Public Security Three Yuan

Author: Xiong Lihui, selected and edited
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【Yuan Zongdao】(1560–1600), styled Boyou, styled Yuapan, also styled Shipu. A Ming Dynasty litterateur, native of Guangxiang (now part of Hubei). In 1589, he passed the imperial examination for the Huizhong, was selected as a Ciji, appointed as a compiler, and rose to the position of You Shusi. One of the initiators and leaders of the "Guangxiang School," he was known as one of the "Three Yuan" along with his brothers Hongdao and Zhongdao. A native of Jingzhou, Guangxiang. In 1586, he passed the examination for the Ministry of Rites, and the following year was appointed as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy, becoming a Ciji. In the context of the flourishing retrogressionist school, he championed Bai Juyi and Su Shi, becoming one of the representatives of the Guangxiang School. In August 1585, he was appointed as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy to serve as a tutor for the Crown Prince, "entering at dawn and not ceasing in winter and summer." In autumn 1588, he died in Beijing "due to exhaustion." He was 41 years old. After the ascension of Emperor Guangzong, he was posthumously granted the title of You Shilang of the Ministry of Rites. In literature, he opposed imitation and retrogression, while emphasizing the spirit of "reaching through ancient prose." He published two essays, "On Literature (Upper and Lower)," which played an important role in the history of Chinese literature and still holds progressive significance today. These essays refuted the arguments of the "Seven Masters" for violating the laws of literary development, advocating for plagiarism and retrogression, and advocated that writers should "learn from the principles and then create from the principles." In 1586, the three Yuan jointly initiated the "Putao Society" in the Chongguo Temple in the western suburbs of Beijing, composing poetry and prose, and criticizing the "Seven Masters." He was a man of clear spirit and gentle temperament, steady and calm. As an official for 15 years, he "reduced social engagements and simplified interactions," "did not take a single coin from others," and as the tutor of the Crown Prince, he left only a few coins in his pockets upon his death, nearly unable to afford his burial. He published the "Bai Su Zhai Collection" in 22 volumes. His literary works were free of clichés, mostly spontaneous and natural. His representative works include "Jiatan Mountain," "Shangfang Mountain," and "Xiaoxi Tian," but like Yuan Hongdao, his creations suffered from a lack of depth, which was also a result of his creative philosophy.
【Yuan Hongdao】(1568–1610), a Ming Dynasty litterateur, the leader of the "Guangxiang School," and the second brother of Yuan Zongdao. Styled Zhonglang, also styled Wuxue, styled Shigong, also styled Liu Xi. A native of Jingzhou, Guangxiang (now part of Hubei). Yuan Hongdao had no intention of pursuing a career in officialdom. In 1592, he passed the imperial examination but refused to take office, instead seeking teachers and studying, traveling through mountains and rivers. He resigned from his post as the magistrate of Wuxian County and traveled around Suzhou and Hangzhou, writing many famous travel essays such as "Huqiu Ji" and "Initial Journey to West Lake." He had a deep love for natural landscapes and even risked adventures to climb mountains. He once said, "To cherish one's body and life, why travel to see mountains? To die in bed is no better than dying on a cold stone." ("Observing Waterfalls from Kaixian Temple to Huangyan Temple") In climbing and swimming, his thoughts were liberated, his personality was expressed, and his passion for literary creation soared.
【Yuan Zhongdao】(1570–1623), a Ming Dynasty litterateur. Styled Xiaoxiu, also styled Shaoxiu. A native of Hubei, Guangxiang. One of the leaders of the "Guangxiang School," the younger brother of Yuan Zongdao and Yuan Hongdao. At the age of 16, he passed the local examination as a xiucai, considering himself a hero, with a personality, fond of socializing, and interested in the works of Laozi and Buddha. After passing the imperial examinations in adulthood, he was appointed as a professor in Huizhou Prefecture and a doctoral scholar at the Imperial Academy, rising to the position of a Lang in the Ministry of Personnel in Nanjing. He was a talented writer from a young age, becoming more heroic in adulthood. Together with his brothers Zongdao and Hongdao, he gained fame as the "Three Yuan" and was part of the Guangxiang School. His achievements were slightly inferior to those of Hongdao. He opposed retrogression and imitation, believing that literature evolved with the times, "there is no literature that remains unchanged for a hundred years," and advocated for sincerity and the expression of one's spirit. In his later years, he proposed the idea of centering on spirit while also valuing style, addressing the flaw of excessive colloquial and delicate language in contemporary works. His prose was particularly outstanding, with travel essays, diaries, and letters each having their own unique features. His travel essays were meticulous in description, blending scenery and emotion, his diaries were concise, and they had a certain influence on later diary-style prose. His poems occasionally touched on the suffering of the people, also written with clarity. However, his literary ideas were relatively shallow, with responses to others and reflections on times, lacking innovation in art. He published the "Kexue Zhai Collection" in 20 volumes and the "Youju Shilu" (Diary of Yuan Xiaoxiu) in 20 volumes.