Early career

Wang Dao's grandfather Wang Lan (王覽) and father Wang Cai (王裁) were mid-level Jin Dynasty officials, and he inherited from them the title Viscount of Jiqiu. He was the grandnephew of Wang Xiang. When he was young, during the late reign of Emperor Hui, he served on the staff of Sima Yue the Prince of Donghai. During that time, he befriended Sima Rui the Prince of Langye. It was at Wang's suggestion that Sima Rui slipped out of the capital Luoyang and stayed safe during most of the War of the Eight Princes in his Principality of Langye. When Sima Yue later became regent for Emperor Huai and commissioned Sima Rui to be the military commander for the area southeast of the Yangtze River, posted to Jianye (建業, modern Nanjing, Jiangsu), Wang volunteered to serve on Sima Rui's staff, and he became Sima Rui's chief advisor.

As Sima Rui lacked fame, after he arrived in Jianye, few of the powerful local gentlemen would come visit and support him. Under Wang Dao's counsel, Sima Rui personally visited He Xun (賀循) and Gu Rong (顧榮) and invited them to serve in his administration. He and Gu were well regarded by the local population, which eventually began to trust Sima Rui's leadership. Wang Dao and his cousin, the general Wang Dun, served in key roles, and it was said at the time that the domain was ruled equally by the Simas and the Wangs. Around the time that Luoyang fell to Han Zhao and Emperor Huai was captured (311), large numbers of refugees fled to Sima Rui's domain. Wang assisted Sima Rui in settling the refugees and strengthening his rule. After Emperor Min was also captured by Han Zhao, Wang was one of the officials who urged Sima Rui to take the throne, and he did, initially claiming the title "Prince of Jin" in 317 and then emperor in 318 after Emperor Min was executed by Han Zhao.

During Emperor Yuans reign

Initially, Wang Dao continued to serve as chief advisor for Emperor Yuan, but after Emperor Yuan began to have a falling out with Wang Dao's powerful cousin Wang Dun over Wang Dun's domination of the western provinces, he also began to distance himself from Wang Dao. When Wang Dun finally rebelled in 322 and attacked the capital Jiankang (renamed from Jianye because of naming taboo of Emperor Min's name), Wang Dao feared that his clan would be slaughtered, and he and his clan members went to the palace door to beg for their lives. Initially, Emperor Yuan would not see them. When Wang Dao asked Zhou Yi (周顗), an official who had once compared him to Guan Zhong, to intercede on his behalf, Zhou did and persuaded Emperor Yuan that Wang Dao was not involved in Wang Dun's rebellion—but in order to not make Wang Dao grateful for him, he chose not to respond to Wang Dao but instead cursed Wang Dun when Wang Dao begged him, causing Wang Dao to believe that he, like Liu Huai (劉隗) and Diao Xie (刁協), wanted to exterminate the Wang clan. Wang Dao did not find out what Zhou had done for him. Later, after Wang Dun successfully captured Jiankang, forcing Emperor Yuan to submit to him, he asked Wang Dao what he thought of Zhou, and Wang Dao said nothing—so Wang Dun executed Zhou. Later, when Wang found out from imperial archives the petitions that Zhou had submitted on his behalf, he mourned and gave a famous quote, which later became a Chinese idiom:

:Although I did not kill Boren (伯仁, Zhou Yi's courtesy name), Boren died because of me!

Wang Dao continued to serve Emperor Yuan faithfully until Emperor Yuan's death in 323.

During Emperor Mings reign

Emperor Yuan was succeeded by his son and crown prince Sima Shao (Emperor Ming), who trusted Wang Dao's faithfulness and made him his prime minister. Later, when Emperor Ming faced Wang Dun's forces in 324, Wang Dao contributed greatly to defeating Wang Dun's force by falsely claiming that Wang Dun was dead—a claim that the army believed because he was Wang Dun's cousin and which gave the army high morale. Before Emperor Ming's death in 325, he made Wang Dao one of the officials he entrusted his four-year-old son Sima Yan with.

During Emperor Chengs reign

After Sima Yan took the throne (as Emperor Cheng), several officials who were named in Emperor Ming's will were put in charge—that included Wang Dao, Sima Yang (司馬羕) the Prince of Xiyang, Bian Kun (卞壼), Chi Jian, Yu Liang, Lu Ye (陸瞱), and Wen Jiao. However, quickly, Yu Liang, as the brother of Emperor Cheng's mother Empress Dowager Yu, became effectively the most powerful among them, as Empress Dowager Yu became regent. Wang's role in government continued to be important, however.

