Wu Yue

Life

His great-grandfather was 吳從善, his grandfather 吳貴, his father 吳鼐, and his mother 姜氏; his brothers were 吳崇, 吳嵩, 吳巖, 吳嶺, 吳岫, 吳嵐, and 吳某; his wife was 王氏, and his sons were 吳淵 and 吳涵.

In the seventh year of the Jiajing era, he is described as the ninth-place juren in the Shandong provincial examination; another enumeration gives the xianggong juren rank as 170 and the shengyuan rank as 9. In the eleventh year of Jiajing (1532), he ranked 106th in the renchen metropolitan examination and passed the palace examination in the second class, 71st place.

After passing, he underwent observation in the Ministry of War, was appointed a secretary in the Ministry of Revenue, and served successively as assistant director and director. While supervising grain transport at Xuanfu, he refused several thousand in surplus payments offered by officials. He later became prefect of Luzhou; mourning leave took him from office, and after completing it he was transferred to Baoding, where he achieved results.

He subsequently served as vice commissioner of the Shanxi Surveillance Commission and right assistant administrator of the Zhejiang Administration Commission. In the twelfth month of Jiajing 33 (1554), he became Surveillance Commissioner of Huguang; in Jiajing 34 (1555), he became Right Administration Commissioner of Shanxi, and the next month was promoted to Right Assistant Chief Censor and governor of Baoding, overseeing six prefectures. In office, he memorialized for cutting requisition expenses by six or seven tenths, and later left because of illness.

His other posts included the tuanlian vice commissioner (團練副使), administrative commissioner (承宣布政使), right canzheng (右參知政事), and Left Assistant Chief Censor (左僉都御史). In the fourth month of Jiajing 44 (1565), he was promoted to Right Vice Chief Censor and appointed governor of Guizhou, but did not take up the appointment; the following month he advanced to Left Vice Chief Censor to assist in the administration of the Censorate. In the first month of Jiajing 45 (1566), he became Vice Minister of Personnel; in November he was transferred to Left Vice Minister.

In Longqing 1 (1567), he became Nanjing Minister of Rites and in the same year Nanjing Minister of Personnel; in Longqing 4 (1570), he became Nanjing Minister of War and participated in military affairs. He later died of illness. The Muzong Emperor posthumously granted him Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent (太子太保), while Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent (太子少保) is also associated with his career.

Works and connections

His works include *Poems of Wu Yue* (*詩集（吳嶽）*), in two juan, *Wanghu's Remaining Drafts* (*望湖遺稿*), and *An Examination of Rites* (*禮考*), in one juan.

He was known for incorrupt administration, strict self-discipline, and a high reputation. Minister Ma Sen said that in his life he had seen only two men of integrity: Wu Yue and Tan Dachu. 于愼行 wrote his epitaph; 王世貞 gave him a farewell inscription at their parting, including a farewell poem and preface; 周怡 and 張居正 sent him letters, and 張居正 also received a reply from him.