生平

作乱本郡

王弥有才干，阅读过不少不同类型的书籍。年轻时游侠于洛阳。永兴三年（306年），东莱郡惤县县令刘柏根叛乱，自称惤公。王弥则带著家僮去追随他，并被任命为长史。及后刘柏根进攻临淄，击败抵抗的刘暾并逼走青州都督司马略。但不久就被安北将军王浚所派的军队击败，刘柏根亦战死。王弥于是聚众于海岛之上，但被兖州刺史苟晞弟苟纯击败，唯有逃到长广山作盗贼。

归附汉国

永嘉元年（307年）二月，王弥与部众在青州和徐州掳掠，自称征东大将军，并杀害两个太守。太傅司马越派鞠羡任东莱太守以讨伐王弥，但反被王弥所杀。苟晞及后率兵进攻并大败王弥。王弥于是自以当年游侠洛阳时认识刘渊，而当时刘渊已建立汉国，于是与刚败于晋将王赞的同党刘灵一同投奔刘渊。刘渊知道后十分高兴，拜为镇东大将军、青徐二州州牧、都督缘海诸军事，封为东莱公。

次年，王弥收集残馀部众，再度起兵，分别攻掠青、徐、兖、豫州四州，并聚有数万之众，苟晞再攻王弥亦不能取胜。王弥于是再攻入许昌，并取去武库内的武器，并进逼洛阳。王弥进逼洛阳的消息令洛阳人心震动，城门紧闭。王弥到后，司徒王衍领兵抵抗，终在七里涧大败王弥军。及后王弥北上并州的刘渊根据地，刘渊派人在黎亭城郊迎接，任命王弥为司隶校尉，加侍中、特进。但王弥辞让。王弥及后便参与汉国的军事行动，随刘曜进攻河内，又与石勒进攻邺城。

永嘉三年（309年），王弥获刘渊任命为侍中、都督青、徐、兖、豫、荆、扬六州诸军事、征东大将军、青州牧，与刘聪和石勒一同进攻壶关。汉军当时先后击败刘琨和司马越所派的援兵，终令上党太守庞淳以壶关投降。攻破壶关后，王弥与刘聪等人受命进而攻击洛阳，但最终在洛阳被司马越派军乘虚击败，被逼撤军。王弥随后则派骑兵攻掠襄城郡各县，因逃避战乱而流散在颖川、襄城、汝南和南阳的数万个流民因不满当地居民的不礼貌对待，因而焚烧城邑和杀害官吏以响应王弥。但此时司马越派薄盛、李恽等人追击王弥，在新汲击败王弥。王弥后派左长史曹嶷领五千兵到青州，以财宝招纳亡命徒以及迎接王弥在青州的家眷。

永嘉之乱

永嘉五年（311年），王弥与刘曜共攻襄城，后又奉命领兵与刘聪所派的呼延晏在洛阳会合，并与呼延晏及刘曜和石勒等一同进攻洛阳。当时洛阳有大饥荒，王弥等于是成功攻入洛阳，并掳走晋怀帝和大杀官员。当时王弥纵兵抢掠宫中宝物的婢女，被刘曜阻止，更杀其牙门王延，王弥于是与刘曜互相攻伐。王弥在长史张嵩劝谏下与刘曜修好，但及后王弥向刘曜提出汉国迁都洛阳的建议但不被其接纳，刘曜更焚毁洛阳宫殿。王弥于是十分不满，领兵东走项关。

前司隶校尉刘暾当时劝说王弥既然与刘曜结怨，不如先占据守青州作根据地自保，至少也能割据青州以成鼎立之势。王弥听从。但当时王弥部将徐邈、高粱等都出走到青州投曹嶷，令王弥的军力有所削弱。数月后，汉国升王弥为大将军，封齐公。

石勒所忌

当时，王弥和石勒表面上互相亲善，实质上石勒忌惮王弥的骁勇，都暗中防备他。而王弥亦刻意讨好石勒，如在攻陷洛阳时送了不少抢掠而得的美女和宝物给石勒。刘暾于是建议王弥联合派往青州的曹嶷，以其兵消灭石勒。王弥听从并派刘暾带同书信到青州以联合曹嶷，又邀请石勒和自己一同到青州，图谋杀死对方。但刘暾在东阿被石勒手下游骑捕获，石勒知悉刘暾所带书信内容后大怒，杀死刘暾并决意要消灭王弥，但王弥却不知刘暾已死。后石勒攻灭晋大将军苟晞，并让苟晞为其左长史。王弥特意卑下的祝贺：「你擒获苟晞并任用他，多么神妙呀！若苟晞为你的左长史，我当你的右长史，天下不难得到呀！」石勒谋士张宾认为王弥必有所图，并劝石勒趁王弥实力有所减弱时就除去他。石勒又趁王弥与乞活军刘瑞相持，向石勒求援的机会取得王弥信任，派兵救援王弥。王弥亦因而信任石勒，不再怀疑对方。

