During Emperor Gaozong's Reign
It is not known when Wang Xiaojie was born, but it is known that his family was from the vicinity of Tang Dynasty's capital Chang'an. He was said to have had a successful military career during the reign of Emperor Gaozong. In 678, he served under the general Liu Shenli (劉審禮), the assistant to the chancellor Li Jingxuan in a campaign against Tufan. Li's army suffered a great defeat at the hands of the Tufan general Lun Qinling (論欽陵), and both Liu and Wang were captured by Lun Qinling. When Wang was presented to the Mangsong Mangtsen, the king of Tufan, Mangsong Mangtsen was surprised by Wang's appearance and stated, "Your appearance is like my father's," and began to weep. As a result, he spared Wang and treated him well, finally returning him to Tang. After returning to Tang, Wang continued to serve as a general.
Read more about this topic: Wang Xiaojie
Famous quotes containing the words emperor and/or reign:
“In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered.”
—Bible: New Testament, Luke 2:1.
“Fatalism, whose solving word in all crises of behavior is “All striving is vain,” will never reign supreme, for the impulse to take life strivingly is indestructible in the race. Moral creeds which speak to that impulse will be widely successful in spite of inconsistency, vagueness, and shadowy determination of expectancy. Man needs a rule for his will, and will invent one if one be not given him.”
—William James (1842–1910)