May 997 and was succeeded by his son Zhao Heng (posthumously known as Emperor Zhenzong). Under the new monarch, Wang Dan was first made a drafter (舍人) in the Secretariat. A few months later, he became a Hanlin Academician while being put in charge of two offices: the Bureau of Personnel Evaluation (审官院) and the Memorial-Forwarding and Vetoing Office (通进银台封驳司). It was said the young emperor had rather favorable impressions of him. When Qian Ruoshui offered to retire, he was asked by the emperor to recommend someone in the central government bureaucracy for promotion. Qian Ruoshui answered that he found Wang Dan suitable for important roles because he had the requisite "virtues and reputations". The emperor replied, "This is exactly the person in my mind."

In March 1000, Wang Dan and two other Hanlin Academicians were put in charge of the imperial examination to recruit new scholar-officials. Emerging from 10 days of seclusion in the examination rooms, Wang Dan was immediately made a Supervising Secretary (给事中) in the Chancellery as well as an Administrator of the Bureau of Military Affairs. In April 1001, Wang Dan became the Vice-Director (侍郎) of the Ministry of Works and Vice-Grand councilor (参知政事), which enabled him to participate in policy discussions in the Administration Chamber with the emperor.

As grand councilor

During Wang Dan's tenure, the civil service examination system saw some important institutionalized developments, including:

• In 1007, the practice of protecting a candidate's anonymity was extended from the imperial examination in the capital to the departmental examinations in the provinces

• In 1015, the Bureau of Examination Copyists (誊录院) was established to copy examination papers to prevent candidates' handwriting from being recognized by examiners

• Between 1007 and 1011, the official promotion system through controlled sponsorship was fully developed

Although Wang Dan's role in these changes is unclear, historian Edward Kracke argued that Wang Dan must be behind them, being not only an influential grand councilor, but also an experienced examiner.

Wang Dan also sponsored and recommended many talented men for promotion. At least 5 men he recommended became grand councilors: Kou Zhun (who had been grand councilor before), Li Di (李迪), Wang Zeng (王曾), Zhang Shixun, and Lü Yijian.

Notes and references

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生平

王旦其貌不扬，脸扁、鼻偏，喉部突起，有异人相。

太平兴国五年（980年）进士及第（苏易简榜），时年二十三。旋以大理寺评事来到湖南平江任县令。在平江县，民间久有传闻，官吏办公的住所有怪物作祟，闹得人夜不安宁，胆怯者不敢居住。王旦上任入住的前夜，有守卫官署的门吏听到群鬼长啸大呼：「宰相公要来了，我们快逃命」。自此以后，闹鬼之事绝迹。传闻虽有些荒诞，但从侧面反映了人们对王旦的尊崇之情。还有一传说，暑天青黄不接时，王旦到乡下访贫，在大树下休息，地上的蚂蚁会离他席坐的地方数尺，并不侵袭。见者甚感奇异，皆言贵人之福也。在平江任职四年，年龄虽少，但才识过人，他推行惠民政策，以道德标准教化士民，民服其教，百姓安居乐业。转运使赵昌言假道平江，很欣赏王旦的施政方略，对其政绩大加褒奖，认定他是一个有发展前途的青年才俊，仅凭一面之交，就将女儿许配给他，这足以证明王旦确实有非凡的才华。

由于德才兼备、政绩突出，王旦的仕途从此一马平川。雍熙元年（984年）王旦带著身孕的妻子离开平江，命监潭州（今湖南长沙）银场。是年，王旦长子出生。为纪念太宗改元「雍熙」，取名王雍。不久入朝任著作佐郎。参与编辑《文苑英华》、《诗类》。二年（985年），迁殿中省丞（阶官，从五品上）、通判郑州。四年（987年），改通判濠州。淳化二年（991年），拜右正言、知制诰。三年（992年），知贡举，加虞部员外郎（阶官，从五品上）、同判吏部流内铨（差遣）、知考课院。太宗嘉其识体，改礼部郎中（阶官，从五品上）、集贤殿修撰（职）。至道元年（995年），知理检院。二年（996年），进兵部郎中（阶官，从五品上）。咸平二年（999年）拜中书舍人（阶官，正五品上）、数月，为翰林学士兼知审官院、通进银台封驳司。三年（1000年）又知贡举，锁宿旬日，拜给事中（阶官，正五品上）、同知枢密院事（差遣）。逾年，以工部侍郎（阶官，正四品下）拜参知政事。景德元年（1004年）宋真宗亲征澶州，王旦随行，不久雍王赵元份病重，王旦即先行回朝接任留守，十馀日不入家门。二年（1005年），加尚书左丞（阶官，正四品上）。景德三年（1006年），拜工部尚书、同中书门下平章事，登上宰相之位。大中祥符三年（1010年），任兵部尚书，知枢密院、中书侍郎兼刑部尚书，总理朝廷重大事务。

王旦气度雍容，才识过人，胸藏锦绣而锋芒不露，得到朝野上下一致好评。宋初名臣钱若水称王旦为「栋梁之才」。太宗时，王旦掌管选授天下官吏的考课院，太宗多次嘉奖他「识大体」。真宗每次退朝都目送王旦下堂，常对人说：「为朕致太平者，必斯人也!」一切朝政，真宗都放手让王旦处理，重要事务，真宗都先问王旦怎么办。王旦以其出色的才干，辅佐天子，治理天下，对宋代前期政治、经济发展做出了极大贡献。

王旦任宰相时，寇准多次在宋真宗面前说王旦的短处，然而王旦却极力称赞寇准，并提拔为节度使、同中书门下平章事，后寇准自觉才德器量远不及王旦。王旦一生清廉，不置田宅，他说：「子孙当自立，何必田宅。」

祥符元年（1008年）宋真宗好封禅，王旦本不同意封禅，但真宗坚决拜王旦为天书仪仗使、封禅大礼使，进中书侍郎（加官，正三品）兼刑部尚书（阶官，正三品），受诏撰《封祀坛颂》，加兵部尚书（阶官，正三品）。四年，祀汾阴，又为大礼使，迁尚书省右仆射（阶官，从二品）、昭文馆大学士。仍撰《祠坛颂》，将复进秩，恳辞得免，止加功臣。俄兼门下侍郎（宰相加官，正三品）、玉清昭应宫使。宋真宗被「五鬼」所迷，进行各种法会，耗费大量金钱时，王旦只能尽可能的限制「五鬼」。王旦为此事而愧疚，常常闷闷不乐。

天禧元年（1017年）春，王旦因病多次恳求辞职，真宗勉允，免其宰相一职，享受宰相半俸。初秋，王旦病重，真宗不断遣内侍问候，并亲赐粥饭、御药。九月初十，王旦病逝。王旦认为真宗搞天书封祀迷信花了太多钱，自己没有劝阻成功，死前，王旦跟子弟们说，死后要剃发穿袈裟，打扮成和尚来赎罪，后来杨亿劝阻王家，才没有让王旦「死后出家」。

真宗废朝三日，亲临致祭，诏令京城内十日不举乐。追赠王旦为太师、尚书令、魏国公，谥号「文正」。配享真宗庙廷祀。

王旦棺柩初厝于河南开封县新里乡大边村，归葬于山东莘县城关镇曹庙王村东北100米处。有文集二十卷传世。