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Wei Zhen 衛臻

Jun 2, 2016 © Ulrich Theobald

Wei Zhen 衛臻, courtesy name Gongzhen 公振, was a high official of the early Wei period 曹魏 (220-265).

He hailed from Xiangyi 襄邑 in the commandery of Chenliu 陳留 (today's Suixian 睢縣, Henan) and served the Later Han dynasty 後漢 (25-220 CE) as gentleman attendant at the palace gate (huangmen shilang 黃門郎侍), military aide to the Counsellor-in-chief (can chengxiang junshi 參丞相軍事), and clerk in the revenue section (hucao yuan 戶曹掾), and was even granted the title of a Marquis within the Passes (guanneihou 關內侯). Emperor Wen 魏文帝 (r. 220-226) of the Wei dynasty made him cavalier attendant-in-ordinary (sanji changshi 散騎常侍) and gave him the title of Neighbourhood Marquis of Anguo 安國亭侯. Wei Zhen was then promoted to chief steward for writing (shangshu 尚書), palace attendant (shizhong 侍中) and then Minister of Personnel (libu shangshu 吏部尚書).

During the reign of Emperor Ming 魏明帝 (r. 226-239 CE) he advanced to the posts of right chief administrator (you puye 右僕射) and Grand Master for Splendid Happiness (guanglu dafu 光祿大夫), and his title of nobility was changed to Township Marquis of Kangxiang 康鄉侯. Impressed by Wei Zhen's repeated remonstrations against the costly reconstruction of the imperial palace buildings, Emperor Ming appointed him Minister of Works (sikong 司空), later Minister of Education (situ 司徒), and elevated him to the title of Marquis of Changyuan 長垣侯.

When Cao Shuang 曹爽 became regent for the young emperor Cao Fang 曹芳, Wei Zhen asked for allowance to retire, and was granted in turn an extraordinary promotion in his salary, making his status equal to that of the honorary Three Dukes (sangong 三公). He was also posthumously granted the title of Defender-in-chief (taiwei 太尉). His posthumous title of nobility was Marquis Jing 敬侯.

Source:
Zhang Shunhui 張舜徽, ed. (1992). Sanguozhi cidian 三國志辭典 (Jinan: Shandong jiaoyu chubanshe), 640.