生平

早年事跡

王朗曾以通曉經籍而拜郎中，任菑丘縣長。後因老師楊賜逝世而棄官服喪。及後獲舉孝廉，被徵闢，都不應命。

與瑯琊人趙昱、彭城人張昭為好友。徐州刺史陶謙舉為茂才，任徐州治中從事。當時漢獻帝被董卓劫持到長安，王朗與別駕趙昱建議陶謙遺使向皇帝表示對漢室的支持，陶謙聽從並命趙昱帶著奏章到長安。獻帝接到奏章後讚賞並升陶謙為徐州牧、安東將軍；趙昱和王朗都獲升遷，王朗被任命為會稽太守。

治理會稽

王朗到會稽後見當地人民仍然祭祀秦始皇，並且與夏禹同廟。王朗認為秦始皇是暴君，不配獲得人民祭祀，於是取締為淫祀。在任四年，獲得當地人民愛戴。

建安元年（196年），橫掃江東的孫策率兵進攻會稽，王朗的功曹虞翻建議避其鋒銳，但王朗不接納，堅持要守護城池到底，領兵對抗，最後被孫策擊敗。

於是王朗逃跑到東治，侯官縣長商升為王朗起兵。孫策派遣韓晏攻打東治，商升擊敗韓。孫策再派賀齊攻打侯官，商升被賀齊威名震懾，意欲出降，被屬下將帥張雅、詹彊背叛斬殺，繼而引發內亂，終被賀齊平定。

王朗打算逃到交州，出海到東冶時遭孫策追擊，唯有投降。孫策因敬重王朗而不加害，亦曾派張昭勸王朗歸順，但王朗堅決不肯。

回歸朝廷

後來曹操上表徵召王朗，王朗由曲阿出發，但因為久經戰亂而道路不通，輾轉數年才到任。王朗先被任命為諫議大夫，參司空軍事。建安十八年（213年），曹操受封魏公並以十郡建立魏國，王朗以軍祭酒身份領魏郡太守；後歷任少府、奉常、大理。王朗處理事務在於寬恕犯罪者，控罪有疑點時判罰都會從輕，因而與鍾繇一起以治獄而知名。

延康元年（220年），曹丕繼任魏王，王朗遷任御史大夫，封安陵亭侯，曾進言勸減輕刑獄，轉以扶助幼弱，幫助人民休養生息。同年，曹丕受獻帝禪讓稱帝，改官名為司空，進封樂平鄉侯。不久吳蜀夷陵之戰爆發，有人認為應該舉兵支援稱藩的東吳，並一舉吞滅蜀漢，但王朗認為應該等待兩軍相持不下時才領兵支持，並派持重的將領攻蜀軍要害之處，一舉決勝；而當時東吳尚未起兵，而且經常下雨，不利於行軍，於是反對，曹丕聽從。後來曹丕徵召孫權長子孫登為東中郎將（實為人質），但孫登沒有來，曹丕於是到許昌大興屯田，打算進攻東吳；王朗聽聞孫權的回答未到，若發兵後孫登來到，影響甚大，於是反對出兵，建議增強邊境戍守，預防東吳進攻。當時曹丕以已成軍而出征吳國，而孫登始終沒有來，曹丕進軍至長江後戰事不利，撤回。

太和元年（227年），魏明帝即位，封蘭陵侯，增邑五百戶，共計一千二百戶，後轉任司徒。曾上書諫止營造宮室。次年（228年）十一月去世，諡成侯。由兒子王肅襲爵。

正始四年（243年），成為魏太祖廟第二次祭祀的功臣之一。

正始六年十二月辛亥日（246年1月9日），曹芳詔故司徒王朗所作易傳，令學者得以課試。

性格特徵

• 《魏書》有此描述：朗高才儒雅，而性嚴整慷慨，多威儀，恭儉節約，自婚姻中表禮贄無所受。常譏世俗有好施之名，而不卹窮賤，故用財以周急為先。

• 王朗被孫策安置在曲阿後，雖然窮困，朝不保夕，但仍然接濟親人舊友。

• 王朗年輕時與沛國名士劉陽結交。劉陽曾因見漢室衰微而曹操甚有野心，恐怕曹操會奪權，曾打算刺殺曹操，但沒有成事。後曹操任司空(196年)，掌握大權，而當時劉陽已死，曹操則通緝他的嗣子。劉陽親屬舊友雖然多，但沒有一個敢收容他，而王朗卻收容了他數年，見曹操後又多次代為開解。最後曹操才赦免他。

• 沛相袁忠以清亮著稱，避亂客居會稽，見王朗從屬衣著奢華，心存嫌惡，於是託病不與王朗交往。

• 文帝時分王朗食邑，要封他一子為列侯，王朗卻求文帝封他兄長的兒子王詳。

• 《世說新語》紀錄有一篇與王朗有關的故事：某日王朗與華歆同乘一船逃難，半路遇一人亦為逃難而請求上船，雖然華歆覺得為難，但王朗仍讓他上船；稍後盜賊乘船追來，其勢甚緊，王朗害怕船行太慢被盜賊追上，想趕此人下船，結果華歆反而出面阻止王朗：「我之所以疑慮，正是考慮到會有這個情況。但既然已經接納了他，又怎麼可以因為情勢危急就拋棄他呢？」便依然像當初一樣帶他繼續逃難。世人遂以此評斷王、華兩人德行高低的比較。

