Cui Xian

Life

He was the son of 崔陞 (1449–1526); his mother was surnamed Li. His great-grandfather was 崔彥和 and his grandfather 崔剛. His younger brothers were 崔鉉 and 崔釴; his wife was surnamed Li, and his grandson 崔士棨 was born in 1552.

He placed ninth in the Henan provincial examination. In the eighteenth year of Hongzhi (1505), he ranked third in the metropolitan examination and first in the second class of the jinshi degree. He was selected as a shujishi, appointed a compiler, and participated in revising the Veritable Records of the Xiaozong Emperor.

During the Zhengde era, when he met Liu Jin, he gave only a long bow and refused the formal obeisance; he was transferred to the Nanjing Ministry of Personnel as a secretary in the Office of Merit Review. After Liu Jin’s fall, he was restored to his former post, served as a lecturer for the Classics Mat, and became a Reader in the Hanlin Academy. Illness later led him to retire; he built the Houqu Study, where he read and lectured.

After the accession of the Jiajing Emperor, he became libationer of the Nanjing Directorate of the National Academy at the beginning of the era. In the third year of Jiajing (1524), during the Great Rites Controversy, he was ashamed to stand alongside Zhang Cong and Gui E, submitted a memorial requesting leave, and impeached them, angering the emperor; his departure is described variously as an order to retire or a dismissal. He was later recalled on recommendation as Junior Supervisor of the Heir Apparent’s Office and Reader in Attendance, and in the eighteenth year of Jiajing was promoted to Vice Minister of Rites in Nanjing.

Learning and thought

His teaching upheld Zhu and rejected Lu, putting him at odds with Yangming’s program. He strongly opposed Wang Shouren’s learning, arguing that one should not set aside liangneng, or innate ability, in order to discuss liangzhi, or innate knowledge; he called Wang’s doctrine “hegemonic Confucianism.” His arguments and conduct were consistently grounded in earnest practicality. One of his students was Zhu Shang.

Works and literary writing

His works include 《後渠庸書》; 《易大象說》 in one juan; 《讀易餘言》 in five juan; 《大學全文通釋》 in one juan; 《中庸凡》 in one juan; 《程志》 in ten juan; 《後渠子》 in four juan; 《士翼》 in three and four juan; 《松窗寤言》 in one juan; 《松窗寤言摘錄》 in one juan; and 《聲律啓蒙》 in three juan, with 《新增發蒙古今巧對》 in one juan. Other works include 《彰德府志》, 《洹詞》, 《晦庵文鈔》, and 《文苑春秋》.

His writing was not what made his reputation, but it was considered capable of lasting. 《政議》, ten essays balancing present conditions with antiquity, avoided the impracticality associated with a scholar; 《漫記》, ten notes, could fill gaps in the History of Song; 《誠傅》, two pieces, could dispel frivolous claims about the Ming; and 《岳飛論》 argued that Yue Fei should obey the imperial summons and showed a broad grasp of affairs. His discussion of the development of Ming poetry and prose praised Li Mengyang and He Jingming, while criticizing Xiya’s ministerial conduct during the time of Liu Jin and Zhang Yong.

Death and posthumous honors

He died in the twentieth year of Jiajing (1541). The court granted sacrificial rites and burial, posthumously granted him the rank of Minister of Rites, and gave him the posthumous name Wenmin.