Early life and career

Wei Guan was from Anyi County (安邑县), Hedong Commandery, which is located west of present-day Xia County, Shanxi. His father Wei Ji (卫觊; 168 - 229) was a high-ranking Wei official and marquis. Wei Guan inherited his father's peerage, and when he grew older became an official. Throughout the years, he became known for his capability and was continuously promoted. After Cao Huan became emperor, he became an Official of Justice (廷尉卿), and was known for his strength in logical thinking.

When the Wei regent Sima Zhao ordered the generals Zhong Hui and Deng Ai to attack Wei's rival state Shu Han in 263, Wei Guan served as Deng Ai's deputy. After the fall of Shu that year, Zhong Hui planned a rebellion, and the first step of his preparation was to falsely accuse Deng Ai of treason. Sima Zhao, believing Zhong Hui's accusations, ordered Deng Ai arrested, and Zhong Hui in turn ordered Wei Guan to arrest Deng Ai, hoping that Wei Guan would fail and be killed by Deng Ai so that he could further affirm his accusations against Deng Ai. Wei Guan knew this, so he surprised Deng Ai in the middle of the night and arrested him. When Zhong Hui rebelled later, Wei Guan pretended to be seriously ill, so Zhong Hui lowered his guard against Wei Guan. Later, Wei Guan participated in inciting the soldiers to start a mutiny against Zhong Hui and end the rebellion. Fearful that Deng Ai would then retaliate against him, he had Deng Ai tracked down and killed. When Du Yu publicly denounced Wei Guan, instead of becoming angry and retaliate against Du Yu, Wei Guan visited him and apologised. He also declined a larger fief that Sima Zhao was ready to bestow on him for his accomplishments.

Career during the Jin dynasty

In September 265, Sima Zhao died and was succeeded as regent by his son Sima Yan (Emperor Wu). In February 266, Sima Yan usurped the throne from Cao Huan, thus ending the Cao Wei state and establishing the Jin dynasty. Throughout Emperor Wu's reign, Wei Guan continued to be an important official and general, serving in a variety of roles capably. As a result, one of his brothers and one of his sons were granted marquis titles. Wei Guan attempted to implement a revised civil service system, where the civil service examiner (中正) would have less input on grading officials, and actual job performance would become more important, but while Emperor Wu liked Wei Guan's suggestions, he did not carry them out.

In 271, Wei Guan was transferred to Senior General Who Attacks the North, where he was tasked with defending the northern frontier. During his tenure, the biggest threats to the frontier were the Wuhuan in the east and the Tuoba-Xianbei people in the west. When the supreme chieftain of the Tuoba, Tuoba Liwei sent his son and heir apparent, Tuoba Shamohan to pay tribute, Wei Guan convinced Emperor Wu to detain Shamohan while he bribed the Tuoba and Wuhuan chiefs in a plan to sow division and weaken them. Shamohan was only allowed to return in 277, but he was soon killed in a conspiracy by the chiefs, throwing the Tuoba into a state of turmoil while the Wuhuan submitted to Jin. The following year, Wei Guan was summoned back to the capital.

Wei Guan was one of the few officials who dared to openly speak to Emperor Wu about his choice of heir apparent, his son Sima Zhong, who was developmentally disabled. On one occasion, Emperor Wu, after Wei Guan hinted that Sima Zhong should not be crown prince, sent a number of inquiries to Sima Zhong to have answered. When the inquiries were appropriately answered (because Sima Zhong's wife Jia Nanfeng had someone else answer the inquiries for Sima Zhong), Emperor Wu was happy and publicly showed Wei Guan the answers, embarrassing Wei Guan greatly and making it clear to other officials that Wei Guan had said something.

