Wang Jing was born in a peasant family in
Qinghe Commandery (), which is around present-day
Linqing,
Shandong. He was nominated by the official
Cui Lin, who was also from Qinghe Commandery, to serve in the Wei government. His mother once said that it was not a good sign if he got promoted very fast in his career. However, Wang Jing still rose through the ranks in the civil service quickly. He held office as the Administrator () of
Jiangxia Commandery (江夏郡; around present-day
Xinzhou District, Wuhan,
Hubei) and later as the Inspector () of
Yong Province. In 255, when
Jiang Wei, a general from Wei's rival state
Shu Han, led the Shu forces to
attack Wei's Longxi Commandery (隴西郡; roughly present-day southern and southeastern
Gansu), Wang Jing led a Wei army from Didao (狄道; present-day
Lintao County, Gansu) to engage the enemy but was defeated. Wang Jing ended up being besieged by Shu forces in Didao. The siege was lifted when the Wei generals
Chen Tai and
Deng Ai showed up with reinforcements and drove the enemy back. Wang Jing was recalled back from Yong Province to the Wei imperial court in
Luoyang and reassigned to be the Colonel-Director of Retainers () and a Master of Writing (). In 260, the Wei emperor
Cao Mao summoned Wang Jing,
Wang Chen and
Wang Ye to meet him in private and discuss plans to launch
a coup to seize back power from the regent
Sima Zhao. Cao Mao did not heed Wang Jing's suggestion and proceeded with the coup, but ended up being assassinated by Sima Zhao's men. After Cao Mao's death, Sima Zhao had Wang Jing and his mother arrested and executed. In 266, after
Sima Yan (Emperor Wu) ended the state of Wei and established the
Jin dynasty, he issued an imperial decree to express sympathy for Wang Jing and his family. He appointed Wang Jing's grandson as a Gentleman Attendant (). ==See also==