小說中的形象

在《三國演義》中，王朗以會稽太守的身分初次登場。在孫策打敗吳郡的嚴白虎之後節節進逼，基於唇亡齒寒的原因，力排眾議接納了逃亡的嚴白虎，但遭到虞翻的反對。之後派遣大將周昕與孫策作戰失敗，自知不敵孫策而向中原逃亡。

逃亡至中原後，受到曹操的賞識在朝中任職。在此之後則成為極力幫助曹操奪權的得力助手，與華歆等人聯手，使曹操得以晉升至魏公、魏王的位子。曹操死後則威逼漢獻帝禪讓帝位與曹丕，成為魏國建立的一大功臣。

諸葛亮北伐時，王朗不顧已經76歲之高齡，與曹真等人於祁山迎戰諸葛亮。在陣前與諸葛亮挑起舌戰，然而被諸葛亮的言詞所駁倒，一時氣憤而自馬背上摔落而死。被稱為「武鄉侯罵死王朗」。

家庭

妻子

楊夫人

子

• 王肅，嗣子，曹魏中領軍，三國時儒學大師。

根據王朗寫給許靖的信，他有一子一女早亡，只有兩子在世，即時年二十九歲的王肅和一歲多的幼子。《郯城縣誌》記載王朗有一女兒被送到青山庵出家為尼，不知是否就是這個早亡女兒。

孫

• 王惲，王肅嗣子，死時無子而國除。

• 王恂，王惲死後封國撤除，景元四年（263年）重新後獲封蘭陵侯。

• 王虔，字恭祖，曾任平東將軍、光祿勳和尚書等職。有子王康、王隆，仕亦宦達，為後世所重。

• 王元姬，嫁給司馬昭，即文明皇后，成為司馬炎與司馬攸兄弟的生母。

• 王愷，王肅子，西晉外戚，身份顯貴，十分富有，且性格奢侈，曾與晉朝富豪石崇鬥富。

侄

• 王詳，王朗兄長之子，曹丕在位時曾經讓王朗從自己封邑中分出一部分，封一個兒子為列侯，但是王朗卻請封王詳。

部下

• 虞翻，會稽名士，王朗為會稽太守時，任命虞翻為功曹。

• 周昕，會稽周氏三兄弟的長兄，在孫策出兵攻打會稽時，周昕率軍抵禦孫策，戰死沙場。

• 韓晏，永寧長，孫策將韓晏改任為南部都尉，永寧改由賀齊鎮守。孫策派韓晏征討侯官長商升，被商升擊敗。

• 商升，侯官長，在王朗逃到東冶時，商升為王朗起兵，並擊敗了孫策派遣的永寧長韓晏。後來得知永寧改由賀齊鎮守，因其威名最終決定投降。但部下張雅、詹彊等人並不願意商升投降，所以合謀將商升反殺。

• 張雅、詹彊，商升將帥，二人殺害商升後，張雅自稱無上將軍，詹彊自稱會稽太守。後來張雅與女婿何強因爭地而互相猜忌，賀齊乘機以反間計從中挑撥，一戰擊破張雅，詹彊亦望風而降。

相關人物

• 楊賜，東漢名臣，王朗老師。王朗曾以通曉經籍而拜郎中，任菑丘縣長。後因老師楊賜逝世而棄官服喪。

• 趙昱，琅琊人，東漢名士，王朗好友。被迫出任陶謙別駕從事。

• 張昭，彭城人，東漢名士，王朗好友。拒絕陶謙徵召而下獄，為趙昱所救。

• 劉陽，沛國名士，年輕時與王朗結交。曾看出曹操將會奪權，因而計劃暗殺曹操，但沒成事就死去。曹操任司空後要捉拿劉陽之子，當時只有王朗敢收留其子，並代為求情，曹操最終放過劉陽之子。

• 袁忠，故沛相，以高潔清廉著稱，避亂客居會稽上虞。見太守王朗隨從衣著奢侈，心感嫌惡，從此託病與王朗斷絕來往。孫策破會稽後，袁忠從海路出走交趾。

Early life and career

Wang Lang was from Tan County, Donghai Commandery, which is around present-day Tancheng County, Shandong. His original given name was "Yan" (嚴) but he changed it to "Lang" (朗) later. He started his career as a Palace Gentleman (郎中) due to his academic proficiency, particularly with the Chinese Classics. When his teacher Yang Ci died, he left his post and went back to his home county to mourn him. Later, he served Tao Qian, the Governor of Xu Province, where he advised Tao Qian and several other warlords to pledge allegiance to Emperor Xian, citing the Spring and Autumn Annals. Tao Qian then sent an envoy to the Han central government in Chang'an to pledge allegiance to the Emperor, and in return received the appointment "General Calming the East". The Han central government also appointed Wang Lang as the Administrator of Kuaiji Commandery.

