[1]Dates and identityThe biographical entries disagree on the precise dates, placing Wang Jian’s birth around 766–767 and his death around 830–832, with one account extending it beyond about 831; the records identify him as a Tang poet or writer.
Souyun王建 (18501)Three biographical entries give differing approximate dates, including about 767 to after about 831, about 766 to about 832, and about 766 with an uncertain death date; they describe Wang Jian as a Tang poet.
CBDBWang Jian (92047)The basic profile gives a birth year of 766, identifies the dynasty as Tang, and classifies him as a poet and literary man.
WikidataWang Jian (Q4133151)The English description calls him a Tang Dynasty poet, while the date values point to 767 and 830.
[2]Courtesy name and native placeWang Jian’s courtesy name was Zhongchu, his birth order was six, and he was known as Wang Sima; Yingchuan, Yingshang, and Guanfu represent the differing native and ancestral affiliations.
Souyun王建 (18501)The biographical entries give the courtesy name Zhongchu, rank him sixth, identify Yingchuan as present-day Xuchang, and explain the name Wang Sima.
CBDBWang Jian (92047)The profile labels Zhongchu as the courtesy name and Wang Liu as a birth-order name, and gives Yingshang as ancestral origin and Guanfu as the basic native place.
WikidataWang Jian (Q4133151)The name data provide the romanized form Zhongchu and the corresponding courtesy-name value 仲初.
[3]Early life and educationWang Jian came from a poor and declining family, lived in Wei in his early years, and studied in Shandong with Zhang Ji during the early Zhenyuan era.
Souyun王建 (18501)The biographical entries describe his declining or poor family background, early residence in Wei, and study in Shandong with Zhang Ji.
[4]Early service and military staffsIn later Zhenyuan Wang Jian served in Youzhou and Lingnan and held panguan posts under the commands of Ziqing, Youzhou, Lingnan, and Jingnan; he later resided in Jingzhou and joined Tian Hongzheng’s Weibo staff.
Souyun王建 (18501)The biographical account places him in the Youzhou and Lingnan staffs in later Zhenyuan, in Jingzhou early in Yuanhe, and in Tian Hongzheng’s Weibo staff.
CBDBWang Jian (92047)The appointment data list panguan posts in the Ziqing, Youzhou, Lingnan, and Jingnan commands.
[5]Middle-career officesHis middle career included the Zhaoying, Weinan, Taifu, Secretary, and Taichang offices, with an account placing a transfer from Taichang Cheng to Secretary Cheng at the beginning of Changqing.
Souyun王建 (18501)The biographical entries list the Zhaoying, Weinan, Taifu, Taichang, Secretary Lang, and Secretary Cheng appointments and give the Changqing transfer.
CBDBWang Jian (92047)The appointment data include the Zhaoying assistant magistrate, Weinan county lieutenant, Taifu assistant, Secretary Lang, and Taichang assistant posts.
[6]Shanzhou and later yearsIn Taihe 2 (828) Wang Jian became Sima of Shanzhou, later lived in poverty on Xianyang Plain, and is also associated with the office of governor of Guang Prefecture; the identification in Jia Dao’s poem is uncertain.
Souyun王建 (18501)The biographical entries describe the appointment as Sima of Shanzhou, residence on Xianyang Plain, poverty, the Guang Prefecture appointment, and uncertainty over the person named in Jia Dao’s poem.
CBDBWang Jian (92047)The appointment data connect the Sima of Shanzhou post with Taihe 828.
[7]FriendshipsWang Jian was close to Zhang Ji, exchanged many poems with him, and was a friend of Jia Dao.
Souyun王建 (18501)The biographical material describes his close relationship and frequent poetic exchanges with Zhang Ji and includes Jia Dao among his associates.
CBDBWang Jian (92047)The association data identify Jia Dao as a friend of Wang Jian.
[8]Yuefu reputationWang Jian excelled in yuefu and was ranked with Zhang Ji as the Zhang-Wang Yuefu.
Souyun王建 (18501)The three biographical entries describe his skill in yuefu and his shared reputation with Zhang Ji as the Zhang-Wang Yuefu.
[9]Themes and styleHis poetry used subjects such as rural households, silkwomen, weaving women, and boatmen to criticize contemporary abuses; its language, feeling, description, and relation to Du Fu and Yuan-Bai are summarized in the biographical account.
Souyun王建 (18501)The literary entry gives the social subjects, critical purpose, concise language, lucid feeling, detailed yet implicit description, and the line from Du Fu toward Yuan-Bai.
[10]Critical receptionBai Juyi praised the beauty and norm-giving quality of Wang Jian’s writing and its popularity; later criticism both praised the Zhang-Wang Yuefu and faulted the Palace Lyrics and regulated verse.
Souyun王建 (18501)One appraisal calls his writing beautiful and principled and says its lines were widely repeated; other appraisals praise the Zhang-Wang Yuefu and criticize the Palace Lyrics and regulated verse.
[11]Palace Lyrics and imitationThe one hundred Palace Lyrics describe the imperial palace in a large-scale poetic cycle, circulated widely, and influenced later imitations by the Lady Huarui, Wang Gui, and a Song palace official.
Souyun王建 (18501)The biographical entries describe the one hundred Palace Lyrics, their palace subject, wide circulation and influence, and later imitators including the Lady Huarui and Wang Gui.
CBDBWang Jian (92047)The association notes add a Song palace official who imitated the one hundred Palace Lyrics and a woman known as the Lady Huarui who did likewise.
[12]Collections and textual transmissionWang Jian ji circulated in eight- or ten-juan versions with some works by others incorporated; six juan survive in the Complete Tang Poems, two further poems in its supplement, and Wang Jian shi is a circulating edition.
Souyun王建 (18501)The literary entries give the eight- or ten-juan extent, the admixture of other authors’ works, the six juan in the Complete Tang Poems, the two supplementary poems, and the circulating Wang Jian shi.
CBDBWang Jian (92047)The works data list the collections Wang Jian shi and Wang Jian ji.
[13]Other worksWang Sima ji contains ten ci lyrics, with Tiaoxiao ling the most widely circulated; Cui Shaoxuan zhuan is also listed as a work he authored.
Souyun王建 (18501)The ci entry lists Wang Sima ji, ten surviving lyrics, and the wide circulation of Tiaoxiao ling.
CBDBWang Jian (92047)The works data identify Cui Shaoxuan zhuan and assign Wang Jian the role of author.
CBDB
Souyun王建 (18501)Three biographical entries give differing approximate dates, including about 767 to after about 831, about 766 to about 832, and about 766 with an uncertain death date; they describe Wang Jian as a Tang poet.
WikidataWang Jian (Q4133151)The English description calls him a Tang Dynasty poet, while the date values point to 767 and 830.