Ye Shi

Life

His father was Ye Guangzu (1119–1203). His wife, Gao, lived from 1160 to 1211; his father-in-law was Gao Zimo, and his wife’s maternal aunt’s husband was Ji Juyi, who died in 1185.

He earned the jinshi degree in the fifth year of the Chunxi era (1178), received the office of Pingjiang jiedu tuiguan, transferred to Wuchang jun jiedu panguan, and served in the Western Zhejiang tixing si; he was then summoned as Taixue zheng, promoted to Taichang boshi, and concurrently served on the Veritable Records compilation staff.

When Guangzong succeeded to the throne, Ye was sent out as prefect of Qizhou. He later returned to the capital as an official in the Ministry of Personnel’s Left Selection Office, became director of the Directorate of Education, was appointed Grand Minister of the Treasury, and took charge of military provisions for Huai-dong. His offices also included Taixue boshi, anfu shi, chaoqing dafu, shangshu sheng libu yuanwailang, and ge xueshi. During Ningzong’s reign, Han Tuozhou dominated the government, Chancellor Zhao Ruyu was banished, and Ye was impeached and assigned to the Chongyou Observatory; he was later recalled as transport commissioner of Hunan and transferred to the prefecture of Quanzhou.

At an audience with Ningzong, he urged the court to wear away factional bias and reunite talent. Ningzong accepted his proposal, and restrictions on “false learning” gradually eased; Ye left office because of mourning for his father. After completing the mourning period, he was summoned as acting vice minister of works and then transferred as acting vice minister of personnel.

At the beginning of the Kaixi era, Han Tuozhou was determined to expand the frontier, and Ye, who strongly advocated resistance to Jin, won Han’s favor; he repeatedly sent troops to raid Jin forces in Jiangbei and organized agricultural colonies and fortifications in the Huai region as preparations for war and defense. After the northern expedition was defeated, he was appointed Baomoge daizhi, prefect of Jiankang and concurrently along-the-River Military Commissioner; he was promoted to Baowenge daizhi and concurrently made Jiang-Huai Military Commissioner.

After Han Tuozhou was defeated and executed, Censor-in-Chief Lei Xiaoyou accused Ye of supporting Han’s use of force, and Ye consequently lost his offices; he then spent thirteen years in fengci posts, withdrawing behind closed doors to write. He ultimately held the rank of Baowen ge xueshi and tongyi dafu. He died in the sixteenth year of the Jiading era (1223), aged seventy-four, and received the posthumous name Zhongding.

Thought

Ye advocated a “learning of practical benefit” (gongli zhi xue), opposed empty discussions of human nature and the principles of life, and criticized Zhu Xi’s teachings. Later generations regarded him as a leading figure of the Yongjia School.

Writings

His works include *Shuixin xiansheng wenji* (《水心先生文集》), *Bieji* (《別集》), and *Xixue jiyan* (《習學記言》); other works include *Shuixin wenji* (《水心文集》, 29 juan), *Shuixin tiba* (《水心題跋》), *Ye xueshi Tang shichao* (《葉學士唐史鈔》, 10 juan), and *Mingchen shizuan* (《名臣事纂》, 9 juan). The *Shuixin xiansheng wenji* contains three juan of poetry.