Hu Shining (1469–1530, also given as 1470–1531) was a Ming official. His courtesy name was Yongqing (永清; variant 永淸), and his studio name was Jing'an (靜庵; variant 靜菴). His native place is given as Renhe in Zhejiang (now Hangzhou) or Changhua; he was the second in birth order and is also associated with the designations Nandusijunzi and Zhesanren. He was posthumously granted the title Duanmin.
Family and education
His great-grandfather was Hu Qi (胡祺), his grandfather Hu Gao (胡暠), his father Hu Rong (胡瑢), and his mother Feng (馮氏); his elder brother was Hu Shikang (胡世康), his younger brothers Hu Shixian (胡世賢) and Hu Shiliang (胡世良), and his wife Li (李氏).
He was first educated as a shengyuan (生員) and was also listed among the provincial recommended candidates (鄉貢舉人); in the sixth year of the Hongzhi era, the gui-chou year, he earned the jinshi degree and ranked twenty-eighth in the third class.
Career
He was first appointed a prefectural judicial officer (推官) in De'an (1494–1500), then served as a director in the Shaanxi Section of the Nanjing Ministry of Justice (1500–1505). He subsequently held the posts of yuanwailang (司員外郎) in Shandong and langzhong (司郎中) in Shaanxi, and was later promoted to langzhong in the Ministry of Justice (刑部郎中); while in office, he memorialized the deficiencies of contemporary government.
During the Zhengde era he served as prefect of Taiping and Baoqing and as deputy commissioner in Jiangxi; from the fourteenth to the fifteenth year of Zhengde he served as surveillance commissioner in Huguang, then as the right vice censor-in-chief serving as provincial governor and as Vice Minister of Personnel.
In the seventh year of Zhengde he also held the military-preparations post at Dongxiang, and his offices included the title tuanlian fushi (團練副使). A separate appointment as surveillance commissioner was in the Fujian Provincial Administration Commission.
As deputy commissioner in Jiangxi, he memorialized the court on Zhu Chenhao's rebellious plans, was imprisoned, and was sent to garrison Liaodong. After Zhu Chenhao was executed, Hu was recalled to serve as surveillance commissioner in Huguang.
In the third year of Jiajing, he memorialized on behalf of Chen Jiuchou. From the fourth through the sixth year of Jiajing, he successively held the offices of Vice Minister of War, Vice Minister of Personnel in Nanjing, Minister of Works in Nanjing, Minister of Justice, and Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, the last office also appearing as Left Censor-in-Chief.
From the seventh through the ninth year of Jiajing he served as Minister of War and participated in military affairs; he was also made Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent, and in the tenth year of Jiajing he additionally held the rank of Shaobao.
He was also described as having benefited his native community, being paired or ranked with others, and being removed from office because of illness.
Associates and posthumous remembrance
He was a friend of Li Chengxun (李承勛) and Yu You (余祐).
Biographies of him were written by Xue Yingqi, Yuan Zhi, Zhao Shichun, and Lei Li; Gu Lin and Yuan Zhi composed funerary texts, Xu Xiangqing wrote his spirit-way stele inscription, He Tang presented him with poems and prose, and Zhang Han wrote a shrine inscription.
Works
Titles associated with him include 《大學衍義補膚見》 (2 juan), 《太平雜稿》 (2 juan), 《姚源建昌征案東鄉撫案共》 (10 juan), 《寶慶雜稿》 (2 juan), 《德安行稿》 (2 juan), and 《撫蜀雜稿》 (1 juan).
Other titles are 《春秋志疑》 (18 juan), 《滄州退兵事略》 (1 juan), 《胡端敏奏議》 (10 juan), 《自敘年譜》 (16 juan), 《讀易私記》 (4 juan), and 《詩文（胡世寧）》 (2 juan).
References
- CBDB Hu Shining (68242)
- 搜韵 胡世寧 (50675)
- Wikidata Hu Shining (Q15900208)