早年

王宗弼本名魏弘夫。生年不详，是许州人。

魏弘夫隶属忠武军。王建讨伐王仙芝、尚君长等人时，魏弘夫都在军中。光启三年（887年），王建统领阆州，自称刺史，补魏弘夫为义勇都十将，收为养子，赐名王宗弼。十一月，王建想接受养父西川监军宦官田令孜的召唤去效力田令孜的哥哥西川节度使陈敬瑄。王建把大部分家人托付给盟友东川节度使顾彦朗，带著从子王宗鐬和养子王宗弼、王宗瑶、王宗侃、王宗弁前往成都。

随后，陈敬瑄反悔了，想阻止王建来成都，王建与他决裂，发动战事，最终于大顺二年（891年）取胜并掌控了西川。改王宗弼为左骁骑都知兵马使，累迁嘉州、眉州刺史。

唐朝年间效力王建、顾彦晖

王建取西川期间，顾彦朗死了，弟弟顾彦晖继承了东川。王建和顾彦朗在神策军共事时是朋友，王建不想在顾彦朗在世时夺取东川，但顾彦朗一死，他就动了心思，而表面上仍和顾彦晖结盟。当年十二月，山南西道节度使杨守亮攻东川，顾彦晖向王建求援。王建派华洪、李简、王宗侃、王宗弼前去，却密令他们：「你们击败敌军后，顾彦晖一定会邀你们赴宴。你们要请求在军营设宴，趁机抓住他，这样我们就不用再多馀打一仗了。」西川军击败山南西道军并迫其撤退后，顾彦晖果然计划如此设宴，但王宗弼却不知何故把计划泄露给了他，顾彦晖称病拒绝离开军部梓州。两川间的联盟就此终结。

乾宁二年（895年）十二月，当王建与顾彦晖酣战时，攻打果州，王宗弼作为别将，在飞鸟掠地，被顾彦晖所俘。顾彦晖责怪王宗弼身为大将不能谏止王建来讨，王宗弼对以先前泄谋之事，顾彦晖笑了，释放了他，还收他为子，改名顾琛。但此时顾彦晖已经山穷水尽，他本人及盟友凤翔节度使李茂贞屡败于王建，梓州被围，外无援军。四年（897年）十月，顾彦晖召集家人和养子，准备集体自杀。但在自杀前，顾彦晖说顾琛成为养子的时间不长，没必要同死，指著城墙的缺口让他离开。顾彦晖养子顾瑶（《九国志》作顾彦晖弟顾彦瑶）杀了顾彦晖、顾彦晖诸子及其馀顾氏族人，然后也自杀。

顾琛恢复王宗弼之名，重归王建帐下。王建待他如初。

辅佐王建

第二年，王建又令王宗弼将上军，光化年间再授嘉州刺史。

天复七年（907年），宣武军节度使朱全忠篡唐建立后梁，自称皇帝，时为蜀王的王建最初和淮南节度使弘农王杨渥一同声明寻求和河东节度使晋王李克用、岐王李茂贞结盟讨伐后梁，复辟唐朝。但后梁的封臣们并未随声明而倒戈，王建便自行建立蜀国，史称前蜀，自称皇帝。王宗弼继续在前蜀军中效力。武成元年（908年）封巨鹿郡王，代王宗裕为天贞军节度使，直至三年（910年）又被王宗裕取代。

永平元年（911年），李茂贞背盟攻打前蜀。十月，身为开道都指挥使的王宗弼奉命率军抵抗，败岐将刘知俊，十一月又败岐兵于金牛，拔十六寨，俘斩六千馀级，擒其将郭存等。其他前蜀将领也分别击败其他岐将，岐军被迫撤退。