宴会遇刺

十月，石勒在己吾宴请王弥，王弥因信任石勒，不听张嵩的劝谏而赴约。石勒于是趁王弥喝酒喝得尽兴时杀死王弥并吞并其部众，又上报刘聪称王弥谋反。刘聪虽然讉责石勒「专害公辅，有无君之心」，但又怕石勒有异心，于是给石勒加官，没有惩罚石勒。

性格特徵

王弥在长广山为盗贼时，每次掳略行动都有计划，衡量过成败才行动，且都没失算过，而且臂力过人，骑射都了得，被青州人称为「飞豹」。

评论

• 董仲道：君豺声豹视，好乱乐祸，若天下骚扰，不作士大夫矣。

• 张宾：王公人杰，当早除之。

• 《晋书》评：王弥好乱乐祸，挟诈怀奸，命俦啸侣，伺间候隙，助悖逆平阳，肆残忍于都邑，遂使生灵涂炭，神器流离，邦国轸《麦秀》之哀，宫庙兴《黍离》之痛，岂天意乎？何丑虏之猖狂而乱之斯瘼者也！

延伸阅读

Early life

Wang Mi's family came from a line of officials in Donglai Commandery in the Jiaodong Peninsula. His grandfather, Wang Qi, was the Administrator of Xuantu during the Cao Wei period who greatly contributed in the Goguryeo–Wei War and participated in the conquest of Wei's rival state, Shu Han. During the reign of Emperor Wu of Jin, Wang Qi was appointed as Grand Administrator of Runan. In his youth, Wang Mi was noted to be brave and well-versed, surrounding himself with books and records. He also once worked as a knight-errant (Youxia; 游侠), offering his service around Luoyang. A hermit by the name of Dong Zhongdao (董仲道) encountered Wang Mi on the road and said to him, 「My Lord speaks like a wolf and looks like a leopard. Excellent in confusion, happy with misfortune, assumes all under heaven is disturbed and agitated. Not the acts of a scholar and nobleman!」

Liu Bogens rebellion

During the War of the Eight Princes in April 306, the Prefect of Jian County (惤县, near Longkou, Shandong), Liu Bogen (刘柏根) staged a revolt in Donglai. Hearing this, Wang Mi brought his followers along with him in order to join the rebellion and he was appointed as Bogen's Chief Clerk. The rebels invaded the capital of Qingzhou in Linzi and the commander of Qingzhou, Sima Lue (司马略) sent Liu Tun (刘暾) to quell the rebellion. However, the rebels managed to defeat Tun and Sima Lue was forced out of Qingzhou.

Despite the rebellion's initial success, it soon fell apart the same year with the intervention of the Youzhou warlord Wang Jun. In the wake of Sima Lue's defeat, Wang Jun attacked Liu Bogen in order to aid Lue in recovering his territories. Bogen was killed in battle and Wang Mi decided to lead the remaining forces to the small islets in the east. However, on his way, he was intercepted and defeated by Gou Chun (苟纯). Wang Mi survived the attack and fled to Mount Zhangguang (长广山; in present-day Pingdu, Shandong) instead to become a bandit.

As a bandit leader

Invasion of Qingzhou and Xuzhou

During his time as an outlaw, Wang Mi led many raids in Qingzhou against its people. His notoriety earned him the name "Flying Leopard (飞豹)" by the locals. In March or April 307, Wang Mi invaded Qingzhou and Xuzhou. He declared himself Grand General Who Conquers the East and executed any official he could find. The emperor's regent, Sima Yue, sent Ju Xian (鞠羡) to repel Wang Mi but Wang defeated and killed him. The Inspector of Yanzhou, Gou Xi, was then sent instead and Wang Mi's forces were routed.

