During Emperor Xianzongs reign

Both Wang Shoucheng's birthdate and geographic origins have been lost to history. The earliest historical records of his activities indicated that during the reign of Emperor Xianzong, when the general Li Su served as the military governor (Jiedushi) of Wuning Circuit (武寧, headquartered in modern Xuzhou, Jiangsu), Wang served as the eunuch monitor of the Wuning army. While both Wang and Li were at Wuning, one of Li's subordinates introduced Li to the physician Zheng Zhu, as Li was frequently ill. Li was helped by Zheng's medicines, and subsequently, Zheng took substantial power at the Wuning headquarters. At the other officers' requests, Wang requested that Li remove Zheng. Li admitted that Zheng was frivolous, but indicated that Zheng was witty and engaging in talk. At Li's insistence, Wang met Zheng, and soon was also impressed by Zheng's wit; he was also helped by Zheng's medicines as well. Zheng thereafter became a close associate of Wang's.

By 820, Wang was back in the capital Chang'an and serving in the palace. That spring, Emperor Xianzong died suddenly — traditionally believed to be in an assassination by the eunuch Chen Hongzhi (陳弘志), although Wang's biography in the New Book of Tang indicated that Wang was also involved in the assassination. In the aftermaths of Emperor Xianzong's death, the powerful eunuch Tutu Chengcui tried to support Emperor Xianzong's oldest surviving son Li Yun (李惲) the Prince of Li as emperor, but other eunuchs, including Wang, Liang Shouqian (梁守謙), Ma Jintan (馬進潭), Liu Chengjie (劉承偕), and Wei Yuansu (韋元素) supported another son of Emperor Xianzong's, the Crown Prince Li Heng, and they killed Tutu and Li Yun. Li Heng subsequently took the throne (as Emperor Muzong).

During Emperor Muzongs reign

During Emperor Muzong's reign, Wang Shoucheng became one of the two palace secretaries general (Shumishi). He was said to be very powerful and involved in affairs of state, such that in 823, the official Zheng Quan (鄭權) was able to beg Wang through Zheng Zhu and be made the military governor of Lingnan Circuit (嶺南, headquartered in modern Guangzhou, Guangdong). Wang was also in an alliance with the chancellor Li Fengji.

During Emperor Jingzongs reign

In 824, Emperor Muzong died and was succeeded by his son Emperor Jingzong. Li Fengji subsequently had Wang Shoucheng report to Emperor Jingzong that their political enemy, the imperial scholar Li Shen (李紳), had wanted to support Emperor Muzong's younger brother Li Cong (李悰) the Prince of Shen instead of Emperor Jingzong. As a result, Li Shen was exiled.

During Emperor Jingzong's reign, Wang remained highly influential in policy decisions. For example, in 825, it was said that it was at the decision of Li Fengji and Wang that, after the death of Liu Wu the military governor of Zhaoyi Circuit (昭義, headquartered in modern Changzhi, Shanxi) that Liu Wu's son Liu Congjian was allowed to inherit Zhaoyi Circuit.

In 826, Emperor Jingzong was assassinated by his polo player Su Zuoming (蘇佐明). The eunuch Liu Keming (劉克明) supported Emperor Muzong's younger brother Li Wu the Prince of Jiàng, and at one point, Li Wu was meeting with the officials and acting as if he would be the next emperor. However, Wang and other powerful eunuchs, including Yang Chenghe (楊承和), Wei Congjian (魏從簡), and Liang Shouqian, soon mobilized their troops and attacked Liu's party. Liu committed suicide, while Li Wu was killed. They supported Emperor Jingzong's younger brother Li Han the Prince of Jiāng (note different tone), who changed his name to Li Ang, as emperor (as Emperor Wenzong). It was Wang who consulted with the imperial scholar Wei Chuhou to deal with the ceremony of Emperor Wenzong's enthronement after the coup.