光天元年（918年），时任北面行营招讨使兼中书令的王宗弼正对岐作战时，王建病重。他认为王宗弼沉静而有谋略，适合辅佐太子王宗衍治国。他把王宗弼从北疆召回，命他为马步都指挥使，掌管御林军。王建临死时，内飞龙使宦官唐文扆企图政变夺权，王宗弼等三十馀人到朝堂，因唐文扆矫命，不得入见，但他的下属内皇城使潘在迎却向王宗弼等高官告密，王宗弼等遂推门而入，言唐文扆之罪。唐文扆被贬为眉州刺史，又流放雅州。王建把王宗衍托付给了王宗弼、王宗瑶、其他养子王宗绾、王宗夔和宦官内枢密使宋光嗣。王建驾崩，王宗衍改名王衍继位，以王宗弼为太师兼中书令。

辅佐王衍

王衍继位后，唐文扆被处死，王宗弼用事，趁机贬宰相张格为茂州刺史，杨玢、许寂、潘峤等都以张格一党为名被贬官，后再贬张格为维州司户，张格的势力从此日益衰微。

七月，王衍以王宗弼为巨鹿王，又拜王宗弼为宫城内外都指挥使，托以政务。王宗弼凭受贿和个人好恶行政，王衍不理政事，这被视为前蜀衰落的开端。九月，宋光嗣也把判六军权让给王宗弼，获准。王宗弼后又被晋为齐王。

乾德五年（923年），前蜀东北面的主要敌人后梁已被后唐庄宗所灭。六年（924年）五月，庄宗派李严出使前蜀，名为建立友好关系，实则刺探。李严回唐后，报告说王宗弼和宋光嗣治理下的前蜀已经腐败，王衍无能，易于击破。而九月，王建的另一养子王宗俦认为王衍失德，建议王宗弼废掉王衍另立新帝。王宗弼犹豫不决，王宗俦忧愤而死。王宗弼却对宋光嗣及其同僚宦官景润澄称王宗俦想杀他们而自己阻止了这一切，换取他们对自己的感激。王宗弼的儿子王承班听说后，却对人说：「我们家难以免祸了。」

十二月，王衍命母后徐太后弟徐延琼（《蜀梼杌》作兄）代王宗弼为京城内外马步都指挥使，众将不平，因为王建生前曾下令不能让徐家掌握军权，但史书没有记载王宗弼本人的反应。

太子洗马林罕作《十在文》，称有王宗弼等十臣在，何忧社稷不安，实则反讽十人为祸乱之根。咸康元年（925年），王衍忽然举觞不悦，说：「北有后唐，南有蛮诏，朕既不能吊伐，是所忧也。」时任特进、检校太傅顾在珣奏以《十在文》，后主览之大笑，赐顾在珣彩五百段，加右金吾卫将军、开府仪同三司、检校太尉，令所司编入国史。顾在珣就此冒用林罕之文换取直言之名，将赏赐的一半给林罕，而林罕不得任用而卒。

九月，后唐庄宗准备发动大举进攻消灭前蜀。此战名义上由作为名义上的西川四面行营都统、庄宗子魏王李继岌指挥，实际上由作为名义副帅、枢密使、东北面行营都招讨制置使的大将郭崇韬指挥。前蜀政府猝不及防，王衍不顾王宗弼和徐太后反对，坚持驾临天雄军，王宗弼说：「唐军压境，怎可去秦州（天雄军军部）？」并上表切谏，王衍生气了，将表文掷在地上。十月他离京时，后唐军刚入蜀境。武兴军节度使王承捷向王衍告急却无回音，很快投降后唐。武兴失守，王衍才有所警醒，但因为王宗弼和宋光嗣的建议，他停留在利州，派随驾清道指挥使王宗勋、王宗俨、兼侍中王宗昱前去抵抗唐军。他们遭遇唐军先锋李绍琛，被击败。王衍害怕了，逃回成都，留王宗弼守利州以抗唐军，并命他处决王宗勋、王宗俨、王宗昱。而后，宋光嗣的堂弟武德留后宋光葆、王宗侃之子武定节度使王承肇、山南节度使兼侍中王宗威、阶州刺史王承岳等多员蜀将投降。郭崇韬写信劝降王宗弼，王宗弼也开始考虑投降。他放弃利州，和王宗勋、王宗俨、王宗昱在白芀会合，将处决他们的命令给他们看，并一同计划投降。王宗弼秘密请求为西川兵马留后，郭崇韬也答应让他做节度使。