Siege of Luoyang (308)

After his recent defeat, Wang Mi decided to submit to Liu Yuan of Han-Zhao. Liu Yuan accepted his submission and appointed him the Duke of Donglai, Inspector of Qingzhou and Great General who Garrisons the East. With a state now backing him up, he gathered his scattered forces and raised his troops' morale. In March 308, he sent out several of his generals to pillage Qingzhou, Xuzhou, Yanzhou and Yuzhou where they killed many of the regions' administrators and prefects. Gou Xi fought Wang Mi's forces multiple time, but this time he could not overcome them. Soon, Wang Mi reached the city of Xuchang, where he emptied the city's arsenal of weapons and equipment in order to rearm his troops. With his momentum looking unstoppable, Wang Mi set his eyes on Luoyang.

As Wang Mi's army marched towards the capital, Sima Yue sent his Marshal, Wang Bin (王斌), in order to defend the capital. The governor of Liangzhou, Zhang Gui, also sent his general Beigong Chun to reinforce the city. When Wang Mi finally arrived at Luoyang on 23 June 308, the Minister Over the Masses, Wang Yan, was appointed to command the army against him. The defences of Luoyang succeeded in overwhelming and driving away Wang Mi. On 26 June 308, Wang Mi burned the city gates before retreating, but Wang Yan sent Wang Bing (王秉) to pursue him and he was defeated once more at Seven Li Gully (七里涧).

Service under Han-Zhao

During Liu Yuans reign

After failing to capture Luoyang, Wang Mi went to formally join Han. Liu Yuan and Wang Mi had once befriended each other in their youths during their time in Luoyang. Thus, when Liu Yuan heard that Wang Mi was coming to join him, he welcomed Wang with opened arms. Upon meeting Liu Yuan, Wang urged him to declare himself as emperor, which Liu would eventually do later that year. Liu Yuan offered Wang Mi a number of posts as part of his welcome, but Wang Mi declined them all; Liu Yuan also praised Wang Mi by comparing him to Dou Rong, Zhuge Liang and Deng Yu.

Under Han, Wang Mi was first tasked in accompanying Liu Yao in invading Henei before joining with Shi Le to attack Linzhang in 308. After that, in October, he and Shi Le besieged Ye, causing the local commander He Yu (和郁) to abandon the city. Emperor Huai sent Pei Xian (裴宪) to camp at Baima (白马; near present-day Hua County, Henan) to defend against Wang Mi.

In 309, Wang Mi was appointed to a number of important posts; Palace Attendant, Chief Controller of Qingzhou, Xuzhou, Yanzhou, Yuzhou, Jizhou, and Yangzhou and Governor of Qingzhou. After that, he was sent to campaign against the Inspector of Bingzhou, Liu Kun, to capture Huguan county from his territory together with Liu Cong and Shi Le. In order to support Liu Kun, Sima Yue sent Wang Kuang (王旷) and others to attack Wang Mi but Wang greatly routed them. Meanwhile, Liu Cong and Shi Le defeated Liu Kun's forces and captured Huguan.

Afterwards, Wang Mi participated in Liu Yuan's campaign in Luoyang as a subordinate of Liu Cong. Although Luoyang was poorly defended, the campaign went badly for the Han forces as several of their generals were killed during the assault. Wang Mi advised Liu Cong to retreat as their supplies were beginning to run low, but Liu did not dare to do so without his father's permission. It was not until Liu Yuan recalled his forces that they could retreat, ending the siege in failure.

On 6 January 310, Wang Mi marched his troops south through Huanyuan Pass (轘辕, located approximately 3 kilometers northwest of the Shaolin Monastery in Henan) to invade Xiangcheng commandery but he was defeated by Bao Sheng (薄盛) at Xinji (新汲, in modern Fugou County, Henan). However, at the same time, many refugees in Yingchuan, Xiangcheng, Runan, Nanyang, and Henan commanderies were rebelling in order to join Wang Mi. These refugees, who initially fled to escape the fighting, were discriminated against by the local populace. In order to show their loyalty to Wang Mi, they set fire to the towns and cities and killed the chief clerks and local officials.

Wang Mi sent a petition to Liu Yuan requesting that his Chief Clerk of the Left, Cao Ni, be appointed General Who Maintains The East in Qingzhou, where he would provide security to Wang's family's members. Wang Mi followed Shi Le in invading Xuzhou, Yuzhou and Yanzhou, routing many of the local generals.