After Emperor Wu's death in May 290, Yang Jun, the father of Empress Dowager Yang, assumed the regency for Sima Zhong, who ascended the throne as Emperor Hui. However, in April 291, Yang Jun was overthrown and killed in a coup started by Empress Jia. Wei Guan was then made regent, along with Emperor Hui's granduncle Sima Liang in May. Wei Guan and Sima Liang tried to get the government on track, but Empress Jia continued to interfere with governmental matters. They also became concerned about the violent temper of Emperor Hui's half-brother Sima Wei (who was heavily involved in the coup against Yang Jun) and therefore tried to strip him of his military command, but Sima Wei persuaded Empress Jia to let him keep his military command. Sima Wei's assistants Qi Sheng (岐盛) and Gongsun Hong thereafter falsely told Empress Jia that Sima Liang and Wei Guan planned to depose the emperor. Empress Jia, who had already resented Wei Guan for having, during Emperor Wu's reign, suggested that he change his choice of heir apparent, also wanted more direct control over the government, and therefore resolved to undergo a second coup.

In summer 291, Empress Jia instructed Emperor Hui to write an imperial edict to Sima Wei, ordering him to have Sima Liang and Wei Guan removed from their offices. His forces thereby surrounded Sima Liang and Wei Guan's mansions, and while both men's subordinates recommended resistance, each declined and was captured. Against what the edict said, both were killed – Sima Liang with his heir Sima Ju and Wei Guan with nine of his sons and grandsons. After Empress Jia, concerned about Sima Wei's power, then falsely declared that the edict was forged by Sima Wei and had him executed, Wei Guan was posthumously rehabilitated and restored to the status of a duke.

Calligraphy

Wei Guan was a famous calligrapher during his time, being a master of the cursive script. He and his colleague, Suo Jing, were collectively referred to as "One terrace, two wonders" due to their calligraphy skills. The two were also compared to the Eastern Han dynasty calligrapher, Zhang Zhi, and a common saying in their day was "Wei Guan received Boying's tendons, Suo Jing received Boying's flesh". Wei Guan's granddaughter, Wei Shuo, was another famous calligrapher, most known for being the teacher of Wang Xizhi.

生平

卫瓘十岁时，父亲就去世，表现至孝过人，承袭父亲闵乡侯爵位。成年后，当上尚书郎。尚书台是权力中心，而彼时曹魏法度严苛、政派不一，母亲陈氏很担心他身居此位会得罪人，故卫瓘自求转任通事郎，后又转中书郎。入仕十年间，曹魏历经权臣专政，卫瓘却能巧妙在之间游走，不过份亲近任何一方，也做得称职，傅嘏因而看重卫瓘，称他是甯武子。以后累经升迁，升任散骑常侍。魏元帝即位后，卫瓘转任侍中，持节慰劳河北。后转廷尉卿，因通明法理，每参听讼案，不论案情大小都必依实情处理。

克蜀平叛

景元四年（263年），司马昭命征西将军邓艾、镇西将军锺会等领兵攻伐蜀汉，卫瓘时以廷尉卿持节监（察）邓艾、锺会军事，行镇西军司，并受命统兵一千人。同年，邓艾在锺会大军遭姜维阻于剑阁之际，经阴平小道径取成都，并接受后主刘禅投降，灭掉蜀汉。但邓艾建立灭蜀功勋后，致力使局势稳固的措施在朝中被视为独断专行，尤以未经直属上司司马昭允准而任命临时官员。邓艾时向司马昭建议一些怀柔蜀汉遗民的措施笼络东吴，司马昭透过卫瓘向邓艾说：「这些人事任命等相关事宜应当先向朝廷通报，不适合自己专断而立即实行。」但邓艾请求司马昭考虑到「不能为常规失掉适当时机」。但邓艾未料这样的行为受到正嫉妒邓艾灭蜀之功及自己私下怀有野心的锺会利用，于是锺会模仿邓艾的笔迹，改写了邓艾寄给司马昭书信的措辞，令司马昭开始怀疑邓艾有不臣之心，然后锺会继之联合衞瓘、胡烈及师纂等人一同写信向司马昭密报邓艾有反心。