In 327, the ambitious general Su Jun, offended by Yu Liang's attempt to strip him of his military command, rebelled along with Zu Yue, and Su's forces quickly captured Jiankang in early 328, taking Empress Dowager Yu and Emperor Cheng hostage and forcing Yu to flee. Wang, who remained in Jiankang, continued to be respected by Su, but secretly ordered the provincial forces to resist Su. As Tao Kan and Wen gathered their forces and marched against Su's, Wang persuaded Su's general Lu Yong (路永) to defect to Tao and Wen, and Wang and Lu fled Jiankang together, joining Tao and Wen's forces. Later that year, Su was killed in battle, and in early 329, his remaining forces were defeated. As Empress Dowager Yu died during Su's rebellion, most officials requested Wen stay in Jiankang to serve as regent, but Wen, believing that Emperor Ming intended for Wang to be regent, declined and gave the post to Wang.

For the next few years, Wang was largely in control of the government, but Yu Liang, who had then exiled himself from the capital as the governor of Jing Province (荊州, modern Hubei and Hunan), continued to be influential despite his distance from the capital. In 338, Yu, unhappy that, in his view, Wang was not adequately preparing Emperor Cheng to rule, tried to persuade Chi Jian to jointly act with him to depose Wang, but Chi refused. Wang stayed regent until his death in 339, and he was buried with great honors, including some ceremonies that were ordinarily reserved for emperors. He was succeeded by his assistant He Chong (何充) and Yu Liang's younger brother Yu Bing (庾冰).

生平

西晉亂世

王導承襲父親王裁的爵位即丘子，後獲司空劉寔引薦為東閤祭酒。後來又參東海王軍事。當時因八王之亂而天下大亂，而王導與瑯琊王司馬睿友好，王導知道身在亂世，更傾心支持司馬睿，有復興晉朝的志向；同時司馬睿亦器重他。當時司馬睿在洛陽，王導多次勸他回到封國。永興二年（305年），東海王司馬越討伐河間王司馬顒，命司馬睿為平東將軍，監徐州諸軍事，留守下邳，司馬睿於是請王導為司馬；後司馬睿又遷任安東將軍，都督揚州諸軍事。司馬睿對王導十分信任，對王導所進獻的計策都一概實行。

衣冠南渡

永嘉元年（307年）九月，司馬睿聽從王導的建議，移鎮建鄴（後改建康，今江蘇南京市）。但司馬睿到建鄴後因司馬睿沒有名望而並未得到江南民眾的支持，一個多月都沒有任何人拜訪。王導正因此而感到憂慮，此時王導堂兄王敦到建鄴，王導於是與王敦計劃如何提高司馬睿的名望。次年三月上巳節，王導趁節日的機會要司馬睿出行觀看習俗儀式，其間乘坐肩輿，王導和王敦等有名望的北方士族則在後騎馬跟隨，令司馬睿甚具威嚴。江南士族紀瞻、顧榮等見司馬睿如此十分驚懼，都在路旁拜見他，王導趁此勸司馬睿與江南士族合作。司馬睿於是讓王導拜訪賀循和顧榮兩名士族首領，並任命顧榮為安東軍司馬，賀循為吳國內史，後又任命其他士族首領為官。自此司馬睿就漸漸得到江南士族的支持，百姓亦歸附。因王導和王敦盡心輔助司馬睿，當時人都稱「王與馬，共天下」。

永嘉五年（311年），漢國將領呼延晏等攻破西晉首都洛陽，並擄走晉懷帝，中原大亂，大量士族和人民都渡過長江，到較安定的南方避亂，王導因而勸司馬睿任用其中的賢人俊才，與他們合作。司馬睿於是任命了百多人為掾屬。當時荊州和揚州都十分安定，戶戶都生活富足。王導以清靜為政務首要，常勵司馬睿要克己勵節，匡主寧邦。王導愈來愈受司馬睿倚重，而當時其他人都對王導傾心，並號王導為「仲父」，而司馬睿亦向王導說過：「卿，吾之蕭何也。」

