1. Wang Shichong first became prominent during the reign of Emperor Yang of Sui as one of the few Sui generals having success against rebel generals, and during Yang Tong's brief reign, he was able to defeat the rebel general Li Mi and seize Li Mi's territory.
Wang Shichong's ancestors were surnamed Zhi, originally from the Western Regions and were not ethnic Han Chinese.
Wang Shichong himself was said to be studious in his youth, particularly concentrating on military strategies.
Wang Shichong apparently had contributions as a soldier and was gradually promoted.
Wang Shichong initially promised not to kill Liu's soldiers, and they surrendered, but he slaughtered them after they surrendered.
However, Emperor Yang, believing that Wang Shichong was a capable general, bestowed even greater favor on him.
Wang Shichong led his army against Meng and built five fences to block Meng's path, while feigning weakness.
Meng, believing Wang Shichong to be an incompetent civilian, spread his forces, not only to attack Wang Shichong, but to pillage the area.
Wang Shichong, catching Meng by surprise, struck back, defeating Meng and forcing him to flee.
Wang Shichong launched his army from Jiangdu toward Yanmen Commandery despite the long distance.
Meanwhile, he had hoped that Li and his key general Zhai Rang would eventually have a fallout and that he could use the fallout to his advantage, but in winter 617 Li assassinated Zhai without Wang Shichong's being able to take advantage.
In spring 618, after his forces were reinforced by 70,000 men sent by Emperor Yang's grandson Yang Tong the Prince of Yue, who was nominally in command at Luoyang, Wang Shichong launched a major attack on Li, but was defeated by Li, allowing Li to then crush the other Sui forces as well.
Wang Shichong retreated to Luoyang, and for a while did not dare to engage Li again.
Wang Shichong was made one of the heads of the examination bureau and created the Duke of Zheng.
Wang Shichong began to incite his troops by telling them that they would soon fall into Li's trap, and that if Li received the command over them, he would surely slaughter them for having resisted him.
When Yuan received news that Wang Shichong was doing this, he planned to ambush Wang Shichong.
Wang Shichong then met Yang Tong and pledged his loyalty, swearing that all he intended was to save himself and save the empire.
However, initially Wang Shichong continued to be outwardly respectful to the young emperor, while he flattered Empress Dowager Liu by offering to be her adopted son and honoring her with the title of "Empress Dowager Shenggan".
At that time, Li's army lacked clothes, while Wang Shichong's army lacked food.
Wang Shichong took this opportunity to launch a major attack on Li in fall 618.
Wang Shichong first defeated Li himself at the Battle of Yanshi and, finding someone whose appearance was similar to Li, used him to declare that Li had been captured, further raising his army's morale.
Wang Shichong then attacked and captured Yanshi, not only taking his family members but the family members of many of Li's generals.
Wang Shichong was given the honorific office of Taiwei, and he began to gather officials with good reputations onto his staff.
Wang Shichong encouraged people to offer suggestions, putting three wooden signs before his headquarters, requesting for three types of people to volunteer or to provide suggestions:.
Meanwhile, during a feast in Yang Tong's palace, Wang Shichong suffered from a severe case of food poisoning, and he believed that he was poisoned, and thereafter refused to see Yang Tong again.
When Yang Tong, fearing his fate, tried to receive divine blessing by having the palace treasures given to the poor, Wang Shichong put soldiers around the palace to stop it.
Wang Shichong had his subordinates openly discuss in public how it would be proper for him to take the throne.
Wang Shichong then had an edict issued in Yang Tong's name, yielding the throne to him, ending Sui and establishing a new state of Zheng.
Wang Shichong made his son Wang Xuanying crown prince and Wang Xuanshu the Prince of Han.
Wang Shichong made 19 other relatives his princes, and Yang Tong the former emperor the Duke of Lu.
Wang Shichong did not have a fixed office; rather, he worked at several offices in the city, and he was in the habit of receiving personal submissions from the people to show that he was open to suggestions, but the idea backfired as too many people submitted petitions, making him unable to read them all.
Meanwhile, in light of his taking the throne, a number of commanderies that had submitted to Yang Tong submitted to either Tang or Xia, and Dou Jiande formally broke with Wang Shichong and took imperial style, albeit not imperial title.
Further, after Wang Shichong attacked Liyang, which Xia had seized from Tang, in winter 619, and Dou retaliated by attacking Yin Prefecture, the states became enemies.
Wang Shichong agreed, and he sent his nephew Wang Renze the Prince of Tang and his servant Liang Bainian to force Yang Tong to drink poison.
Yang Tong made one last plea, pointing out that Wang Shichong had previously promised to keep him alive.
In fall 620, Tang's Emperor Gaozu commissioned his son Li Shimin the Prince of Qin with an army to attack Luoyang, and Wang Shichong prepared his own forces to defend and counter.
Wang Shichong sought to enter into a peace agreement with Li Shimin, but Li Shimin declined, and he captured Zheng cities one by one, either by attacking them or by accepting their surrender.
Wang Shichong's forces had strong catapults and crossbows, inflicting much casualties on Tang forces, and many Tang generals wished to withdraw.
Wang Shichong, seeing Li Shimin's troop movement but unsure what the situation was, did not attack Li Shimin's rear.
Wang Shichong considered fighting his way out of the siege and fleeing to Xiangyang, defended by his nephew Wang Honglie the Prince of Wei.
Wang Shichong's generals pointed out that he was dependent on Xia help, and now that Dou had been captured, there was nothing further to be done.
Wang Shichong therefore exited the city and surrendered to Li Shimin.
The other members of the Wang Shichong clan were exiled, but on their way plotted rebellion, and were all executed.
Wang Shichong was a wicked man who happened to encounter an incompetent ruler.
Wang Shichong flattered the emperor and did what others could not have done in exchange for wealth and honor.
Wang Shichong finally usurped the throne, carried out improper acts, and killed many cruelly.
Wang Shichong used false expressions of empathy to control his officials.
Wang Shichong's subordinates were almost all rebels or desperate men.
Wang Shichong finally surrendered to the Prince of Qin and was quite fortunate that he was not publicly beheaded.
Wang Shichong is portrayed by Hong Kong actor Kong Ngai in TVB's 1987 series The Grand Canal.