Wang Xin 王訢

Wang Xin 王訢 (d. 76 CE) was a high minister of the mid-Former Han period 前漢 (206 BCE-8 CE).

He hailed from Jinan 濟南 (modern Jinan, Shandong) and was originally a petty official in his home town. At the end of the reign of Emperor Wu 漢武帝 (r. 141-87 BCE), countless rebellions shook the empire, so that Censor-in-chief (yushi dafu 御史大夫) Bao Shengzhi 暴勝之 was ordered to put down the rebellions. Bao ruthlessly killed all minor offials wherever his expedition lead him to. Wang Xin was able to convince him of expressing benevolence instead of constant tyranny, and the Censor spared him and even recommended him for promotion.

Wang Xin was eventually appointed Right Commander-in-chief Supporting the state (youfu duwei 右輔都尉) and governor of Youfufeng 右扶風, a region Emperor Wu often visited for hunting and to visit the tombs of his ancestors. Wang Xin prepared each visit of the emperor with the utmost diligence, so that he was appointed Censor-in-chief in 80 BCE, as successor of the executed Sang Hongyang 桑弘羊.

Three years later he was appointed Counsellor-in-chief (chengxiang 丞相)), as successor of Tian Qianqiu 田千秋, and was concurrently appointed Marquis of Yichun 宜春侯. His posthumous title is Marquis Jing 敬侯.