王宗弼决意把王衍交给郭崇韬，于是在十一月回到成都，登大玄门，严兵自卫。王衍与太后亲自去慰劳，王宗弼骄慢无复臣礼，擒住王衍、徐太后和王衍诸子，软禁于西宫天启宫，收其玺绶，其子王承涓带走了王衍的多名宠姬，王宗弼自称权西川兵马留后，派使者带著礼品和食物犒劳唐军，并以王衍名义写信给李严，称王衍已准备投降。李严赶到成都面见王衍，当时王宗弼还在城上设守备，李严命王宗弼撤去防卫离开成都，以示投降诚意。王宗弼又说如果不是宋光嗣、景润澄及宣徽使李周辂、欧阳晃蛊惑蜀主，前蜀早就能够投降了，于是杀了这些人，献首李继岌，又与金吾卫使周彦章等杀了文思殿大学士、礼部尚书、成都尹韩昭等自己不喜欢的官员，枭于金马坊门。内外马步都指挥使兼中书令徐延琼、果州团练使潘在迎、嘉州刺史顾在珣等因怕死而向王宗弼行贿全家的金宝、姬妾，稍有耽误的，都被杀死。李继岌到德阳，王宗弼派颜守伦上表笺。王宗弼派王承班把王衍的大批美貌姬妾、侍女连同财物送给李继岌、郭崇韬、郭崇韬子郭廷诲，并请求让自己当西川节度使。但李继岌却说：「这些东西现在是我家的了，由不得你把它们当礼物送。」

李继岌到汉州，王宗弼迎谒。12月15日，李继岌、郭崇韬到达成都。王衍率前蜀百官在李严带领下正式向李继岌投降。前蜀自此灭亡。

投降后唐后

郭崇韬住在王宗弼府上。与此同时，王宗弼试图说服郭崇韬让他当西川节度使，贿赂了郭很多礼物想让郭推荐自己。郭崇韬假装答应，却没有行动。为了向郭崇韬施压和离间李、郭，王宗弼又与郭廷诲合谋，率一批前蜀官员面见李继岌，要求让郭崇韬当西川节度使。此举让李继岌不再信任郭崇韬了，因为他宠信的宦官李从袭先前就表示怀疑郭崇韬的忠诚。而宋光葆又向郭崇韬诉说王宗弼诬害宋光嗣等人之事。李继岌遣使向王宗弼索要犒军钱数千万，但王宗弼削减之，李继岌很生气。王宗弼给郭崇韬的财物并不足以犒赏唐军，唐军士兵因此不满。综合各种情况，郭崇韬认定王宗弼不安全，必须除掉。

12月28日，在徵得李继岌同意后，郭崇韬以不忠的罪名拘捕王宗弼、王宗勋、王宗渥，随后杀三人及驸马都尉王承班等于球场，族灭其家，抄没家产。蜀人大恐。前蜀官员痛恨王宗弼出卖国家，争著吃他的肉。

徐双《论五代后唐征蜀之役》认为郭崇韬私自接受王宗弼贿赂并暂时允诺其担任西川节度使是为了避免继续受到激烈抵抗，后来族诛王宗弼是为了掩盖自己在受降过程中的不法行为，有杀人灭口的嫌疑。

轶事

乾德年间，有童谣说：「我有一帖药，其名为阿魏，卖与十八子。」正是姓魏者卖国于姓李者之兆，而王宗弼所为正好符合。

注释及参考文献

Early life

Wang Zongbi was born Wei Hongfu (魏弘夫). It is not known when Wei Hongfu was born, but it is known that he was from Xu Prefecture (许州) in modern Xuchang, Henan.