景元五年（264年），司马昭经由朝廷下诏以槛车收捕邓艾，并押解回京审判。司马昭担心邓艾抗命，于是下令锺会率军成都协助逮捕，但锺会却先派遣兵力较弱的卫瓘在他之前到成都收擒邓艾，打算借邓艾之手杀了他，以坐实邓艾的谋反。卫瓘深知此行凶险，但因自己身任监军，职责所在不能拒绝，唯有出发。卫瓘半夜到达成都后，向邓艾诸营将领发出檄文，表明奉诏只捉拿邓艾一人，其馀一概不予追究，如果向官军报到，爵位赏赐一如先前；如果胆敢不出面，就把那人诛三族。于是第二天鸡鸣时，邓艾诸将纷纷赶至卫瓘军营中，只有不知情的邓艾父子没到。衞瓘于是在清晨乘车直入成都殿前，派人收捕还未睡醒的邓艾父子。邓艾的亲信部将大怒，纷纷率队来到卫瓘军营喊冤。卫瓘闻讯，穿著轻装出来迎接，随手拿出一份写到一半的奏章，假称自己也正在为邓艾申辩冤屈，邓艾亲兵见此，遂轻信了他而罢手，于是邓艾父子皆被卫瓘收押。。

锺会于景元五年正月十五（264年2月29日）抵达成都后，将被囚的邓艾送走，随即展开他的谋反行动。翌日便召集起护军、郡守及牙门以上高级军官，伪称郭太后死讯并为其发丧，又以假造的郭太后遗诏起兵讨伐司马昭。锺会派亲信代领诸军，而将召来的胡烈等魏军将领囚禁在原蜀汉各曹屋中。卫瓘也被锺会留住讨论事项，并获告知想杀掉胡烈等人的意图。衞瓘断然拒绝，造成他与锺会彼此猜疑。卫瓘乘著上厕所的机会，将锺会谋反的消息传达给胡烈昔日的老部属知道，让他向军队传播；另一方面，胡烈因锺会帐下督丘建的帮助，得以与士兵接触，向他们诈称从丘建处得知锺会已挖好土坑要坑杀所有魏军的消息，让此消息传遍军中。当时魏军伐蜀，连年征战在外，所有人都有思乡之心，人心已经不稳，再得知这些消息后，众人愈加愤怒不已，一致决定讨伐锺会，但身为监军的卫瓘仍被锺会留著，故他们都不敢先动。当晚，锺会彻夜逼著卫瓘同意其作乱计划，而卫瓘始终不开口，双方都横刀膝上，情势严峻。锺会乃不得已，打算派卫瓘慰劳诸军，而这正合卫瓘心意；为了坚定锺会意志，卫瓘故意说：「您是三军之主，应该自己去慰劳才对。」锺会回答：「你是监军，你先去吧，我晚点再去。」卫瓘于是步出成都宫殿。不过锺会很快就后悔了，派人召还卫瓘，卫瓘却回答自己晕眩病发，还假装倒地，但甫出殿阁，已有几十个锺会亲信去追他。卫瓘急忙赶回官舍，随即服下大量盐汤，刺激身体不适，呕吐大作。由于卫瓘向来体弱，这样看起来就似病得很重了，锺会所派的亲信和医者见过他后都说他快不行了，锺会遂不再堤防卫瓘。至黄昏，卫瓘写檄文向诸军宣布锺会谋反，而诸军已有准备，于是在翌日午间各军一同发起兵变攻袭锺会，最终锺会等军战败，锺会被杀。衞瓘接著重新部署诸将，经历大乱后的魏军又安定整肃起来。

邓艾的部下这时情知始作俑者乃是锺会，便又追赶囚车，要救出邓艾，迎接他回成都。卫瓘担心邓艾一旦被部属释放，自己构陷邓艾造反的事情会曝光，同时又想独揽瓦解锺会之乱的功劳，便差遣护军田续至绵竹，抢在邓艾诸将到达前斩杀邓艾父子。此前，邓艾进入江油时，田续因为地形险恶难走，不敢轻易前进，为此差点被邓艾杀掉以提振士气，因左右为田续求情而被赦免，由此卫瓘派遣田续追杀邓艾时，对他说：「现在你可以报在江油受辱的仇了。」

事后，朝中议论要加封卫瓘，卫瓘称克蜀之功是众人的功劳，而邓艾、锺会二将则是自取灭亡，自己在其中虽有运用智谋，但不是领导者，故坚持不接受赏赐。之后任使持节都督关中诸军事、镇西将军的职位，不久转任都督徐州诸军事、镇东将军，增封为灾阳侯。

