Wang Yuankui (; 812–854), formally Duke Zhong of Taiyuan (), was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. Like his father Wang Tingcou, Wang Yuankui ruled Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei) in de facto independence from the imperial government, but unlike Wang Tingcou, he was respectful to the imperial government and often followed its orders.
Background
Wang Yuankui was born in 812, during the reign of Emperor Xianzong, when his father Wang Tingcou was probably serving as an officer under Wang Chengzong, then the military governor of Chengde, whose family Wang Tingcou was related to by adoption — as Wang Tingcou's great-grandfather Wang Wugezhi () was an adoptive son of Wang Chengzong's grandfather Wang Wujun. After Wang Chengzong's death in 820, the imperial government briefly took over control of Chengde, but in 821, soldiers led by Wang Tingcou mutinied and killed the imperially-commissioned military governor Tian Hongzheng, and Wang Tingcou subsequently took over as military governor, with the imperial government eventually capitulating and allowing him to do so.
Sometime during Wang Tingcou's rule, he made Wang Yuankui one of the military commanders at Chengde's capital Zhen Prefecture (), as well as the commander of Chengde army. When Wang Tingcou died in 834, the soldiers supported Wang Yuankui to succeed him, and in 835, then-reigning Emperor Wenzong (Emperor Xianzong's grandson) commissioned Wang Yuankui military governor. It was said that Wang Yuankui changed Wang Tingcou's defiant stance toward the imperial government, and was respectful to the imperial government, often offering tributes to the emperor.
As military governor
In 837, in response to Wang Yuankui's respectful attitude, Emperor Wenzong sent his cousin Princess Shou'an, a daughter to his uncle Li Wu the Prince of Jiang, to marry Wang. Wang sent his aunt Lady Duan to submit the bride price, and it was said that Lady Duan took to the capital Chang'an with her tributes of 2,000 plates of delicacies, armors, horses, cosmetics and furniture for the princess, and eunuchs and female servants.
In 843, after Liu Congjian the military governor of nearby Zhaoyi Circuit (昭義, headquartered in modern Changzhi, Shanxi) died, Liu Congjian's designated heir, his nephew Liu Zhen, sought imperial commission to inherit the circuit, but then-reigning Emperor Wuzong (Emperor Wenzong's younger brother) did not approve, and instead ordered a general campaign against Liu Zhen. As Emperor Wuzong and the lead chancellor Li Deyu were concerned that Wang, along with his neighbors He Hongjing the military governor of Weibo Circuit (魏博, headquartered in modern Handan, Hebei) and Zhang Zhongwu the military governor of Lulong Circuit (盧龍, headquartered in modern Beijing) — whose three circuits traditionally determined their own military governors and resisted the imperial government from ruling over them — would militarily support Liu Zhen, Emperor Wuzong had Li Deyu draft an edict for him explicitly stating to Wang and He Hongjing that the situation with Zhaoyi was different and that he had no intent to get involved in the succession of military governors of Chengde or Weibo. It was said that therefore, Wang and He Hongjing did not support Liu Zhen.