Wang Sengbian
Wang Gui was born in 571, during the reign of Northern Qi's emperor Gao Wei. His grandfather Wang Sengbian had been a major general and later regent of Liang Dynasty, who, at one point, in order to make peace with Northern Qi, sent Wang Gui's father Wang Yi (王顗) and grandmother to Northern Qi as hostages. After Wang Sengbian was killed in a coup by the general Chen Baxian (who later founded Chen Dynasty) in 555, Wang Yi remained in Northern Qi and served as a commandery governor. In 573, after the former Liang general Wang Lin, with whom Wang Yi shared the desire of destroying Chen and reestablishing Liang, was killed by the Chen general Wu Mingche, Wang Yi, in great distress in mourning Wang Lin, died. Wang Gui, having lost his father early in his life, was said to be elegant in his behavior, having few desires and comfortable in his poverty, and not making friends easily with just anyone. His uncle Wang Po (王頗) was a highly regarded scholar at that time and was said to be a good judge of character, and Wang Po once commented, "Our clan's hopes all rest on this child."