永嘉末年，王導遷任丹楊太守，加輔國將軍，後又拜寧遠將軍，再加振威將軍。晉愍帝在長安即位後，徵召王導為吏部郎，但王導不應命。建興四年（316年）匈奴王劉曜攻陷長安，俘虜晉愍帝。次年年初，時任丞相的司馬睿改封晉王，王導任丞相軍諮祭酒。不久拜右將軍、揚州刺史、監江南諸軍事。後遷驃騎將軍，加散騎常侍、都督中外諸軍、領中書監、錄尚書事、假節任揚州刺史。此時桓彞渡江到來，見當時朝廷微弱，向同是北方來的士族周顗表示憂慮。但周顗見王導後則向桓彞說：「向見管夷吾，無復憂矣。」王導因而亦稱「江左夷吾」。後來在一次北方士族的飲宴中，周顗感慨西晉山河破落，眾人都悲傷涕泣，但王導此時卻站起來，嚴肅地說：「當共戮力王室，克複神州，何至作楚囚相對！」眾人聽後都不再哭並拜謝王導。由此可見王導在攏絡江南士族外亦致力團結北方來的士族，鞏固司馬睿這江南政權。另王導亦上奏建議興辦學校，宣揚禮樂教化。

東晉建立

建武二年（318年），晉愍帝的死訊傳到建康，隨後司馬睿即位為帝，百官陪列，司馬睿更命王導和他同坐，被王導以皇帝尊貴而拒絕。王導即進位驃騎大將軍、儀同三司，封武岡侯。

太興二年（319年），王導代替賀循為太子太傅。當時東晉剛剛建立，尚未置史官，王導於是設立機構，令當時典籍頗為齊全。

太興四年（321年）王導進位侍中、司空、假節、錄尚書，領中書監。早前，司馬睿又任命丹陽尹劉隗為鎮北將軍，駐鎮淮陰，表面是防衛北方胡人，實質是為了防備荊州牧王敦。同時，因為司馬睿忌憚王敦，連帶王導亦被他疏遠。但王導仍然處事認真，安守本份。

王敦之亂

永昌元年（322年），王敦以誅劉隗為名，在武昌起兵作亂，並得龍驤將軍沈充響應。司馬睿聞訊大怒，徵征西將軍戴淵和劉隗入衛建康。劉隗入建康時百官迎接，令他十分得意；入宮後勸司馬睿盡誅王氏但遭拒絕。同時，王導又率子姪二十多人，每日到宮待罪，最終都得司馬睿寬恕，並任命為前鋒大都督，對抗王敦。及後王敦攻破石頭城，擊敗戴淵、劉隗、王導、周顗、郭逸、虞潭等人的進攻，並攻陷建康，自任丞相專掌朝政。王敦入城後怪責王導在晉愍帝死後，反對他另立幼主以便專擅朝政，但王導仍秉正地議論，王敦無法爭論。後王導加任尚書令。

同年司馬睿因王敦之亂憂憤而死，遺詔王導輔政。太子司馬紹繼位後，王導解任揚州刺史，改拜司徒。太寧二年（324年），王敦因與司馬紹作戰戰敗憤惋而死，王敦之亂平定。司馬紹回皇宮封王導為始興郡公。後又改命王導為太保、領司徒，劍履上殿，入朝不趨、贊拜不名。

輔助成帝

太寧三年（325年），晉明帝司馬紹逝世，太子司馬衍繼位，是為晉成帝。皇太后庾氏稱制，由王導加錄尚書事，與中書令庾亮和尚書令卞壼共同輔政，輔政期間以寬厚謙和而得人心。咸和元年（326年），後趙君主石勒派兒子石聰進攻壽春，後又進攻逡遒和阜陵，殺掠五千多人，震動建康。司馬衍於是加命王導大司馬、假黃鉞、都督中外諸軍事，到江寧抵禦。直至蘇峻派韓晃擊退石聰後才解任大司馬。

蘇峻之亂

咸和二年（327年），庾亮認為蘇峻在歷陽招攬聚眾，輕視朝廷，打算徵召蘇峻。王導認為蘇峻本性猜忌而陰險，一定不會應命，並勸庾亮包容他的行徑。但庾亮不聽，王導和卞壼、溫嶠等都不能勸阻，最終誘發蘇峻叛亂。蘇峻叛亂後，王導即入宮侍候皇帝，當時尚書左丞孔坦和司徒司馬陶回建議王導趁蘇峻未到建康，先封鎖阜陵，以當利諸口作防禦，及後一舉擊破；否則蘇峻逼近建康就會人心惶惶，難以抵禦。王導亦同意，但主掌決策的庾亮不聽從。後蘇峻攻陷東晉積存鹽和米糧的姑孰，並進攻建康，庾亮才後悔。

