Wang Zongwei was born on November 16, 1954, in Shenyang, the capital of Liaoning Province, in northeastern China. He was the older of the two infamous brothers known as the “Two Wangs.” Unlike his younger brother Zongfang, who had military experience, less is publicly known about Zongwei’s formal background or occupation before the crime spree. No records suggest that he served in the army or held steady employment.

Zongwei’s early life remains shadowed by the tight controls of Chinese state media during the post-Cultural Revolution era. There are no confirmed psychiatric evaluations, arrest records, or disciplinary issues prior to their infamous spree.

The first known act of violence committed by the Wang brothers took place on February 12, 1983, during the Chinese New Year. Together, they stormed the People’s Liberation Army Hospital in Shenyang, where they killed five soldiers in a bloody robbery. Armed with stolen firearms and likely motivated by a combination of desperation, rebellion, and thrill, the duo sparked what would become one of China’s most infamous criminal pursuits.

Following the hospital attack, Zongwei and Zongfang fled the city, initiating a seven-month nationwide manhunt. Their trail of violence took them through Hunan, Hubei, and Jiangsu Provinces, where they continued to attack law enforcement and military personnel. According to official reports, the brothers used both guns and grenades to kill a total of nine officers and injure another nine, in addition to their earlier victims.

As panic spread, Chinese media dubbed them “Er Wang”, the Two Wangs. Their actions were not only viewed as cold-blooded, but also as a threat to national security, prompting an aggressive response from the Ministry of Public Security, which listed them among the country's most wanted fugitives in 1983.

The nationwide hysteria and political pressure to catch them coincided with China’s “Strike Hard” campaign, a severe crackdown on violent crime and social unrest. On September 18, 1983, after months of pursuit, the Chinese Armed Forces cornered the brothers in Guangchang, Jiangxi Province. In a violent exchange of gunfire, both Zongwei and Zongfang were killed on the spot.