At some point he was adopted by Wang Jian – who adopted many officers serving under him as sons – and had his name changed to Wang Zongbi. This was before 887, when Wang Jian ruled Lang Prefecture (阆州, in modern Nanchong, Sichuan) as its self-proclaimed prefect. In 887, Wang Jian decided to answer the summons of his own adoptive father, the eunuch general Tian Lingzi, to serve under Tian's brother Chen Jingxuan, who was the military governor of Xichuan Circuit (西川, headquartered in modern Chengdu, Sichuan). As a result, Wang Jian left most of his family with his ally Gu Yanlang, the military governor of Dongchuan Circuit (东川, headquartered in modern Mianyang, Sichuan). He headed toward Xichuan's capital Chengdu with nephew Wang Zonghui (王宗鐬) and adoptive sons Wang Zongbi, Wang Zongyao (王宗瑶), Wang Zongkan (王宗侃), Wang Zongji, and Wang Zongbian (王宗弁).

Subsequently, when Chen regretted his decision and tried to stop Wang Jian from coming to Chengdu, Wang Jian broke with him, igniting a war that eventually resulted in Wang Jian's victory and seizure of Xichuan Circuit in 891.

Service under Wang Jian and Gu Yanhui during the Tang Dynasty

During Wang Jian's campaign to capture Xichuan, Gu Yanlang died and was succeeded by his brother Gu Yanhui at Dongchuan. Wang Jian and Gu Yanlang were friends while both served in the imperial Shence Army; therefore while Gu Yanlang was alive he did not consider seizing Dongchuan, but he began considering so after Gu Yanlang's death while outwardly remaining Gu Yanhui's ally. In late 891, Dongchuan was attacked by Yang Shouliang, the military governor of Shannan West Circuit (山南西道, headquartered in modern Hanzhong, Shaanxi), and Gu Yanhui sought aid from Wang Jian. Wang Jian sent Wang Zongbi, Hua Hong, Li Jian (李简), and Wang Zongkan to aid Dongchuan, but he secretly instructed them that "After you defeat the enemy, Gu Yanhui will surely invite you to a feast. You should ask that it be held in the military camp, and then use the opportunity to seize him, so that we do not need another campaign." After the Xichuan army defeated the Shannan West army and forced its withdrawal, Gu was indeed planning on holding such a feast. However, Wang Zongbi revealed the plan to Gu, for reasons lost to history. Gu claimed an illness and refused to exit Dongchuan's capital Zi Prefecture (梓州). This incident ended the alliance between Wang's Xichuan and Gu's Dongchuan.

In 895, while Wang Jian and Gu Yanhui were locked in a war, Wang Zongbi was captured while attacking Dongchuan. Gu, remembering what Wang Zongbi had revealed to him, spared him and adopted him as a son, changing his name to Gu Chen. By 897, however, Gu was in desperate straits. His own forces and those of his ally Li Maozhen, the military governor of Fengxiang Circuit (凤翔, headquartered in modern Baoji, Shaanxi), had been repeatedly defeated by Wang Jian's forces, leaving Zi Prefecture under siege with no forthcoming aid. Gu gathered his family members, including adoptive sons, and prepared for group suicide. Just before his death, however, Gu stated that Gu Chen had not been his adoptive son for a long time and had no need to die with them, so he pointed at the breaches in the city wall and told Gu Chen to leave. Adoptive son Gu Yao (顾瑶) then killed Gu Yanhui and the other Gu family members before committing suicide himself.

Gu Chen returned to the name Wang Zongbi and served under Wang Jian again.

Former Shu kingdom

During Wang Jians reign

In 907, the Tang throne was seized by Zhu Quanzhong, the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng, Henan), who started a new Later Liang as its Emperor Taizu. In response, Wang Jian – who carried the title of Prince of Shu at the time – issued declarations to start a campaign against Later Liang and restore Tang. His allies were Yang Wo, the Prince of Hongnong and the military governor of Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu); Li Keyong, the Prince of Jin and the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河东, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi); and Li Maozhen, who then carried the title of Prince of Qi. However, Later Liang vassals did not defect in accordance with the declarations, so Wang Jian himself declared a new state of Shu (known historically as the kingdom of Former Shu) with himself as emperor. Wang Zongbi continued to serve in the military of the new Former Shu state, although his initial responsibilities were not recorded in history.

