Wáng Yáochén 王堯臣
Zì Bóyōng 伯庸. Native of Yúchéng 虞城 (in Yīngtiānfǔ 應天府, modern Shāngqiū 商丘, Henán). Zhuàngyuán 狀元 (top of the jìnshì list) of the Tiānshèng 5 (1027) examination — the famously elite “zǎizhí bǎng” 宰執榜 cohort that included Hán Qí 韓琦 and Wén Yànbó 文彥博.
Rose through Hanlin academician (Hànlín xuéshì 翰林學士), acting Three Departments Commissioner (Sānsī shǐ 三司使), and finally Counsellor of State (Cānzhī zhèngshì 參知政事) in 1056. Principal compiler, with 王洙 and 歐陽修, of the imperial library catalogue Chóngwén zǒngmù 崇文總目 (KR2n0001, submitted 1041). Biography: Sòngshǐ 宋史 j. 292. His epitaph was written by Ōuyáng Xiū.
Lifedates: 1003–1058 per the Sòngshǐ and standard Chinese reference works. The project catalog meta gives 1001–1056, but 1003–1058 is the figure used throughout modern Sinophone scholarship and is followed here.