Early life

Wang Chang was from the same commandery as Wang Ling, and both of them were already quite well known when they were still young. Wang Chang became a tutor to Cao Pi when the latter was still a prince. After Cao Pi became the emperor of Wei, Wang Chang was appointed as a Gentleman of Scattered Cavalry (散騎侍郎), Agriculture Officer (洛陽典農) of Luoyang, and Inspector of Yan Province (兗州刺史). After Cao Pi died in 226, his successor Cao Rui promoted Wang Chang to General Who Spreads Vehemence and granted the title of a Secondary Marquis. When Wang Chang was serving in Yan Province, he was still concerned about affairs in the imperial court. He felt that the system of governance in Wei, inherited from the Qin and Han dynasties, was too strict and flawed. He decided to draft a new constitution for the state, and submitted two memorials, Discussion on Governance (治論) and Military Book (兵書), to the Wei imperial court.

Battles against Eastern Wu

In 236, Grand Commandant Sima Yi recommended Wang Chang to the second Wei emperor Cao Rui as a talent. Wang Chang was appointed as the Inspector of Xu Province and enfeoffed as the Marquis of Wuguan Village (武觀亭侯). He was later appointed General Who Attacks the South and acting supervisor of military affairs in Jing and Yu provinces.

Wang Chang noticed that his base at Wancheng was too far away from Xiangyang, an important city on Wei's southern border. Besides, the military camps in that region were quite scattered and their naval force was far away at Xuanchi. If enemy forces from Wei's rival state Eastern Wu attacked them, their armies would not be able to provide support in time. Hence, Wang Chang changed his base to Xinye, ordered drills to be conducted for their naval forces, and promoted agriculture to build up food supplies.

In 250, the political turmoil in Wu had just ended and the Wu general Zhu Ju was recently dismissed by Sun Quan and forced to commit suicide. Wang Chang felt that the time was ripe to attack Wu, so he ordered Zhou Tai to attack Wu (巫), Shigui (柹歸) and Fangling (房陵) counties; Wang Ji to attack Yiling (夷陵); while he personally led an attack on Jiangling (江陵). Wang Chang's troops used bamboo splints to build bridges to cross the Yangtze River and defeated the Wu general Shi Ji, killing Zhongli Mao (鍾離茂) and Xu Min (許旻), returning victorious to Wei with many spoils of war. For his contributions, Wang Chang was promoted to Senior General Who Attacks the South and promoted from a village marquis to a county marquis under the title "Marquis of Jingling" (京陵侯).

In 252, Wang Chang proposed his plan to attack Wu again. At the same time, Zhuge Dan, Hu Zun and Guanqiu Jian also proposed their respective plans. The Wei regent Sima Shi accepted their proposals and ordered them to attack Wu from three directions. Wang Chang was assigned to attack Nan Commandery, but due to Hu Zun and Zhuge Dan's defeat by the Wu general Zhuge Ke, Wang Chang was forced to retreat.

Suppressing rebellions

In 255, the Wei generals Guanqiu Jian and Wen Qin started a rebellion in Shouchun. Wang Chang was promoted to General of Agile Cavalry and tasked with sending troops to help suppress the rebellion. In 257, another Wei general, Zhuge Dan started a rebellion in Shouchun, this time with support from Wu forces. Wang Chang led his army to put pressure on Wu forces at Jiangling, led by Shi Ji and Quan Xi (全熙), and prevent them from coming to Zhuge Dan's aid. In 258, after Zhuge Dan's rebellion was crushed, Wang Chang was promoted to Minister of Works (司空) and rewarded with an additional 1,000 taxable households in his marquisate. He died in the following year and was granted the posthumous title "Marquis Mu" (穆侯).