During Emperor Wenzongs reign

After Emperor Wenzong's enthronement, Wang Shoucheng was given the honorific title of Piaoqi Dajiangjun (驃騎大將軍) and made the commander of the Right Shence Army (右神策軍). As time went by, Emperor Wenzong came to be apprehensive that those he believed to be involved in Emperors Xianzong's and Jingzong's death were still in the palace, and, in particular, he became displeased at Wang's hold on politics and open receptions of bribery. He began to discuss a way to counteract Wang with the imperial scholar Song Shenxi, and in 830 made Song chancellor. After Song involved Wang Fan (王繙) the mayor of Jingzhao Municipality (京兆, i.e., the Chang'an region) in 831, however, Wang Fan leaked the plan, and Wang Shoucheng and Zheng Zhu came to know about the plan. Zheng reacted by ordering the Shence Army officer Doulu Zhu (豆盧著) to falsely accuse Song of plotting treason to put Emperor Wenzong's younger brother Li Cou the Prince of Zhang on the throne. When Wang Shoucheng relayed the accusation to Emperor Wenzong, Emperor Wenzong believed it and was angry. Wang Shoucheng initially wanted to take this opportunity to massacre Song's household, but was stopped by another powerful eunuch, Ma Cunliang (馬存亮). However, during the subsequent investigations by Shence Army officers, after an attendant official to the imperial princes, Yan Jingze (晏敬則), and Song's associate Wang Shiwen (王師文) were tortured and confessed to serving as conduits for messages between Song and Li Cou, Song was found to be guilty and was set to be executed. The advisorial officials Cui Xuanliang (崔玄亮), Li Guyan, Wang Zhi (王質), Lu Jun (盧均), Shu Yuanbao (舒元褒), Jiang Xi (蔣係), Pei Xiu (裴休), and Wei Wen (韋溫) urged caution, however, believed there were substantial questions in the matter and urged a reinvestigation by imperial government officials. The chancellor Niu Sengru also took the same view. Zheng, fearing that a reinvestigation would lead to discovery of the truth, suggested to Wang Shoucheng that he recommend to Emperor Wenzong that neither Song nor Li Cou be executed. Li Cou was thus demoted to the title of Duke of Chao County (巢縣, in modern Chaohu, Anhui) while Song was demoted to be the military advisor to the prefect of Kai Prefecture (開州, in modern Chongqing).

Emperor Wenzong was, by this point, finding Wang Shoucheng's and Zheng's relationship to be distasteful, but after Emperor Wenzong suffered a stroke in 833, Wang recommended Zheng for his medical abilities, and after Emperor Wenzong was helped by Zheng's medicines, he began to favor Zheng as well. Around the same time, Zheng also introduced Li Zhongyan to Wang and Emperor Wenzong. Both became close associates of Emperor Wenzong's, and Li Zhongyan was made an imperial scholar over the objection of the chancellor Li Deyu, who was subsequently demoted out of the capital.

In 835, Emperor Wenzong was again discussing the matter of killing powerful eunuchs, this time with Zheng and Li Zhongyan — as he believed that, since Zheng and Li Zhongyan were recommended by Wang, they would not draw the suspicions from the eunuchs. At their suggestion, Emperor Wenzong first diverted some of Wang's authority by giving the command of the Left Shence Army (左神策軍) to Wang's rival among the eunuchs, Qiu Shiliang, displacing Wang's ally Wei Yuansu, in 835. Subsequently, Zheng and Li Zhongyan (whose name had been changed to Li Xun by this point) had Wei, Yang Chenghe, and another eunuch, Wang Jianyan (王踐言), sent out of Chang'an to serve as army monitors, and also had two other chancellors, Lu Sui and Li Zongmin, demoted. Later that year, Wang Shoucheng was given the high title of the supreme monitor of the Left and Right Shence Armies and supreme commander of the 12 imperial guard corps — in order for Emperor Wenzong to strip him of the command of the Right Shence Army. Soon thereafter, at Zheng's and Li Xun's suggestion, Emperor Wenzong sent the eunuch Li Haogu (李好古) to Wang's mansion with poison, ordering Wang to commit suicide. However, publicly, Emperor Wenzong did not allow the details be known, and posthumously honored Wang. Zheng and Li Xun thereafter planned to use Wang's funeral as the occasion to trap the eunuchs and massacre them, but Li Xun, wanting all the credit by himself, preempted the plan, but failed, in what later became known as the Ganlu Incident, leading to the eunuchs' massacre of four chancellors (in addition to Li Xun, who was chancellor by this point, Wang Ya, Jia Su, and Shu Yuanyu) and governmental officials.