安定幽并

西晋建立后，卫瓘升任征东将军、进爵为灾阳公。泰始五年（269年），转都督青州诸军事、青州刺史，升任征东大将军、青州牧。卫瓘先前在关中、徐州及现在青州都有政绩。后泰始七年八月丙戌日（271年9月30日）转赴任所与乌桓接壤的征北大将军、都督幽州诸军事、幽州刺史，领乌桓校尉。卫瓘上任后，上表分幽州立平州，最终朝廷于泰始十年（274年）置平州，并与卫瓘加都督平州。当时北方边境东有乌桓，西有拓跋鲜卑拓跋力微，都屡有侵边之举。咸宁元年（275年），拓跋力微遣子拓跋沙漠汗向晋朝贡，卫瓘以沙漠汗雄异非常，虑为后患，于是上表请留沙漠汗，又请以重金贿赂鲜卑诸部大人，用以分化拓跋鲜卑，于是拓跋部中执事及外部大人都受过晋赂。卫瓘又贿赂库贤，并以此达至分化乌桓及拓跋鲜卑的效果，终于乌桓降而拓跋力微忧死，解除边患。

咸宁四年（278年），朝廷徵卫瓘入朝升任尚书令，加侍中。卫瓘为人严肃，以法御下，视诸尚书为参佐而尚书郎是掾属。太康三年十二月甲申日（283年1月28日），卫瓘领衔司空，兼侍中及尚书令，因为政简约更得朝野赞誉，晋武帝更下令将繁昌公主赐婚给卫瓘第四子卫宣。以后又加卫瓘领太子少傅。

晋时依曹魏行九品中正制，但卫瓘认为这根本只是权宜的制度，应该是时候恢复古时乡里选举人才，遂与太尉汝南王司马亮等人上疏求废九品中正制，言九品之制已是「中间杂染，遂计资定品，使天下观望，唯以居位为贵，人弃德而忽道业，争多少于锥刀之末，伤损风俗，其弊不细」；反而复古制是「使朝臣共相举任，出才之路既博，且可以厉进贤之公心，核在位之明暗」。晋武帝虽然同意，但还没来得及改易制度便驾崩。

忠贞遭祸

晋武帝司马炎早在泰始三年（267年）就立了皇子司马衷为太子，但其实朝臣都知司马衷并不聪明，无能力判断政事，卫瓘也常想上陈请求改易储君，但始终不敢直说。后来，卫瓘趁著宴会后酒醉，跪在御床前说：「臣有事想啓奏。」武帝问：「爱卿有什么话想说？」卫瓘表现得欲言又止，然后用手摸著御牀说：「这座位真是可惜了啊！」晋武帝明白卫瓘是在暗示太子才能与资质不足以承担帝位，遂装糊涂说：「爱卿喝醉了吧？」卫瓘知道武帝不愿更换太子，遂不敢再提此事。不过此事后被太子妃贾南风得知，卫瓘遂遭其忌恨。

太熙元年（290年），晋武帝患病，时权势极盛的外戚杨骏与卫瓘亦不和。杨骏为了在惠帝继位后独专大权，便打算让卫宣与繁昌公主离婚，进而逼令衞瓘退位离开朝廷，遂与黄门以卫宣之前有过脱序行为、败坏皇家门声为由，造文章谤毁他，让晋武帝下令繁昌公主与其离婚，卫瓘亦以教子无方的过失，被逼退位，转以没有权利的太保还第。后来，武帝得知黄门构陷卫宣，打算让繁昌公主与卫宣复婚，但卫宣此时已患病过世。不久，武帝去世，惠帝即位，由杨骏单独辅政。翌年（291年），已成皇后的贾南风想除去杨骏，遂联结司马亮、镇南将军司马玮以及殿中中郎李肇及孟观诛除杨骏。

