Yang Wanli's Chronology - (One of the Three Works of Yu Beishan's Chronology)

Author: Yu Beishan (Author), Yu Yunsheng (Editor)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: Yang Wanli (1127—1206), styled Tingshou, styled Chengzhai, was a native of Antang Village, Jishui County, Jizhou Prefecture, Southern Song Dynasty (now belonging to Huangqiao Township, Jishui County, Jiujiang City, Jiangxi Province). In the 20th year of Shaoxing (1150), he passed the local examination for the first time and passed the imperial examination in the 24th year. He held various official positions, including Censor of Ganzhou, Vice County Magistrate of Lingling, Magistrate of Fengxin County, Professor of Lin'an Prefecture (did not take office), National University Doctor, Taichang Doctor, Taichang Assistant, Assistant Director of Construction, Magistrate of Zhangzhou (did not take office), Magistrate of Changzhou, Director of Guangdong Changping Tea and Salt Administration, Director of Guangdong Circuit, Vice Minister of Personnel in the Ministry of Personnel, Minister of Personnel, Concurrent Tutor of the Crown Prince, Right Supervisor, Left Supervisor, Vice Director of the Secretariat, Magistrate of Junzhou, Director of the Secretariat, Vice Transport Commissioner of Jiangdong. He resigned from office and was specially appointed as Tongyi Dafu, Baowen Pavilion Attendant, and Retired. He was appointed as Zhibao Mo Guo Scholar and enfeoffed as the Duke of Luling. He was posthumously honored as Wenjie. Yang Wanli was first a poet, known as one of the "Four Great Poets of the Southern Song Dynasty" alongside Lu You, Fan Chengda, and You Mao. It is said that he wrote over 20,000 poems in his lifetime, with more than 4,200 surviving today. Moreover, his poetic fame was even greater than Lu You's at the time. Jiang Teli's poem "Thanking Yang Chengzhai for the Long Verse" says: "Who is the master of the poetic world today? Chengzhai's poetic rules are being implemented." Xiang Anshi's "Replying in Rhyme to Pan and Yang in Two Poems" says: "Chengzhai alone dominates poetry in the four seas." Lu You himself said: "Literary works have their own value, and opinions have their own fairness. I am inferior to Chengzhai, and this evaluation is shared by the world." ("Thanking Prince Zilin for the Poetic Collection") Yang Wanli's poetry is uniquely personal and is known as the "Chengzhai Style." Yang Wanli was not only famous for his poetry but was also a patriotic and people-loving minister who "had a strong will" and "lived a life of integrity throughout his career" (Lu Daojing, "Helin Yulu," Volume 5 of Jia Bian). At the same time, his studies in Confucian classics, his political essays, his fu poetry, and his prose were also of considerable skill.