Cheng Lin

Life

In 1011, the fourth year of the Dazhong Xiangfu era, he was selected in the 服勤辭學科 examination; the examination is also classified generically as the jinshi examination. He began as a 推官 of the Taining Army Military Commission and then became magistrate of Shouyang; he later served as a Taichang boshi, acting Judge of the Household Section of the Three Offices, Drafter of Imperial Edicts, and Director of the Ministry of Personnel’s Internal Selection Bureau. During the Tianxi era he was summoned for an examination, entered the Jixian Academy, and served as Supervisor of the Metropolitan Offices and Storehouses.

In 1028, he became governor of Yizhou, and in 1029 governor of Kaifeng. Over the course of his career he served as a Privy Council academician, a Palace Remonstrator, and Commissioner of the Three Offices, and governed Kaifeng twice. In 1037, the fourth year of the Jingyou era, he was appointed Vice Chief Councillor and soon afterward, following an incident, was removed and sent to govern Yingzhou; his subsequent postings are variously given as Qingzhou and Daming Prefecture, or as Tianxiong Army and Yongxing Army, and he also judged Yan Prefecture, served as Pacification Commissioner of Shaanxi Circuit, and became Grand Academician of the Zizheng Hall.

Known for his administrative ability, he heard criminal cases and lawsuits without avoiding powerful nobles; he governed Daming for ten years in all, gained familiarity with frontier affairs, and kept its defenses secure. In the early Huangyou era (1049), he was appointed Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi, took charge of Daming Prefecture, and was transferred to Yongsheng Army.

During Empress Liu’s regency, he presented an illustration of Wu Zetian’s regency; Empress Liu threw the document to the ground and rejected it, and Cheng Lin was also despised. He recommended Zhang Jingsheng. Ouyang Xiu wrote his epitaph, funerary text, and spirit-path inscription. There is also a tradition that Wang Anshi wrote his epitaph and funerary text.

Family

His father was Cheng Yuanbai (944–992); his father-in-law was Chen Jing, his clan father was Cheng Yu (程遹), his elder brother was Cheng Wan, his younger brother was Cheng Yan, and his junior agnatic cousin was Cheng Yu (程瑜). His wife was Lady Chen (992–1062). Their sons were Cheng Silong, Cheng Sibi (1027–1086), and Cheng Sigong; a daughter, Lady Cheng, was Han Zhen’s wife, and other sons-in-law included Rong Yin and Chao Zhongyue.

Writings and posthumous honors

He had a sixty-juan collection of literary works and memorials, now lost; five poems are now recorded. He died in 1056 at the age of sixty-nine; his death date is assigned either to the third year of the Zhihe era or to the first year of the Jiayou era. After his death he was granted the title of Grand Preceptor. He was posthumously named Wenjian.