Family

• Father: Wang Ze (王澤), served as Administrator of Dai Commandery in the Eastern Han dynasty

• Sons:

　• Wang Hun (王渾), served as a general in Wei and later as Minister over the Masses under the Jin dynasty, participated in the conquest of Wu by Jin in 280

　• Wang Shen (王深), served as Inspector of Ji Province

　• Wang Lun (王淪), served as an adviser to the General-in-Chief

　• Wang Zhan (王湛), served as Administrator of Runan Commandery

• Grandsons:

　• Wang Shang (王尚), Wang Hun's eldest son, held a marquis title, died at a young age

　• Wang Ji (王濟), Wang Hun's second son, served as a Palace Attendant during the Jin dynasty

　• Wang Cheng (王澄), Wang Hun's third son, held a marquis title, served as an official during the Jin dynasty

　• Wang Wen (王汶), Wang Hun's fourth son, served as an official during the Jin dynasty

　• Wang Cheng (王承), Wang Zhan's son, served as an Inner Attendant in Donghai Commandery

• Great-grandsons:

　• Wang Zhuo (王卓), Wang Ji's eldest son, served as an official

　• Wang Yu (王聿), Wang Ji's second son, married a Jin dynasty princess, held the title of Marquis of Minyang

　• Wang Shu (王述), Wang Cheng's son, served as a Master of Writing and General of the Guards during the Jin dynasty

• Great-great-grandson:

　• Wang Tanzhi (王坦之), Wang Shu's son, served as a General of the Household and the Inspector of Xu and Yan provinces during the Jin dynasty

生平

王昶少年時與同郡人王凌齊名。成年後曾任太子曹丕的文學，曹丕即位後歷任散騎侍郎、洛陽典農、兗州刺史。曹叡即位加揚烈將軍、封關內侯。王昶擔任兗州刺史後雖然不在朝中，但仍然心繫朝廷，認為曹魏繼承了秦漢兩代法制嚴苛而瑣碎的缺點，應修改國典才能令治化大行於全國，於是寫了《治論》和《兵書》上奏朝廷。

守戰東吳

青龍四年（236年），曹叡下令公卿要推舉一位賢才，太尉司馬懿賞識王昶並推舉王昶。至正始年間，王昶轉任徐州刺史，封武觀亭侯，後又遷任征南將軍，假節都督荊豫諸軍事。王昶上任後因征南將軍治所宛城離南部邊境重鎮襄陽三百多里，諸軍屯駐地離散而水軍在宣池，一旦東吳進攻，軍隊可能趕不及支援；因而上表改駐新野，在二州境內集中訓練水軍，並推廣耕作，令穀倉十分充實。

嘉平二年（250年），東吳嫡庶之爭完結，驃騎將軍朱據被流放賜死，王昶認為孫權流放良將，是出戰時機，於是上奏征吳，於是派新城太守州泰襲巫、柹歸和房陵，荊州刺史王基攻夷陵，而王昶則親自率軍進攻江陵，並以竹篾製的粗索帶結成橋樑渡過長江進攻，擊敗吳將施績，後又設伏兵引施績進攻，大敗吳軍，並殺吳將鍾離茂、許旻，運著大量戰利品回師。王昶因功升任征南大將軍、儀同三司，進封京陵侯 。嘉平四年（252年），王昶上呈進攻東吳的計劃，同時鎮東將軍諸葛誕、征東將軍胡遵和鎮南將軍毌丘儉都進獻攻吳之計，司馬師接納進攻的意見並命令三道進攻東吳，由王昶進攻南郡，但因東吳太傅諸葛恪在東興擊敗胡遵、諸葛誕軍，王昶唯有撤退。

助平叛亂

正元二年（255年），毌丘儉和文欽在壽春發動叛亂，王昶因曾派兵對抗毌丘儉而有功，獲升任驃騎將軍。甘露二年（257年），諸葛誕在壽春叛亂，並向東吳求援，王昶則領兵據守夾石對江陵施加壓力，令當地守將施績和全熙等不能抽身到壽春支援諸葛誕。甘露三年（258年）壽春被攻破，諸葛誕被殺，王昶因功獲增食邑一千戶，升任司空，繼續持節都督荊豫諸軍事。次年六月逝世，諡穆侯，葬於洛陽。

軼聞

• 據《三國志·方技傳》載，相術士朱建平曾失算了王昶的前程。

• 同時王昶亦是漢趙開國皇帝劉淵的恩人。

家族

父

• 王澤，東漢代郡太守

兒子

• 王渾，西晉司徒、錄尚書事、京陵元公

• 王深，冀州刺史

• 王俊

• 王淪，曹魏大將軍參軍

• 王湛，西晉汝南太守、關內侯

孫子

• 王濟，王渾子

• 王承，王湛子，東海國內史