次年（328年），蘇峻攻陷建康，專擅朝政，因王導德望極高而不敢加害。後路永、匡術和賈寧都勸蘇峻殺王導並盡誅大臣，但蘇峻因敬重王導而不聽。路永等人於是心生異心，王導乘機派參軍袁耽暗中聯結他們，想他們帶皇帝出外投奔討伐蘇峻的義軍。但因蘇峻守衛嚴密，不能成功，王導於是帶兩個兒子與路永出奔白石。不久，蘇峻出戰時墮馬被殺，由弟弟蘇逸接掌部眾。

咸和四年（329年），蘇逸接連兵敗並被捕，蘇峻之亂平息。因建康的宗廟宮室都被燒為灰燼，溫嶠等人建議遷都豫章，而江南豪族則請遷都會稽；王導則堅持以建康為都，提出「鎮之以靜，群情自安」的方針，最終仍留在建康為都。

進位丞相

司馬衍年幼登位，每次見輔政的王導都拜他，手詔給王導更稱「惶恐言」，命中書寫詔令給王導則稱「敬問」，更成為定製。另司馬衍知道王導簡樸寡慾，無儲糧而衣服又簡樸，於是賜他一萬匹布作換錢用。後王導因病無法上朝會，司馬衍更親到他的府第，與他飲酒作樂，又令輿車載他入宮殿，可見司馬衍對他的敬重。

咸康元年（335年），有報告後趙王石虎進攻歷陽，王導自請出戰討伐，於是加大司馬，假黃鉞，都督中外諸軍事，並讓他置左右長史、司馬，又給一萬匹布，統率諸軍防禦。但不久得知石虎等已離開，於是解任。咸康四年（338年），任命王導為太傅、都督中外諸軍事。不久改司徒為丞相，由王導擔任。

咸康五年（339年），王導逝世，享年六十四歲。皇帝於朝堂發喪三日，又命大鴻臚持節監護喪事，按霍光和司馬孚的儀式。諡文獻公，祠以太牢之禮。王導死後賜葬幕府山西南麓。

為政作風

王導施政善於因事制宜，雖然在短期沒有顯著的成效，但長期來看是有所得益。有一次國庫空虛，庫中只有數千端綀絲，賣也賣不去，而國庫沒錢不能維持朝廷運作。王導因而與朝中賢人都製作綀布製的單衣，士人因敬慕他們而爭相穿著這種單衣，最終令綀絲價格飛漲，能賣至一端一金。

另一方面，王導寬厚的性格亦反映在其行政上，所委任的趙胤、賈寧等將領都不奉法度，然而王導亦容忍，如此引起大臣憂慮，庾亮更曾以此勸郗鑒與他聯手起兵廢掉王導。

逸事

• 王敦之亂時，劉隗曾勸司馬睿盡誅王導家族，王導因而每天都帶領宗族子弟二十多人到宮中請罪，而此時周顗要入宮，王導請求周顗援救：「伯仁（周顗字），以百口累卿！」但周顗卻好像聽不到那樣直入宮中。但入宮後則向皇帝司馬睿表示王導忠誠，懇切地要求司馬睿不要誅殺王導，司馬睿聽從。後周顗在內飲酒至醉，出來時王導又叫喚周顗，但周顗又不理他，更說：「今年殺諸賊奴，取金印如斗大繫肘。」回府後周顗又再次上表營救王導，言辭甚切。但王導看著周顗的表現，以為他是向皇帝中傷他，甚為記恨。後王敦攻陷建康，先問王導周顗是否應當三司，王導不答；再問王導周顗應否任尚書令和僕射，王導又不答；最後王敦說若兩者皆否，就是要殺了他們，王導也不答。就是這三次不答，王敦就將周顗殺害。叛亂平定後，王導在中書省看見當日周顗申救自己之奏表，大哭著說：「我雖不殺伯仁，伯仁由我而死。幽冥之中，負此良友。」

• 王導與稍晚于他的謝安都住在建康青溪與秦淮河之間的烏衣巷。烏衣巷是三國時東吳禁軍駐紮的地方，禁軍身著黑色軍服，故此得名。東晉的高門士族都住在這裡。後來唐人劉禹錫游南京，曾感慨賦詩：「朱雀橋邊野草花，烏衣巷口夕陽斜。舊時王謝堂前燕，飛入尋常百姓家。」

• 自漢朝和曹魏以來，群臣都不拜謁山陵。但王導因與司馬睿不止有君臣情誼，更是由未發跡時已相知相識，因而每獲崇進都會拜謁皇陵，不禁感到悲哀。自王導開始，後來都會詔命百官拜謁皇陵。

