Background

Despite Wang's high status, little is firmly established about his background or career except for the years that he served as chancellor — as, unusual for a chancellor, he did not have a biography in either the Old Book of Tang or the New Book of Tang. According to the table of chancellors in the New Book of Tang, his father was Wang Wuxuan (王武宣), who at one point served as the prefect of Yue Prefecture (岳州, roughly modern Yueyang, Hunan).

During Emperor Gaozongs reign

As of summer 680, during Emperor Gaozong's reign, Wang Dezhen was serving as Zhongshu Shilang (中書侍郎), the deputy head of the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng), when he was given the designation of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Sanpin (同中書門下三品), making him a chancellor de facto. Five months later, however, without any reason given in the currently extant historical records, he was made the secretary general for Emperor Gaozong's son Li Dan (the later Emperor Ruizong) the Prince of Yu, and was no longer chancellor.

During Empress Dowager Wus regency

As of 684, Wang was still serving as the secretary general for Li Dan, as well as the minister of rites, when Li Dan's older brother Li Zhe, who had succeeded Emperor Gaozong after Emperor Gaozong's death in late 83 (as Emperor Zhongzong), was deposed by Empress Dowager Wu. She made Li Dan the new emperor (as Emperor Ruizong), and subsequently made Wang Shizhong (侍中) — the head of the examination bureau of government (門下省, Menxia Sheng) and a post considered one for a chancellor. In 685, however, for reasons lost to history, Wang was demoted to the post of prefect of Tong Prefecture (同州, roughly modern Weinan, Shaanxi) — but on the same day, was then further exiled to Xiang Prefecture (象州, roughly modern Laibin, Guangxi). Nothing further was recorded about him, although the table of chancellors in the New Book of Tang indicated that his son Wang Jiusi (王九思) later served as a county magistrate, as did his grandson Wang Qian (王濳).

Notes and references

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 202, 203.

生平

《舊唐書》、《新唐書》沒有他的傳，《新唐書·宰相世系表》說他是父親是岳州刺史王武宣。

根據出土的其祖父王約墓誌銘、其女資敬寺尼法雲墓誌銘、其子右監門衛將軍王泰墓誌銘記載，王德真出身京兆王氏，廿一代祖王孟，仕漢宣帝以豪傑稱。十八代祖王遵，從隗囂以才辯著。十三世祖王景，曹魏散騎常侍，從宦京兆，因即家焉。高祖王俱，北魏使持節、儀同三司、鄯州諸軍事、鄯州刺史。曾祖王琳，北魏金紫光祿大夫、使持節代幽營汾定五州諸軍事、定州刺史、武都郡開國公。祖父王約，北周瓜涼秦甘寧五州諸軍事、瓜州刺史、臨漳郡開國侯。父王武安，隨雍州醴泉縣令、定州別駕。

王德真自神堯皇帝（唐高祖）挽郎授密王府典簽，歷任太子舍人、兵部吏部員外郎、吏部郎中、乾封令、中書舍人、戶部中書二侍郎、同中書門下三品、太常卿、金紫光祿大夫，加侍中、上柱國、樂平縣開國男，贈尚書左僕射。夫人隴西郡夫人天水權氏，齊州長史、尚書左丞、武都郡開國公權萬紀之女。

其叔父王長諧為武德功臣，官至左武衛大將軍、秦州都督，封平原郡公，贈荊州大都督，謚曰襄，陪葬獻陵。

王德真家族墓地在京兆萬年縣神禾原，現已出土有周甘寧二州刺史王約墓誌、王約弟周義綏公王鑠墓誌、隋膳部員外侍郎王仲卿、唐趙州長史王客卿兄弟墓誌（王約侄子王弘之子）、右監門衛將軍王泰墓誌、并州司馬王九言墓誌（王鑠曾孫）。

680年夏四月廿四，唐高宗任命王德真為中書侍郎（中書省的副首長）、同中書門下三品，與裴炎、崔知溫同時為相。五個月後，九月十三，他被罷去宰相，任皇八子相王李輪的王府長史。

683年，相王李輪改封為豫王李旦。十二月，唐高宗去世，七子李哲即位，即唐中宗。684年，唐中宗被廢，武則天立李旦為皇帝，即唐睿宗。二月廿五，唐睿宗以長史王德真為侍中（門下省首長）。685年五月初一，王德真貶為同州（今陝西省渭南市）刺史，同日流放象州（今廣西來賓）。之後其事跡無記載。《新唐書·宰相世系表》說他的兒子是三原令王九思、孫子是告城令王潛。

延伸閱讀