卫瓘因与杨骏对立，被贾后以太保加录尚书事拉拢，同时获得绿綟绶，剑屐上殿、入朝不趋等礼遇，与汝南王亮一起辅政。卫瓘及司马亮认为司马玮性格凶狠暴戾，不能重用，遂上奏请分遣诸王归藩，但当时朝臣根本无人敢响应二人的建议，于是反而招来司马玮的怨恨。另一方面，卫瓘亦讨厌楚王心腹公孙宏及歧盛，以他们品行不端为由，担忧他们会成为祸乱，便打算收捕歧盛。歧盛知道后，与公孙宏定计，藉李肇之手假传司马玮的话，向贾后中伤司马亮及卫瓘。贾后先前已讨厌卫瓘，又担心卫瓘会成为下一个杨骏，阻碍自己专政，便顺势假惠帝之手下诏，以卫瓘、司马亮阴谋废立，要废黜二人，下令司马玮去收捕卫瓘。

司马玮又另外假作诏命召集诸军，派清河王司马遐去收捕卫瓘，卫瓘身边亲信都怀疑司马遐手持的诏命是假的，均劝告卫瓘自己上表问明事况。然卫瓘不听，最终与本家子孙等九人为司马玮诛杀，终年七十二岁。

司马玮收杀卫瓘及司马亮后，随即就被贾南风以此为由诛杀，卫瓘女儿及灾阳国臣都上书申冤，参与收葬卫瓘的太保主簿刘繇等人亦都上书陈情，最终朝廷以卫瓘在蜀地的功勋改封他为兰陵郡公，增邑三千户，并赐諡号成，赠假黄钺。兰陵郡公由幸免于难的孙儿卫璪承袭，后因东海王司马越以兰陵郡增益本国东海国而改封江夏郡公，有食邑八千五百户。

性格特徵

• 《晋书》载卫瓘性贞静有名理，以明识清允称。

• 卫瓘学问渊博，有文才及艺术，尤其与同时的尚书郎索靖擅长草书，得当时人称美为「一台二妙」。时人更将其书法与汉末书法家张芝相提，称「瓘得伯英筋，靖得伯英肉」。张怀瓘《书断》以衞瓘的章草列为「神品」，小篆、隶书、行书、及草书则为「妙品」。

轶事

• 邓艾被卫瓘指使田续杀害后，杜预向众人大表不满：「伯玉难道不会有报应吗！身为名士，位居总帅，居然做出这种缺德事给底下人看，是小人而乘君子之器，这种人怎么能让他上位？」卫瓘听后，哑口无言，只好低头道歉。而后卫家子孙果受诛戮，只有两个孙子因为当时出外看病而幸免。。

• 卫家遭难前一年，灶房仆人煮饭时，米粒落地，变成了螺。。

• 卫瓘担任司空时，因帐下给使荣晦犯了错，便发怒免了荣晦的职，后来司马暐率众捕杀卫瓘家时，荣晦也在其行阵中，按著谱序把卫瓘子孙一个个抓出来屠戮。后来卫瓘的女儿在卫家获得平反后，上书申冤，请求朝廷将荣晦族诛。。

• 卫瓘的儿子卫恒躲在墙中，原本可以免难，他挖孔向嫂父何劭询问风声，何劭却知情不告，结果卫恒以为没事了，从墙中走出来，经过厨房，被正在厨房找东西吃的人撞见，于是遇害。

家庭

父

• 卫觊

兄弟

• 卫寔，（史书作实，当从墓碑作寔）衞瓘弟；曾任弘农太守衞瓘封灾阳侯时分爵封为开阳亭侯。

子女辈

• 卫恒，兰陵贞世子，与父同被杀

• 衞岳，与父同被杀

• 衞裔，与父同被杀

• 衞宣，娶繁昌公主，后离婚，先衞瓘病死

• 卫庭，卫宣弟，为太子司马遹友

• 卫氏

• 卫琇，字惠瑛，河东人，散骑常侍、闻阳乡侯卫寔之女，司空卫瓘侄女。王浚继妻，无子女。

孙辈

• 卫璪，卫恒子，袭爵，官至散骑侍郎，永嘉之乱时死于战乱。

• 卫玠，卫恒子，有盛名。

• 卫铄，卫恒女；李矩之妻卫夫人、书圣王羲之之师。

相关条目

• 魏灭蜀之战

• 八王之乱

参考、注释

参考书目

• 房玄龄，《晋书·卫瓘传》

• 陈寿，《三国志》，卷28，〈邓艾锺会传〉

• 司马光，《资治通鉴》，卷78，〈魏纪十〉咸熙元年

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