Disaster of Yongjia

Later in August 310, Liu Yuan died and although his son Liu He succeeded him, He was quickly assassinated by his brother, Liu Cong, making Cong the new emperor only seven days into He's reign. Liu Cong was determined to capture Luoyang, so he sent Liu Can, Liu Yao, Wang Mi and Shi Le to march towards the capital. Wang Mi joined Liu Yao in order to attack Xiangcheng before marching towards Luoyang. Luoyang had barely survived the year before, but conditions in the city had worsened through famines, bandits, and mistrust among the inhabitants of the city. After the death of Sima Yue, Emperor Huai of Jin's new paramount general, Gou Xi, waited for his arrival at Cangyuan (仓垣, in modern Kaifeng, Henan), leaving Luoyang vulnerable to the Han forces. In 311, Liu Cong sent Huyan Yan to besiege the capital and ordered Wang Mi, Liu Yao and Shi Le to join him. Wang Mi arrived at Luoyang and met up with Huyan Yan. They entered the palace, sacking it and capturing many of the palace's servants. Emperor Huai of Jin, who was still in the capital, was caught on 13 July and sent to Han's capital in Pingyang.

Although Han had won a very important victory over Jin, Wang Mi would get into a dispute with Liu Yao. Liu Yao resented Wang for entering the capital before he had and sacking the capital despite having given orders not to do so. As punishment, Liu Yao beheaded his General of the Serrated Gate, Wang Yan (王延). The two men traded blows with each other because of this, leaving thousands of their men dead before Wang Mi's Chief Clerk Zhang Song (张嵩) advised him to reconcile with Liu Yao, to which Wang Mi agreed and Liu Yao accepted his apology. However, they quarreled again after Wang Mi advised Yao to persuade Liu Cong to move Han's capital from Pingyang to Luoyang. Yao refused to listen, and instead burned the city down. Angered, Wang Mi scolded him, "You Chuge brat, is this how a king or an emperor acts?" Not wanting to escalate it further, Wang Mi returned to Qingzhou.

Death

Wang Mi had long been friends with his colleague, Shi Le, but deep down they were both very suspicious of one another. Shi Le had covertly caught and killed Wang Mi's subordinate Liu Tun who was on his way to inform Cao Ni that he should rally his troops against Shi. Furthermore, Wang Mi's generals Xu Miao (徐邈) and Gao Liang (高梁) had abandoned him with their troops for Cao Ni. When Wang Mi heard that Shi Le had caught his adversary Gou Xi, he wrote a letter to Shi Le seemingly praising him but subtly patronising him. Wang Mi also sent to Shi Le women and treasures that he had captured and looted at Luoyang as gifts in order to win him over. Shi Le was not amused but his advisor Zhang Bin told him that he should wait until Wang Mi's forces had truly dwindled.

Soon enough, Wang Mi was caught in a stalemate with an enemy general named Liu Rui (刘瑞). Shi Le was fighting Chen Wu (陈午) at the time but Zhang Bin told him to leave Chen and aid Wang Mi in order to win his trust. Shi Le agreed and helped Wang Mi overcome Liu Rui. Wang Mi was grateful for his assistance and no longer suspected him. After their victory, Shi Le invited Wang Mi over to a feast in Jiwu County (己吾县, present-day Ningling County, Henan). Wang Mi complied despite Zhang Song's advising him not to. When Wang Mi became drunk at the feast, Shi Le personally beheaded him and absorbed his army.

After the death of Wang Mi, Shi Le sent Liu Cong a petition to justify his actions, calling Wang Mi a rebel. Although Liu Cong was very infuriated by Shi Le's actions, he still wanted to ensure his loyalty to Han, so he gave no punishment to Shi Le and instead rewarded him with positions. Wang Mi's subordinate, Cao Ni, continued to maintain control over Qingzhou, where he would remain until his defeat by Shi Le's nephew, Shi Hu in 323.

Family

It is not known what happened to Wang Mi's family after Cao Ni's defeat. However, a nephew of Wang Mi named Wang Li (王立), was found alive in 356. He, along with Cao Ni's grandson, Cao Yan (曹岩), were discovered living among the hills by Former Yan's minister, Ju Yin (鞠殷). Yin's father was Ju Peng (鞠彭), a general who had fought against Cao Ni in Donglai before fleeing to the Liaodong Peninsula to serve Murong Hui. In turn, Peng's father was Ju Xian, the Jin general whom Wang Mi had killed in 307. When Ju Yin was commissioned to govern Donglai, Peng urged his son to find Wang Mi and Cao Ni's descendants and befriend them so that they could properly resolve their conflict. Yin did so and the three men became very close friends, so much so that their bond was famous among the people of Donglai at the time.