Early life

Wang Ze was a Zhuo Prefecture native who during a famine drifted to Bei Prefecture, where he sold himself to become a goatherd. Later he became a corporal in the army. Back when he left Zhuo Prefecture, his mother had tattooed the Chinese character fu (福; "auspiciousness") on his back as a talisman. Believers in the Maitreyan cult, present in great numbers in Bei Prefecture and the neighboring Ji Prefecture, spread the false rumor about his tattoo, and soon enough Wang became the cult leader. Their doctrine proclaimed, "Sakyamuni has declined and Maitreya shall rule the world."

With the assistance of subprefectural clerks Zhang Luan and Bu Ji, Wang's following spread to neighboring De Prefecture and Qi Prefecture. The original plan was to destroy the pontoon bridge in Chan Prefecture on 10 January 1048, but after the capture of cult activist Pan Fangjing (潘方凈) — for attempting and failing to assassinate the prefect of Daming — Wang and his followers decided to rise in arms quickly.

The rebellion

Once Wang Ze and his followers raided the armory, Bei's prefect Zhang Deyi (張得一) fled to the cavalry barracks, but he was captured after the rebels burned down the doors. After some fighting on the streets, Wang's followers successfully drove away general Tian Bin (田斌) and his cavalry from the city, then proceeded to massacre most officials that could not get away. They also released all prisoners from jail.

Ma Sui was sent by Daming prefect Jia Changchao (賈昌朝) as an unarmed messenger with a letter demanding Wang Ze's surrender. During negotiations, Ma jumped and threw his cup at Wang, and attempted to strangle Wang to death with bare hands. Wang's followers then hacked off one of Ma's arms, stopping the strangulation and Ma was subsequently killed. Wang reportedly rested for many days after the scare and injury.

Once order was restored, Wang proclaimed himself the King of Dongping (東平郡王), founder of a new state called Anyang (安陽). His era name was to be "Desheng" (得聖; "Acquiring God"), and a new calendar was drawn up changing the twelfth lunar month to the first month (as the rebellion happened in the twelfth lunar month). He also named Zhang Luan the chancellor and Bu Ji the commissioner of military affairs.

Notes and references

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生平

王則原是涿州農民，歲饑逃荒至貝州（今河北清河西北），為人牧羊。後投宣毅軍，成為小校，不久參加彌勒教。慶曆七年（1047年），與教首李教預謀慶曆八年（1048年）新正元旦起義，回到涿州與母親訣別。其教徒潘方淨懷刃前往北京（今河北大名）見留守賈昌朝，迫其投降，反被執；由於事機不密，王則乃提前於慶曆七年（1047年）十一月冬至節發動兵變，以「釋迦佛衰謝，彌勒佛當持世」為口號，逮捕知州張得一。他被推為東平郡王，以張巒為宰相，卜吉為樞密使，冊封胡永兒為皇后，建國號為安陽，年號得聖，以十二月為正月。戰士面刺「義軍破趙得勝」，以示反抗的決心。

參知政事文彥博請往鎮壓，八年正月，任河北宣撫使，以明鎬為副，重兵圍攻貝州，久不能下，後來在南城挖通地道，潛入城內，王則、張巒、卜吉等開東門突圍被俘，「餘黨保邨舍，皆焚死」，王則等人在東京（今河南開封）被斬。前後僅65天。