Wang Rong

Also known as Zi Junchong

Wang Rong, courtesy name Junchong, of Linyi in Langye, was the son of Wang Hun. A New Account of Tales of the World (Shishuo xinyu) says that at seven he alone left a laden roadside plum tree untouched, reasoning that its fruit must be bitter. Through his father's friend Ruan Ji he became the youngest of the Seven Worthies of the Bamboo Grove. Under Emperor Wu of Jin he was inspector of Yu province and took part in the conquest of Wu, for which he was made Marquis of Anfeng county; he later headed the Ministry of Personnel and under Emperor Hui became minister over the masses. He kept clear of affairs during the War of the Eight Princes, and the same book says he bored the stones of plums he sold so no one could grow them. He died at Jia county in 305 aged seventy-two, with the posthumous name Yuan. He appears on the Seven Worthies brick reliefs from a Southern Dynasties tomb at Xishanqiao, Nanjing.