• 王導正妻曹淑性格嫉妒，不許王導有婢妾，更連隨從都會受檢查。王導不能忍受，於是在別處收藏婢妾，更生了孩子。曹氏知道後，率領婢僕二十多人持刀去找王導收藏的婢妾。王導聽聞後亦急忙乘牛車出門，要比曹氏更早到達。期間慌張的王導嫌牛跑得太慢，於是左手扶著門欄，右手拿著麈尾，並用麈尾的柄驅策牛隻，狼狽之下才僅僅比曹氏先至。蔡謨知道後取笑他，更特意拜訪王導，說：「朝廷打算給你加授九錫，你知嗎？」王導不知蔡謨心思，以為是真的，於是表示謙讓。蔡謨接著說：「我聽不了別的，只知有短轅犢車和長柄麈尾。」以此取笑王導驅策牛車的狼狽相。王導聽後非常慚愧。

評論

• 《晉書》史臣曰：茂弘策名枝屏，葉情交好，負其才智，恃彼江湖，思建克復之功，用成翌宣之道。於是王敦內侮，憑天邑而狼顧；蘇峻連兵，指宸居而隼擊。實賴元宰,固懷匪石之心，潛運忠謨，竟翦吞沙之寇。乃誠貫日，主垂餌之以終全；貞志陵霜，國綴旋而不滅。觀其開設學校，在乎沸鼎之中，爰立章程，在乎櫛風之際；雖則世道多故，而規模弘遠矣。比夫蕭曹弼漢，六合為家，奭望匡周，萬方同軌，功未半古，不足為儔。至若夷吾體仁，能相小國，孔明踐義，善翊新邦，撫事論情，抑斯之類也。提挈三世，終始一心，稱為「仲父」，蓋其宜矣。

• 《晉書》贊：贙嘯猋馳，龍升雲映。武岡矯矯，匡時緝政。懿績克宣，忠規靡競。挈葉三主，榮逾九命。貽刀表祥，筮水流慶。赫矣門族，重光斯盛。

• 晉成帝：公文貫九功，武經七德，外緝四海，內齊八政，天地以平，人神以和，業同伊尹，道隆姬旦。仰思唐虞，登庸雋乂，申命群官，允釐庶績。

• 陳寅恪：王導之籠絡江東士族，統一內部，結合南人北人兩種實力以抵抗外侮，民族因得以獨立，文化因得以續延。不謂民族之功臣，似非平情之論也。

家庭

妻妾

• 曹淑，王導夫人

• 雷氏，王導妾室，被稱「雷尚書」，生王恬、王洽

弟

• 王穎，年少知名，當時的人以他比擬溫嶠，早死。

• 王敞，年少知名，當時的人以他比擬鄧攸，早死。

子

• 王悅，王導長子，官至中書侍郎，比王導早死。

• 王恬，王導次子，好武術，因而不被公門器重。為東晉將領，曾任後將軍鎮守石頭城。承爵父爵即丘子。

• 王洽，王導三子，六位兒子中最為知名的一個，官至中書令。

• 王協，王導四子，撫軍參軍，承襲武岡侯爵位，早死。

• 王劭，王導五子，官至吏部尚書、尚書僕射，領中領軍。

• 王薈，王導六子，官至鎮軍將軍，加散騎常侍。

孫

• 王琨，王恬之子，因王悅無子而過繼給他。

• 王珣，王洽之子，官至衛將軍，都督琅邪水陸軍事，加散騎常侍。

• 王氏，王洽之子，與王獻之齊名，官至中書令。

• 王謐，王劭之子，因王協無子而過繼為嗣。與桓胤、王綏齊名。官至中書監，加散騎常侍，領司徒、兼太保。後入仕於桓楚朝廷。後因畏懼出奔。後被大將軍司馬遵追還，官復原職。

• 王穆，王劭之子，臨海太守。

• 王默，王劭之子，吳國內史。

• 王恢，王劭之子，右衛將軍。

• 王廞，王薈之子，曾為王恭部將，反叛而被劉牢之擊敗失蹤。

族人

• 王羲之，東晉人，王導堂侄。郗鑒之婿，成語「東床快婿」主角。世稱「書聖」。

• 王凝之，東晉人，王羲之之子，東晉才女謝道韞夫婿。

• 王徽之，東晉人，王羲之之子。

• 王獻之，東晉人，王羲之之子。