In 911, Li Maozhen's state of Qi, which had been an ally of Former Shu, broke that alliance and attacked Former Shu. Wang Zongbi served in the campaign against Qi and was successful in repelling the Qi general Liu Zhijun. Other Former Shu generals defeated other Qi generals, and Qi forces were forced to withdraw.

As of 918, Wang Zongbi was serving as the commander of the forces against Qi, when Wang Jian became seriously ill. Because Wang Jian considered Wang Zongbi to be calm and full of strategies, he judged Wang Zongbi as an appropriate assistant to his designated heir, the Crown Prince Wang Zongyan, in ruling the state. He thus summoned Wang Zongbi back from the northern border with Qi and put him in command of the palace guards. While Wang Jian was near death, his overseer of imperial stables, Tang Wenyi (唐文扆) tried to start a coup to monopolize power, but Tang's plot was reported to Wang Zongbi and the other senior officials by Tang's subordinate Pan Zaiying (潘在迎). As a result, Tang was exiled (and later executed), and Wang Jian subsequently entrusted Wang Zongyan to four of his adopted sons – Wang Zongbi, Wang Zongyao, Wang Zongwan (王宗绾) and Wang Zongkui (王宗夔) – and the eunuch Song Guangsi (宋光嗣). He then died, and Wang Zongyan took the throne under the name Wang Yan.

During Wang Yans reign

Wang Yan created Wang Zongbi the Prince of Julu and also entrusted the governmental affairs to him. Wang Zongbi governed based on the bribes he received and his own likes and dislikes, while Wang Yan did not involve himself in administering the affairs of the state, preferring instead to travel and amuse himself. This was said to be the beginning of the Former Shu state's decline. Subsequently, the eunuch Song Guangsi yielded the command of the military to Wang Zongbi as well. At some point, Wang Zongbi's title was further upgraded to Prince of Qi.

By 923, Former Shu's previous main enemy, the Later Liang to the northeast, had been destroyed by Later Tang's founding emperor Emperor Zhuangzong. In 924, the Later Tang emperor sent his official Li Yan (李严) as an emissary to Former Shu, ostensibly to establish peaceful relations, while instead intending to spy on Former Shu's readiness. When Li returned to Later Tang, he reported to Emperor Zhuangzong that the Former Shu government, headed by Wang Zongbi and Song Guangsi, was corrupt and easily defeated, while Wang Yan was himself incompetent. Meanwhile, another of Wang Jian's adoptive son, Wang Zongchou (王宗俦), had become convinced that Wang Yan did not have the ability to govern the state, and he suggested to Wang Zongbi that Wang Yan be removed and replaced. Wang Zongbi hesitated, and Wang Zongchou subsequently died in distress. Wang Zongbi, instead, informed Song and Song's fellow eunuch Jing Runcheng (景润澄) that Wang Zongchou had wanted to kill them and that he had stopped the plot, to cause them to be grateful to him.

In late 924, Wang Yan named Xu Yanqiong (徐延琼), a relative of his mother Empress Dowager Xu, to replace Wang Zongbi as the commander of the imperial forces around the capital Chengdu. This caused dissent among the generals, as Wang Jian had left instructions not to let the Xu family members hold military commands, although Wang Zongbi's own reaction is unknown.

