Qiang Zhi

Life

During the sixth year of the Qingli era under Emperor Renzong (1046), he passed the jinshi examination, was appointed an assistant judicial officer at Sizhou, and later served as magistrate of Pujiang, Dongyang, and Yuancheng.

In the fourth year of the Zhiping era under Emperor Yingzong (1067), Han Qi took charge of Yongxing and appointed Qiang Zhi to handle confidential administrative affairs. When Han later moved to Xiang and Wei, he appointed Qiang Zhi to the corresponding post, and Qiang served in Han's headquarters for six years.

In the fifth year of the Xining era under Emperor Shenzong (1072), Qiang Zhi was summoned to judge the Hubu Gouyuan and was promoted to judge of the Herds Administration; in the ninth year (1076), he became Libu langzhong and a judge in the Hubu of the Three Offices, the highest offices he attained.

Han Qi recognized Qiang Zhi's literary talent, sought to recommend him for a post in the academies, and recommended him to the court several times, but the effort failed; Qiang never attained major advancement. He died that year at the age of fifty-five.

Qiang Zhi's wife was from the Zeng clan, and his father-in-law was Zeng Gongwang. He had three sons—Qiang Junming, Qiang Yuanming, and Qiang Zhiming—and a daughter who married Zeng Zhao (1047–1107).

Literary work

Qiang Zhi excelled in poetry, producing striking lines; his official writings attended closely to sound and diction, while his other prose was concise and archaic rather than fashioned to convention.

He wrote 《韓忠獻公遺事》 (also titled 《韓忠獻遺事》), which survives in one juan, as well as 《祠部集》.

After his death, his son Junming compiled his remaining poetry and prose as a forty-juan 《祠部集》, for which Zeng Gong wrote a preface; the original collection was lost.

In the Qing period, Siku editors reconstructed 《祠部集》 in thirty-five juan from the 《永樂大典》, and the reconstructed edition appended four poems from outside the collection at the end. Qiang Zhi also wrote prefaces for books by Han Qi and Wen Yanbo.