生平

王彦章祖籍郓州寿张县，祖父王秀及父亲王庆宗皆未曾担任官职。王彦章获重用后，两人分别被追封为左散骑常侍及右武卫将军。

他年轻时加入朱全忠的军队，由于战功卓著，王彦章受到朱全忠建立的后梁政权重用。最初王彦章任开封府押牙（押衙），开平二年（908年）十月迁任左龙骧军使，次年兼任左监门卫上将军。乾化元年（911年）再兼任行营左先锋马军使，并被封为金紫光禄大夫及检校司空。次年（912年）朱友圭加封王彦章为检校司徒。朱友贞（即后梁末帝）夺得政权后，王彦章于乾化三年（913年）被委任为濮州刺史及马步军都指挥使。次年（914年）迁任澶州刺史，并被封为「开国伯」。

乾化五年（915年）三月，后梁朝廷决议分魏州为两个镇，为防备当地人叛变，派遣王彦章率领五百骑兵驻守邺城金波亭，预防突发情况。魏州人于该月月底叛变，投降晋国（后唐前身) 。王彦章因军队受到攻击而率军向南逃走，其家属被晋军俘虏。晋国方面为了招降王彦章，优待他的家属，又派人离间王彦章。王彦章把晋国的使者斩首，断绝往来。同年九月，王彦章被委任为汝州防御使、检校太保。贞明二年（916年）四月，迁任郑州防御使。

与晋军的战斗

后梁失去魏州后，不时与晋国（后唐）军队于黄河两岸战斗，王彦章常在这些战事中担任先锋。其官职时有调动：贞明三年（917年）十二月，王彦章迁为西面行营马军都指挥使、检校太傅，继续留守郑州。不久兼任行营诸军左厢马军都指挥使。贞明五年（919年）五月，迁任许州两使留后，并保留之前的军职。次年（920年）正月，正式担任许州匡国军节度使，加封「开国侯」，随后担任北面行营副招讨使。贞明七年（921年）正月，改驻滑州。

此时，晋国军队已占领黄河北岸全部地区，并于德胜口设立铁锁截断航道及跨河筑城。而后梁朝廷的执政者赵岩、张汉杰等人向后梁末帝建议疏远资历较深的大臣，故王彦章虽然身为高级将领，但朝廷并未采用他所提议的战术。

龙德三年（923年）四月初，后唐军队攻占郓州。该消息使后梁朝廷产生恐慌。宰相敬翔在后梁末帝前自杀被阻，随后向梁末帝建议起用王彦章。梁末帝采纳其建议，于五月委任王彦章为北面招讨使，取代戴思远，并派段凝作其副手。王彦章向后梁末帝表示用三天时间即可击败敌军，梁末帝身边的大臣不相信他的保证而发笑。

王彦章认为赵岩等人败坏朝政、令国力削弱，临行前向亲信表示，若得胜回朝，将要处死朝廷内的「奸臣」。赵岩、张汉杰得知后，感到恐惧，并认为与其被王彦章处死，不如被沙陀人（后唐军队）杀害，于是与段凝合谋，设法阻挠王彦章的军事行动。

德胜口之战

王彦章离开朝廷，两天后到达滑州，在设宴的同时，暗中派遣六百名斧手，及冶铁人员，乘船前往德胜口。王彦章在宴会中途托言更衣离场，率领数千人沿黄河往德胜口。船上士兵烧断铁锁、并以斧斩断浮桥，王彦章则率兵攻破南城。这时距离王彦章离朝之日刚好三天。李存勖得悉王彦章被任命后，认为王彦章会立刻攻击德胜口南城，立刻引骑兵增援，但在到达时，南城已被王彦章攻占。

李存勖拆掉北城，建造木筏，退守杨刘，沿途与王彦章隔河对战超过一百次。战事持续约两个月，期间王彦章的军队曾几乎攻陷杨刘，直至李存勖于博州的黄河东岸建造堡垒协助防守，形势开始改变。王彦章之军队先进攻该堡垒而未能攻入，及后重新进攻杨刘而战败。

后梁朝廷得到战报后，即召还王彦章，委派段凝代替其招讨使职务。史称段凝向朝廷大臣行贿，又与赵岩、张汉杰等人合谋向后梁末帝隐瞒王彦章的战功，又于王彦章战败时诬陷他饮酒轻敌，因此得到兵权。及后由于段凝无法抵御后唐军队的进攻，后梁在他就任后不足一百天灭亡。

王彦章回到汴梁后，在朝廷上力言自己的战功。赵岩等人指使有关部门弹劾他「不恭」，迫令他回家。

被俘与被杀

其后，后唐军队向兖州进攻，后梁末帝再委派王彦章迎战。这时后梁的主力皆随段凝出征，故朝廷把首都汴梁剩下的五百名新经招募的骑兵守御都交给王彦章，另委派张汉杰监军。王彦章率军渡过汶水，计划进攻郓州，于递坊镇被后唐军队袭击。王彦章因兵少战败，撤退至中都。

十月四日（公历923年11月14日），李存勖率领军队到达中都，与王彦章军交战。唐军将领夏鲁奇曾为朱全忠效力，与王彦章相识，听到王彦章说话后将他认出，以槊刺伤他后将他擒获。

李存勖与王彦章见面，问他为何防守没有防御工事的中都而不前往兖州防守。王彦章回应指自己受制于形势而无能为力。王彦章看不起李存勖和李嗣源。李存勖在劝说王彦章投降被拒绝后，又派李嗣源劝说他。王彦章因伤重不能起床行走，李嗣源走到王彦章的病榻前，被王彦章以小字「邈佶烈」称呼，以示轻蔑。

次日，李存勖命人以肩舆送王彦章至任城，王彦章以伤患痛楚为由不肯出发。李存勖派人问王彦章此行能否成功，王彦章称段凝麾下六万军队并不会轻易叛变，因此难以成功。李存勖取得回应后，知道王彦章肯定不会归顺，下令把他斩首。王彦章享年六十一岁。

评价

史称王彦章骁勇善战及拥有强大臂力。他作战时以铁枪为武器攻击敌方，而其他人无法举起他的铁枪。军中称他为「王铁枪」。

石敬瑭建立后晋后，为嘉许王彦章对后梁的忠诚，追封王彦章为太师，并寻访其后人，授以官职。

欧阳修认为王彦章忠于职守而死，死得其所；并于新五代史中，特为王彦章另立一传，称为「死节传」。

传说

据《五代史补》记载，王彦章能赤脚于布满荆棘之地行走，因此被朱全忠赏识。

在《水浒传》中，宋江称王彦章曾于极短的时间内连打三十六名后唐将领。

金庸小说《射雕英雄传》中出现的嘉兴铁枪庙被称为纪念王彦章而建。内里供奉王彦章所用铁枪，后来被江南七怪之首柯镇恶取用，成为铁杖。而该铁枪庙最后成为《射雕英雄传》中大反派杨康中毒身亡的地方。

注释

Background

Wang Yanzhang was born in 863, during the reign of Emperor Yizong of Tang. He was from Shouzhang (寿张, in modern Liaocheng, Shandong). Neither his grandfather Wang Xiu (王秀) nor father Wang Qingzong (王庆宗) served as an official or a general. In his youth, Wang Yanzhang became a soldier under the command of the major warlord Zhu Quanzhong the military governor (Jiedushi) of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng, Henan), and became known for his bravery and ferocity. He became well known for his use of a heavy iron spear, and gained the nickname of Wang Tieqiang for the use of the spear.

Service under Emperor Taizu of Later Liang

Because of Wang Yanzhang's abilities, he was promoted gradually in the ranks of Zhu Quanzhong's army and often served under Zhu in Zhu's campaigns. In 909, by which time Zhu had forced Tang's last emperor Emperor Ai (Emperor Yizong's grandson) to yield the throne to him and established Later Liang as its Emperor Taizu, Later Liang forces were attacking Later Liang's western rival Qi as the Qi general Liu Zhijun was attacking the Later Liang vassal Han Xun the military governor of Shuofang Circuit (朔方, headquartered in modern Yinchuan, Ningxia). The Later Liang forces, commanded by the general Kang Huaizhen (康怀贞), fell into a trap that Qi forces laid for them, and it was said that they would have been completely annihilated had not for Wang's efforts in fighting to keep an escape path open.

Service under Zhu Yougui and Zhu Zhen

In 913, by which time Emperor Taizu had been assassinated by and succeeded by his son Zhu Yougui the Prince of Ying, Wang Yanzhang was made the prefect of Pu Prefecture (濮州, in modern Puyang, Henan), but remained in the main Later Liang imperial army as the commander of the forces from Pu Prefecture. In 914, by which time Zhu Yougui had committed suicide and been succeeded by his brother Zhu Youzhen the Prince of Jun (who soon changed his name to Zhu Zhen), Wang was made the prefect of Dan Prefecture (澶州, in modern Anyang, Henan) and created a count.

In 915, Zhu Zhen, believing that Tianxiong Circuit (天雄, headquartered in modern Handan, Hebei) was an overly powerful circuit that had an independent tradition, decided to try to weaken it by diving its six prefectures into two circuits—with three of the prefectures becoming a new Zhaode Circuit (昭德, headquartered in modern Anyang). As part of the operations to divide it, in addition to sending the general He Delun (贺德伦) to be Tianxiong's new military governor and Zhang Yun as Zhaode's military governor, to oversee the division, Zhu also sent a large part of the Later Liang imperial army north, commanded by the major general Liu Xun, claiming to be defending Tianxiong against Later Liang's northern rival Jin but instead intending to intimidate the Tianxiong forces. Wang was serving under Liu in this operation and was sent to Tianxiong's capital Wei Prefecture (魏州) with 500 men in advance of Liu's own arrival there. The Tianxiong soldiers, resentful and fearful of the division, soon mutinied and put He Delun under house arrest; they also surrounded Jinbo Pavilion (金波亭), where Wang's troops were stationed at the time, but Wang was able to fight his way out of the city. The Tianxiong mutineers subsequently surrendered the circuit to Jin, and Jin's prince Li Cunxu arrived to take over the circuit, defeating subsequent Later Liang attempts to recapture it. During the campaign, Dan Prefecture fell to Jin forces, and Wang's wife and children were taken captive. The Jin forces initially treated them well and took them to the Jin capital Taiyuan, and sent a secret messenger to Wang, trying to persuade him to turn to the Jin cause. Wang killed the secret messenger and refused to respond; as a result, several years later, Jin had his wife and children executed.

In 916, Wang was promoted to be the defender (防御使, Fangyushi) of Zheng Prefecture (郑州, in modern Zhengzhou, Henan), but remained in the Later Liang imperial army. In 917, he was given the title of acting Taifu (太傅).

Around the new year 919, Wang, then under the command of He Gui, participated in a major confrontation between Later Liang and Jin forces at Huliu Slope (胡柳陂, in modern Heze, Shandong). It was said that it was Wang's initial suffering of some losses that led to a chain reaction that caused massive losses (two thirds) for both armies—when Wang was retreating, part of the Jin army misread Wang's movement as a retreat by their own army, and collapsed, although a subsequent Jin counterattack also inflicted great losses on the Later Liang army. It was said that in the aftermaths of the battle, fleeing soldiers from both Wang's army and the Jin army found their way to the Later Liang capital Daliang, causing much panic in the city that the Jin army was approaching, although the panic soon subsided.

In 919, Wang was made the acting military governor of Kuangguo Circuit (匡国, headquartered in modern Xuchang, Henan), but continued to serve as a general in the imperial army. In 920, he was made full military governor and created a marquess. Soon after, he was made the deputy commander of the armies in the north (i.e., the armies defending against Jin) under Dai Siyuan. In spring 921, he was transferred from Kuangguo to Xuanyi Circuit (宣义, headquartered in modern Anyang).

Later in 921, Zhu Zhen's cousin Zhu Youneng (朱友能) the Prince of Hui, who was then the prefect of Chen Prefecture (陈州, in modern Zhoukou, Henan), rebelled and headed for Daliang. Zhu Zhen sent Wang, along with Huo Yanwei and Zhang Hanjie, to intercept Zhu Youneng. They defeated him, who fled back to Chen Prefecture. They then put the city under siege. He surrendered, and Zhu Zhen, while sparing his life, demoted him and put him under arrest.

Events of 923

In spring 923, Li Cunxu, then at Wei Prefecture, declared himself emperor of a new Later Tang (as Emperor Zhuangzong), effectively claiming to be the legitimate successor to Tang. Shortly after, he had his general Li Siyuan launch a surprise attack across the Yellow River on Later Liang's Tianping Circuit (天平, headquartered in modern Tai'an, Shandong), capturing it. The fall of Tianping's capital Yun Prefecture (郓州) left few defenses between it and Daliang, causing great panic at Daliang. Zhu Zhen relieved Dai Siyuan of his command for failing to anticipate the attack, and, at the urging of the senior chancellor Jing Xiang, named Wang Yanzhang to replace Dai, with Duan Ning serving as his deputy.

After being commissioned, Wang immediately attacked the Later Tang-held city of Desheng (德胜, in modern Puyang)—which was divided into two parts by the Yellow River. He destroyed the bridge between the two parts so that the Later Tang forces to the north could not reinforce the southern city, and then captured the southern city and killed thousands of Later Tang soldiers, dealing a big blow to the Later Tang morale. He then prepared to attack Yangliu (杨刘, in modern Liaocheng), the ford on the Yellow River that was allowing the Later Tang forces to the north of the River to maintain communication and supply lines open to Yun Prefecture, in order to trap Li Siyuan at Yun. Both armies tore down the Desheng buildings to use as rafts, and as they headed down the river, they battled intensely on the river. When he arrived at Yangliu, he laid siege to it, nearly capturing it several times, but the city's defenses eventually held under the defense by the Later Tang general Li Zhou (李周). When Later Tang soon built a second fort at Majiakou (马家口, also in modern Liaocheng) to allow a second passageway to Yun, Wang attacked it but could not defeat the Later Tang emperor, who was defending the fort himself, Wang was forced to withdraw.

It was said that throughout these battles, however, Wang was being undermined inside the Later Liang army itself. He had long resented what he saw as the corrupting influence that Zhu Zhen's brother-in-law Zhao Yan and four brothers/cousins of Zhu Zhen's deceased wife Consort Zhang (including Zhang Hanjie, who was her brother), and had told people, "After I victoriously return, I will kill all the wicked men on the behalf of the people of the empire." His hatred of them eventually was discovered by Zhao and the Zhangs. Further, Duan was jealous of Wang and wanted to be the commander himself, and therefore formed an alliance with Zhao and the Zhangs, and it was said that Wang's military campaign was much hampered by this group of internal enemies. After his forced withdrawal from Majiakou, Zhu Zhen believed the false accusations against Wang and relieved him of his command of the main Later Liang army, instead ordering him to rendezvous with Dong Zhang to attack Ze Prefecture (泽州, in modern Jincheng, Shanxi). Zhu Zhen replaced him with Duan, despite the oppositions of senior officials Jing, Li Zhen, and Zhang Zongshi.

Soon thereafter, Wang was recalled back from the Ze front and instead ordered to attack Yun Prefecture to recapture it, with Zhang Hanjie serving as the monitor of his army, as part of a four-prong counterattack against Later Tang that Duan was envisioning—having Dong attack northwest toward Taiyuan, having Huo attack north toward Zhending (真定, in modern Baoding, Hebei), having Wang attack northeast toward Yun, and having Duan himself attack the Later Tang emperor directly near Desheng. This four-prong plan was revealed to the Later Tang emperor, however, when the Later Liang officer Kang Yanxiao defected to Later Tang. Kang also revealed that the main strength was with Duan, who had by that point crossed the Yellow River and headed toward what he believed to be the Later Tang main army. The Later Tang emperor decided to risk opening up his rear by heading immediately to Yun to rendezvous with Li Siyuan, bypassing the Later Liang main army, and attack Daliang directly.

Just as the Later Liang army was about to put the four-prong plan into effect, the Later Tang emperor arrived at Yun Prefecture and advanced toward Daliang, with Li Siyuan as his forward commander. They encountered and surprised Wang, who was forced to retreat to the poorly-fortified city of Zhongdu (中都, in modern Jining, Shandong). The Later Tang forces quickly breached its defenses, and Wang tried to flee, but as he did, the Later Tang general Xia Luqi (夏鲁奇), who had served in the Later Liang army before with Wang, recognized him and speared him. Wang was seriously injured and captured, along with Zhang and most of his army.

The Later Tang emperor, impressed with Wang, initially wanted to spare his life and get him to submit. Wang repeatedly refused, however, stating that he was a faithful Later Liang subject who would never serve Later Tang. When the Later Tang emperor sent Li Siyuan to also try to persuade him, he insulted Li Siyuan by referring to Li Siyuan by nickname. When the Later Tang forces, after a short rest, was getting ready to march on Daliang, Wang still tried to prevent its advance by falsely stating to the Later Tang emperor that Duan's army (which in reality was trapped north of the Yellow River and would not be able to come to Daliang's aid) was on its way, the Later Tang emperor executed him. Shortly after, the Later Tang forces captured Daliang; Zhu Zhen committed suicide, and Later Liang was at its end.

Notes and references

• History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 21.

• New History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 32.

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 267, 269, 270, 271, 272.