Notes and references

• Old Book of Tang, vol. 184.

• New Book of Tang, vol. 208.

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 241, 243, 244, 245.

生平

憲宗時期

徐州監軍

王守澄來歷不詳，生年、雙親、籍貫皆不可考。最早的相關記載，是在憲宗元和末年時擔任武寧軍（一名感化軍，領徐、濠、宿三州）節度使李愬的監軍。經由李愬引薦，王守澄認識了精通醫術、善於論辯的鄭注，兩人言談投機，相見恨晚，旋即成為好友。監軍任期告一段落後，王守澄返回京城，鄭注亦陪同。

擁立穆宗

王守澄起初侍奉太子李恆。當時憲宗身患重疾，病情開始有好轉的跡象，不料宦官陳弘慶（一作陳弘志）突然發難，於大明宮中和殿殺害了憲宗，據說王守澄也參與其中，隨後對外宣稱是皇帝無法承受藥力而暴斃。憲宗駕崩後，立即面臨繼位人選的問題，憲宗長子惠昭太子早於元和七年（812年）逝世，而三子李恆是憲宗屬意的繼承人，已立為太子，但其上尚有兄長澧王李惲，為求根絕後患，王守澄便與神策中尉梁守謙等合謀，派兵誅殺了澧王與擁護澧王的宦官吐突承璀。元和十五年（820年）閏二月，太子在王守澄等人的支持下順利即位，是為穆宗。

穆宗時期

與李逢吉結盟

王守澄因功被封為樞密使，擔任皇帝與朝臣之間的溝通橋樑，得以參與機密，幹預國政，擁有很大的權力，順便也將鄭注介紹給穆宗認識，頗受到青睞。當時朋黨領袖之一的李逢吉以重金賄賂王守澄，拉攏其為己用，兩人於是合作，朝廷無任何勢力能與之抗衡。穆宗僅在位四年便病逝，長子敬宗即位。

敬宗時期

排抑李紳

李逢吉與翰林學士李紳素來交惡，李紳利用職務之便，經常當著皇帝的面批判李逢吉的奏章，讓他相當惱怒。恰巧李紳因故得罪了族子李虞，李虞便投靠逢吉一黨，並對外散佈不利於李紳的謠言，另一方面，王守澄亦不時向皇帝進讒言，謊稱當年穆宗駕崩後，李紳等人本欲立深王李悰為帝，年輕的敬宗不察是非，一氣之下貶其為端州司馬，但不久之後敬宗發現了穆宗的遺書，有一份李紳、杜元穎等人勸敬宗即位的奏章，於是誤會冰釋，化解了一場風波。

昭義節度使繼位事件

素來跋扈的昭義軍節度使劉悟，臨終之前上書皇帝，要求讓其子劉從諫繼任節度使，朝廷對此有兩種不同的意見，反對派認為昭義軍地近京城，節度使人選應該朝廷指派為宜，而對藩鎮向來持姑息態度的李逢吉、王守澄一黨不想得罪對方，加上事先已收受劉悟的賂款，於是利用他們的影響力，迫使皇帝答應劉悟的請求。

擁立江王

敬宗平時喜歡畋獵和打毬，尤好在夜間捕捉狐狸，稱之為「打夜狐」。某日夜獵回宮，與宦官劉克明、擊毬將蘇佐明等二十八人飲酒作樂，克明等人趁敬宗飲酒過量入內室更衣時，暗殺了敬宗，並矯詔讓絳王李悟暫時代理國事。劉克明欲進一步取代王守澄等人的地位，但王守澄和梁守謙等人卻抓準時機先發制人，先是前往十六宅迎來江王李涵，再派出神策軍和飛龍兵，將包含絳王及劉克明在內的一干人全數誅殺殆盡。立江王為帝，是為文宗。文宗即位後，梁守謙請求致仕，於是王守澄順理成章接任右神策中尉的職務，握有神策軍的控制權，一人兼掌軍政二權，確立王守澄在朝廷不可動搖的地位。

