Wang Ze

Wang Ze (died 14 March 1048) was a rebel leader during Emperor Renzong's reign in the Song dynasty, whose agrarian army occupied Bei Prefecture for 65 days before it was crushed by the government army led by Wen Yanbo.

Wang utilized Maitreya teachings as a tool to organize his Millenarian troops. A much later supernatural novel The Three Sui Quash the Demons' Revolt based its story on this rebellion.

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.

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 byDaming 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.