Lin Guang

Life

He passed the provincial examination in the first year of Chenghua (1465). In the twentieth year, he placed in the second list of the metropolitan examination and was appointed instructor at Pinghu, Zhejiang; he later served as chief examiner in Fujian and Huguang and as co-examiner for the Shuntian examination, then became a professor in Yanzhou (兗州) and Yanzhou (嚴州) prefectures. On recommendation, he was appointed an erudite at the Guozijian, promoted to Left Chief Administrator in the Prince of Xiang's household, advanced to Zhongshun Grand Master, and retired. He died at the age of eighty-one.

Learning and connections

From an early age, Lin Guang studied diligently and ranged widely across the classics and histories. At seventeen, he read Wu Cheng's writings on learning, was deeply awakened by them, built the Pavilion of Acquired Delight, and read there every day. During the metropolitan examination in Chenghua's fifth year, he met Chen Xianzhang at Shenle Guan; their conversation was in close accord, and Lin became his disciple, following him back to Jiangmen. He later built a residence at Lanshan, where he pursued learning for nearly twenty years and came to understand the principle of naturalness.

He was said to rank first among Chen Xianzhang's more than one hundred disciples, with Zhan Ruoshui next.

His correspondence included letters he sent to Chen Xianzhang, Li Dongyang, Zhang Xu, Peng Shao, Luo Lun, Zhang Ji, Zhuang Chang, Zhang Yuanzhen, and Liu Daxia; letters were also sent to him by Chen Xianzhang, Huang Wan, and Yang Lian, and he replied to Chen Xianzhang, Wang Zhen, and Yuan Dao. Zhan Ruoshui wrote his tomb inscription.

Works

He wrote the twelve-volume Nanchuan Bingnie quanji (南川冰蘗全集).