文宗時期

宋申錫事件

文宗因見以王守澄為首的宦官日益跋扈，亟思除去心腹大患，決定與耿直忠厚的大臣宋申錫、宇文鼎等人合作。宋申錫旋即被拔擢為宰相，又起用了一批志同道合的大臣，他任命王璠為京兆尹，沒想到王璠臨陣倒戈，將此事洩密給王守澄的親信鄭注。鄭注於是先下手為強，先命令神策都虞候豆盧著持狀向文宗誣告，聲稱宋申錫欲與人望甚高的漳王李湊謀反，文宗早對漳王心存芥蒂，盛怒之下立刻命王守澄將宋申錫及其親信囚禁於神策軍的牢獄之中。然後文宗再召集大臣共商此事，文宗一心想處死申錫，但絕大多數大臣皆認為不可，建議應該將宋申錫和豆盧著交付司法審議，釐清真相再作定奪，鄭注認為此舉可能讓誣諂之計東窗事發，王守澄便聽從鄭注之言，說服皇帝以貶謫取代死刑，結果漳王與申錫分別被貶為巢縣公與開州司馬，申錫以下人等依舊處死。不久李湊與申錫也先後憂憤而死。

訓、注聯手背叛

文宗在位期間，李德裕一黨得勢，李逢吉被貶為東都留守。在東都一段時間後，李逢吉一心想恢復相位，便讓族子李仲言（即李訓）攜帶黃金百萬前往賄賂鄭注，讓鄭注代為向王守澄說項，再由王守澄引介給皇帝。沒想到訓、注一見如故，兩人理念有許多共通之處，又不久前鄭注才因藥術受到皇帝寵信，此時李訓亦以長於解釋易理得到皇帝的青睞，兩人很快成為皇帝跟前的紅人。兩人與皇帝相處日久，知道文宗早有除去宦官的想法，而文宗認為兩人本由宦官提拔，與之合作不至於遭到懷疑，三人遂達成共識。

為了贏得王守澄的信賴，訓、注兩人先後貶謫了左神策中尉韋元素，樞密使楊承和及王踐言，但隨即發覺如此一來等於讓王守澄獨攬所有軍政大權，隨後又讓素與守澄有嫌隙的宦官仇士良擔任左神策中尉，以分化其權，王守澄對此頗為不滿。不久李訓封相，任命王守澄為左右神策軍觀軍容使，名義上這是神策軍中的最高職銜，但只是個沒有任何實權的名譽職，王守澄被澈底剝奪了兵權，有了神策軍作為後盾的文宗，遂於大和九年（835年）十月，命令宦官李好古帶著毒酒前往王守澄宅第，秘密酖殺了他。贈揚州大都督。不久其弟王守涓亦被文宗派出的人馬所殺。王守澄死後僅一個月，便爆發了著名的「甘露之變」。

掌權期間賄賂風氣盛行

從元和末至大和末年，王守澄掌控大權達十五年之久，期間公然收受賄賂，擅自賣官鬻爵，由鄭注居中牽線，位於善和里的鄭注宅邸終年門庭若市，人潮絡繹不絕，如王涯因賄賂而成為宰相；王播買得鹽鐵轉運使之職；鄭權也因賄賂得到廣州節度使之位。

與詩人王建的關係

詩人王建善寫宮廷閨怨詩，有《宮詞》百首傳世，因與王守澄同宗，故兩人時有往來，王守澄略長於王建，稱其為弟。王建詩中述及皇宮內的生活情形，多由深諳其事的王守澄所提供。某日王建酒後失言，罵了漢朝宦官造成黨錮之禍，因此影射，得罪了王守澄，事後感到很後悔，於是作了一首《贈王樞密》向王守澄陪罪，詩云「三朝行坐鎮相隨，今上春宮見小時。脫下御衣先賜著，進來龍馬每教騎。長承密旨歸家少，獨奏邊機出殿遲。自是姓同親向說，九重爭得外人知。」消弭一場事端。