As a warlord

During Wang Lang's tenure as Administrator of Kuaiji Commandery, Wang Lang banned the worship of Qin Shi Huang, a widespread custom among locals, believing that he was a ruler without virtue. Wang also formed a secret alliance with the Shanyue tribes. When the warlord Sun Ce started his Jiangdong campaign, Wang Lang financed the Shanyue leader Yan Baihu to fight Sun Ce, but Yan Baihu and the other Shanyue clan leaders lost to Sun Ce; at the time, Liu Yao, another warlord in the Jiangdong region, had also lost to Sun Ce in battle. Yan Baihu had become the head of a loose confederation composed of bandits and local officials, including Wang Lang, and he again gathered soldiers numbering tens of thousands. Despite opposition from his adviser Yu Fan, Wang Lang directly joined Yan Baihu in military operations against Sun Ce's forces, but they were defeated.

Wang Lang then escaped to Dongye. There, he gained the support from the Chief of Houguan (侯官長) and attempted to rebuild his power with support from Zhang Ya, a rebel leader with a strong army. They succeeded in killing Han Yan, the Commandant of the Southern Region (南部都尉) appointed by Sun Ce, but were ultimately defeated by He Qi, a general under Sun Ce.

Wang Lang tried to go further south to Jiao Province to recuperate, but was caught up and defeated by Sun Ce. He then conducted a very humble speech to appease Sun Ce, who later accepted his surrender.

Service in Wei

Despite surrendering, Wang Lang entered into a self-imposed retirement from public life, refusing Zhang Zhao's request to serve Sun Ce. Eventually he was contacted by one of Cao Cao's spies and was asked to join Cao Cao in the new imperial capital, Xuchang, where the Han central government was based. Although he was initially hesitant, he became convinced after reading a letter from his old friend, Kong Rong, who praised Cao Cao and urged him to go to Xuchang. Thus, he travelled north and reached Xuchang about a year later. Cao Cao highly valued Wang Lang's talent and appointed him as Critical Grandee, and Advisor to the Army of the Excellency of Works. Wang Lang later served in key appointments in Cao Cao's vassal kingdom of Wei after the latter was enfeoffed as a vassal king by Emperor Xian, the last emperor of the Han dynasty. In 220, after Cao Cao's death, his son Cao Pi became king, promoting Wang Lang as Censorate Grandee and enfeoffed him as Marquis of Yueping Village. Later that winter, the Emperor abdicated in favor of Cao Pi, who established the state of Cao Wei to replace the Han dynasty. After becoming the emperor, Cao Pi appointed Wang Lang as the Minister of Works and enfeoffed him as the Marquis of Anling Precinct. During Cao Pi's reign, Wang Lang made several suggestions regarding both military and civilian matters, such as security and the reduction of the state's employees and expenditures.

In 226, when Cao Rui came to the throne, he promoted Wang Lang from a district marquis to a county marquis under the title "Marquis of Lanling", increasing his marquisate to 1,700 taxable households, from his previous 1,200.

Wang Lang was later sent to Ye (in present-day Handan, Hebei) to visit the tomb of Empress Wenzhao, Cao Rui's mother. She had yet to be canonized as Empress at that point, so Wang Lang was given the tally and document that permitted him to do so, as well as the proper sacrificial animals for this. A special tomb was to be built for her as well. During his visit, he saw the populace was short on material; thus, he wrote to advise Cao Rui to be frugal, and to reduce the scale of the building of his extravagant palaces and ancestral temples.

Wang Lang was later promoted to the position of Minister over the Masses.

Late life and death

After Wang Lang objected to Cao Rui's palace-building project, he noticed that Cao Rui had a small imperial harem and wrote to Cao Rui stating that an emperor should have more concubines in order to continue the imperial bloodline with more offspring. This time, Cao Rui wholeheartedly agreed with Wang Lang and started expanding the size of his imperial harem. Wang's advice had a profound influence: Nine years after Wang Lang's death, Cao Rui even ordered beautiful married women all be formally seized unless their husbands were able to ransom them, and that they would be married to soldiers instead – except that the most beautiful among them would become his concubines. Despite protests from some officials, this decree was apparently carried out, much to the distress of his people.

Wang Lang later focused on academic works and had published several books that were well received at the time. He died in 228 and was given the posthumous title "Marquis Cheng" (成侯), literally meaning "marquis of establishment". He was succeeded by his son Wang Su, who continued serving as an official in Wei.

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms

In the 14th-century historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Wang Lang died at the age of 76 in 228. Despite his age, he led a group of soldiers and set up camp to do battle with Zhuge Liang. In the novel, Cao Zhen was defeated by Zhuge Liang. Cao Zhen called for his subordinates to help, and Wang Lang decided to try and persuade him to surrender (even though Guo Huai was sceptical that it would succeed) and engaged Zhuge Liang in a debate, but was soundly defeated. Zhuge Liang among other things scolded him as a dog and a traitor, from the shock of which he fell off his horse and died on the spot. There is no record of this in history, and instead, it is said that he merely sent a letter to Zhuge Liang recommending that he surrender. The letter was ignored.

Legacy

A famous story of Wang Lang was recorded in A New Account of the Tales of the World: