家世

王鍇生年和出生地都不詳，唐朝末年唐昭宗天複年間（901年-904年）作為其使節出使西川，從此留在當時由西川節度使王建統治的西川。

前蜀年間

天祐四年（907年）唐朝滅亡、王建在自己控制的地盤上建立蜀國（史學界稱前蜀）稱帝即高祖皇帝後，王鍇官至翰林學士，又遷御史中丞。曾任司空，與御史大夫馮涓等小酌，王鍇舉行酒令，要求一字三呼、兩物相似，說：「樂樂樂，冷淘似餺飥。」馮涓說：「己已巳，驢糞似馬矢。」座上大笑，馮涓只是長嘯。武成二年（909年）八月，王建任他為中書侍郎，授同中書門下平章事，拜為宰相。永平元年（911年），王建建造新宮，于其中收集四部書，王鍇上表稱讚此事，歷數歷代帝王用不同手段收集和鼓勵閱讀書籍。永平二年（912年）五月，王鍇罷相任兵部尚書，但次年四月複為宰相、中書侍郎。

王鍇為相時，曾為僧人貫休作像讚。

在王建之子王衍統治期間，王鍇和庾傳素同朝為相。王衍的狎客文思殿大學士韓昭、內皇城使潘在迎、武勇軍使顧在珣誘導王衍宴遊無度，王鍇、庾傳素和大多數其他官員對王衍幾無匡正。乾德元年（919年）八月，王衍東巡閬州，花費很大，群臣多直諫，當月王鍇剛判六軍諸衛事，沒有為此說話，也沒有為抗議而辭職。國事日非，王鍇、庾傳素自保寵祿，無所規正。後唐的一場大規模入侵導致咸康元年（925年）王衍投降，前蜀滅亡。王衍命翰林學士李昊草降表給後唐莊宗，王鍇草降書給後唐入蜀軍隊的名義總指揮、西川四面行營都統莊宗子魏王李繼岌。百官王鍇等著衰絰，徒步赤腳抬棺號哭待命，李繼岌、郭崇韜承制釋罪，君臣東北向拜謝。

前蜀滅亡後

莊宗最初答應封王衍以榮銜，于是李繼岌于同光四年（926年）將王衍及大批前蜀官員及家屬數千人送往都城洛陽。但因軍隊不滿莊宗沒有給士卒足量獎賞及殺將領郭崇韜、李繼麟，後唐政權開始被捲入多起叛亂，莊宗起初命王衍暫歇于長安，後下令誅殺其一家。前蜀官員們奉令繼續前往洛陽，但當他們到達時，莊宗已在洛陽死于一場兵變，由養兄後唐明宗繼位。明宗任很多原前蜀官員為各州府刺史、少尹、判官、司馬，王鍇為首被任為州刺史，唯有原前蜀永平軍節度使兼侍中馬全慨然說「國亡至此，生不如死！」絕食而死。王鍇和前蜀諸臣上表乞求安葬王衍骸骨，為人所稱道。明宗宣原蜀官員宰相王鍇、張格、庾傳素及御史中丞牛希濟，各賜一韻，讓他們試作蜀主降唐詩五十六字，王鍇等都言及王衍僭號、荒淫、失國，只有牛希濟不謗故主。天成三年（928年）秋七月，因王建族子陝州行軍司馬王宗壽請求，王衍得以以諸侯禮下葬。

王鍇此後的仕途和去世日期不詳。王鍇家藏異書數千本，親自書寫釋藏書若干卷，也以書法和好學聞名。

評價

• 《十國春秋》論曰：許寂溫和而儒素，王鍇淹洽而有文，黼黻太平，宜矣，迺社稷傾危，勿之能救，其罪均也。

注釋及參考文獻

Background

It is not known when or where Wang Kai was born. It is known that he served as an emissary of Emperor Zhaozong of Tang during the Tianfu era (901-904) to Xichuan Circuit (西川, headquartered in modern Chengdu, Sichuan) late in the Tang Dynasty, and thereafter remained in Xichuan, which was then ruled by Wang Jian.

During Former Shu

After Tang Dynasty fell in 907 and Wang Jian declared himself emperor of a new Shu state (known historically as Former Shu) over his domain (as its Emperor Gaozu), Wang Kai became an imperial scholar (翰林學士, Hanlin Xueshi). He later became the deputy chief imperial censor (御史中丞, Yushi Zhongcheng). In 909, Wang Jian made him Zhongshu Shilang (中書侍郎), the deputy head of the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng), and gave him the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事), making him a chancellor. In 911, when Wang Jian built a new palace and issued an edict ordering the collection of books, Wang Kai submitted a petition praising the effort and outlining how many emperors in history have used various efforts to collect and encouraged the reading of books. In 912, Wang Kai was removed from his chancellor position and made the minister of defense (兵部尚書, Bingbu Shangshu), but in 913 was restored to the chancellor and Zhongshu Shilang positions.

During the subsequent reign of Wang Jian's son Wang Zongyan, Wang Kai served as chancellor with Yu Chuansu. At that time, Wang Yan's associates Han Zhao (韓昭) and Pan Zaiying (潘在迎) led Wang Yan to spend much of his time in frivolous activities, and it was said that Wang Kai, Yu, and most other officials did little to try to change Wang Yan's ways. Indeed, even after a very expensive trip that Wang Yan took to Lang Prefecture (閬州, in modern Langzhong, Sichuan), after which many officials did submit petitions urging against such trips in the future, Wang Kai said nothing and did not resign in protest. When a major invasion from Later Tang led to Wang Yan's surrender and Former Shu's fall in 925, Wang Yan had the imperial scholar Li Hao draft the surrender petition (to Later Tang's emperor Emperor Zhuangzong of Later Tang) and Wang Kai draft the surrender letter (to Emperor Zhuangzong's son Li Jiji the Prince of Wei, who was formally the commander of the Later Tang invasion army).

After Former Shu

Emperor Zhuangzong initially promised Wang Yan that he would be created an honorable title, and Li Jiji subsequently sent Wang Yan and a large group of Former Shu officials on their way to the Later Tang capital Luoyang in 926. However, after the Later Tang realm began to be embroiled in a large number of rebellions (over the army's dissatisfaction over Emperor Zhuangzong for not giving soldiers sufficient rewards and over his killing of the generals Guo Chongtao and Li Jilin), Emperor Zhuangzong initially ordered Wang Yan to halt at Chang'an, and then put him and his family to death. The Former Shu officials, by order, continued to proceed to Luoyang, but by the time they reached Luoyang, Emperor Zhuangzong himself had been killed in a mutiny at Luoyang and succeeded by his adoptive brother Emperor Mingzong. Emperor Mingzong commissioned many former Former Shu officials to be regional officials, and Wang Kai was made a prefectural prefect. Wang Kai and a number of former Former Shu officials subsequently submitted a petition urging for the proper burial of Wang Yan's body, and for this they were praised by people. (Wang Yan was eventually properly buried in 928 due to efforts by Wang Jian's distant nephew Wang Zongshou (王宗壽).)

The rest of Wang Kai's career, and his death date, are not known. However, it is known that Wang Kai had a large collection of rare books at home, and that he himself had written lengthy commentaries. He was also well known for his calligraphy and studiousness.

Notes and references

• Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms (十國春秋), vol. 41.

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 267, 268, 272, 274, 275.