Song Shou

Family and early career

Song Shou was the son of Song Gao; his maternal grandfather was Yang Huizhi and his wife's grandfather was Bi Shian. His younger brother was Song Yin, his collateral nephew was Song Changyan, and his sons were Song Minqiu (1019–1079) and Song Minxiu; his grandson was Song Gangshu.

At fifteen, in 1005, he was summoned to the Secretariat for an examination. In his early career he was appointed Taichang Temple Taizhu through the protection of his maternal grandfather Yang Huizhi, served as a Dali Temple Pingshi, and was allowed to read in the Palace Library. In the first year of Dazhong Xiangfu (1008), he retook the examination at the Academy of Scholarly Worthies and became a Collator in the Jixian Institute; he later received the status of tong jinshi chushen and was promoted to Dali Temple Cheng.

Yang Huizhi valued his talent and gave him the books in his family collection. Song Shou was also recommended by Geng Fu, and in the first year of Tiansheng (1023) he wrote Feng Zheng's epitaph.

Official career

He subsequently held the posts of Left Rectifier, Joint Commissioner of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, Drafter of Imperial Edicts, Historiographer in the Historiography Institute, and co-editor of the Veritable Record of Emperor Zhenzong. He rose to Hanlin Academician concurrently serving as Reader, and also served as Academician of the Longtu and Duanming halls, Secretariat Drafter, Vice Minister of Works, Director of the Ministry of Revenue, and Acting Director of the Academy of Academicians; he was also Director of the Court of Reviewing Officials and Director of the Zhaowen Library. From 1018 to 1020, he held the offices of the Cuiqian Bureau and the Sansi Dupingyou Bureau.

At the beginning of Emperor Renzong's reign, he was sent out as prefect of Yingtian after offending the empress dowager; in Mingdao 2 (1033), he became a vice chief councillor. In Jingyou 4 (1037), disagreement among the chief councillors and the resulting indecision led to his dismissal along with them. He subsequently served as acting director of the Department of State Affairs, and within a year became Minister of Rites, Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs, Academician of the Zizheng Hall, Grand Academician, and prefect of Henan.

In the first year of Kangding (1040), he was recalled in March as Director of the Privy Council, and in September became Minister of War concurrently serving as vice chief councillor. He died in the twelfth month on the guimao day, aged fifty; 1041 is also given as his death year.

After his death, he received the posthumous name Xuanxian. His honors and titles included Kai Guo Hou, Shanghu Jun, the State Duke of Yan, Situ, Zhong San Dafu, an appanage, and the grant of purple insignia.

Learning and writings

From childhood Song Shou was alert and intelligent, fond of reading, and broadly versed in the classics, histories, and the hundred schools. He possessed a rich library and collated books himself, and was particularly accomplished in calligraphy. His prose was deep, robust, pure, and richly elegant, earning the admiration of Yang Yi; he made many determinations in major court debates.

His writings include 《常山秘殿集》 in three juan, 《託居集》 in five juan, 《常山遺札》 in three juan, 《文館集》 in fifty juan (also given as fifty ji), and 《天聖鹵簿記》 in ten juan. Other titles include 《鹵簿圖》 in ten juan, 《景祐南郊鹵簿圖記》 in ten juan, 《內東門儀制》 in five juan, and 《五服敕》 in one juan; five poems are included in the present selection.

Reception

Wen Yanbo, Lou Yue, Chen Fulian, and Chao Gongsu each left postscripts on pieces identified as the Xuanxian or Song Xianxian's calligraphy; Huang Jue praised his poetry.