As of summer 925, Later Tang's Emperor Zhuangzong was ready to launch a major attack to conquer Former Shu. The campaign was nominally commanded by his son Li Jiji, the Prince of Wei, but actually commanded by the major general Guo Chongtao, nominally Li Jiji's deputy. The Former Shu administration was unaware of the impending attack, and Wang Yan, against the advice by Wang Zongbi and Empress Dowager Xu, insisted on visiting Tianxiong Circuit (天雄, headquartered in modern Tianshui, Gansu); he departed in winter 925, just as the Later Tang forces were entering Former Shu territory. Wang Chengjie (王承捷), the military governor of Wuxing Circuit (武兴, headquartered in modern Baoji, Shaanxi), reported the emergency to Wang Yan and, after receiving no response, quickly surrendered. Only after the fall of Wuxing did Wang Yan become alarmed, but pursuant to the advice of Wang Zongbi and Song, he stayed at Li Prefecture (利州, in modern Guangyuan, Sichuan), while sending Wang Zongxun (王宗勋), Wang Zongyan (王宗俨, note different character than Wang Yan's original name), and Wang Zongyu (王宗昱) against the Later Tang forces. They, however, were defeated by the Later Tang forward commander Li Shaochen. Wang Yan fled back to Chengdu in fear, leaving Wang Zongbi in charge at Li Prefecture to continue the resistance. Wang Yan also ordered him to execute Wang Zongxun, Wang Zongyan, and Wang Zongyu. However, Former Shu generals were surrendering in droves – including Song's brother Song Guangbao (宋光葆), the acting military governor of Wude Circuit (武德, i.e., Dongchuan); Wang Chengzhao (王承肇), Wang Zongkan's son and the military governor of Wuding Circuit (武定, headquartered in modern Hanzhong, Shaanxi); and Wang Zongwei (王宗威) the military governor of Shannan Circuit (山南, headquartered in modern Hanzhong). Major general Guo subsequently wrote to Wang Zongbi to persuade him to surrender. Wang Zongbi abandoned Li Prefecture and rendezvoused with Wang Zongxun, Wang Zongyan, and Wang Zongyu at Baitiao (白芀, in modern Chengdu); he showed them the execution order and planned with them to surrender.

Wang Zongbi, resolved to surrender Wang Yan to Guo, thereafter returned to Chengdu. He seized Wang Yan, Empress Dowager Xu, and all of Wang Yan's sons, putting them under house arrest in the western palace. He then claimed the title of acting military governor of Xichuan and sent emissaries with gifts and food to comfort the Later Tang army. He also wrote a letter to emissary Li Yan in Wang Yan's name, stating that Wang Yan was ready to surrender. Li Yan subsequently arrived in Chengdu to meet with Wang Yan, and he also ordered Wang Zongbi to leave Chengdu defenseless to show good faith for surrendering. Meanwhile, Wang Zongbi, blaming the failure to surrender earlier on eunuchs Song Guangsi, Jing, Li Zhoulu (李周辂), and Ouyang Huang (欧阳晃); he executed them and presented their heads to Li Jiji. He also executed a number of other officials that he did not like, and many other officials bribed him to avoid death. Wang Zongbi subsequently sent his son Wang Chengban (王承班) to Li Jiji and Guo with a number of Wang Yan's beautiful concubines and ladies in waiting plus treasure, while making the request to be made the military governor of Xichuan. Li Jiji, however, responded, "These are all things that belong to my family now. It is not up to you to submit them as gifts."

On 15 December 925, Li Jiji and Guo arrived at Chengdu. Wang Yan and the Former Shu officials, with Li Yan leading the procession, formally surrendered to Li Jiji. This ended Former Shu's existence as a state.

After surrender to Later Tang

Meanwhile, Wang Zongbi increased his lobbying of Guo Chongtao – including large bribes – to recommend him as the military governor of Xichuan. Guo pretended to agree, but did not actually do so. Wang Zongbi then conducted a campaign to undermine Guo: as Li Jiji's trusted eunuch Li Congxi whispered doubts of Guo's loyalty in his ear, Wang Zongbi led a group of Former Shu officials to meet with Li Jiji and request that Guo be made the military governor of Xichuan, with the aim of making Li Jiji distrust Guo. Meanwhile, however, Song Guangbao submitted an accusation to Guo that Wang Zongbi had falsely accused Song Guangsi and the others whom he had executed. Furthermore, Wang Zongbi's bribes were not sufficient: Guo was not receiving enough treasure to distribute to the Later Tang soldiers as rewards, and the soldiers were becoming angry that they were not being rewarded to their satisfaction. All of this led Guo to decide that Wang Zongbi was unsafe and must be eliminated.

On 28 December 925, after requesting and receiving permission from Li Jiji, Guo arrested Wang Zongbi, Wang Zongxun, and Wang Zongwo (王宗渥) under the accusations of disloyalty. He then executed the three men and their families. It was said that the Former Shu officials, hating Wang Zongbi for selling out the state, rushed to eat his flesh.