Wang Yun

Life

Early in life, Wang Yun studied under and won the recognition of Yuan Haowen, and was ranked alongside Wang Bowen of Donglu and Wang Xu of Bohai. When Shi Tianze was stationed at Wei, he received Wang Yun as an honored guest at their first meeting. In the first year of the Zhongtong era (1260), Yao Shu, who was pacifying Dongping, recruited him as a xiangyi guan (詳議官; also written 詳儀官). After reaching the capital, Wang Yun submitted a memorial on current affairs and was promoted to a Secretariat regulations-review post; he soon became a Hanlin xiu zhuan and concurrently served as a compiler in the National History Institute.

In the Secretariat, he handled financial accounts, recommended capable men, discussed rites, and examined institutions, earning the respect of his colleagues; he rose to a post in the Left and Right Sections. In 1268, when the Censorate was established, he was its first Investigating Censor (監察御史; also written 監察御使), and his more than 150 memorials drew the attention of powerful men. He was then sent out as a judge of Pingyang Circuit, served as a vice judicial commissioner in Henan, Hebei, Yannan, and Shandong, and advanced to judicial commissioner for Fujian Minhai; his career also included the titles vice commissioner of the Surveillance and Judicial Offices (肅政廉訪司副使) in Henan, Yannan-Hebei, and Shandong East-and-West Circuits, and commissioner of the same office (肅政廉訪司廉訪使) for the Fujian branch Secretariat.

In 1292, he was summoned to Liulin Palace to appear before Shizu, submitted a ten-thousand-character memorial setting out his views on current affairs, and was promoted to Hanlin academician and appointed Jiayi Dafu. After Chengzong's accession, he was made Tongyi Dafu and zhizhigao, took part in compiling the national history, and in 1295 was further advanced to Tongzheng Dafu and made a fellow compiler of the national history. He was also ordered to compile the Veritable Records of Shizu and presented a six-volume collection of imperial instructions.

In 1301, Wang Yun submitted another memorial requesting retirement and was permitted to return home; his later status is also given as having left office because of illness. He died in 1304 and was posthumously awarded the titles Hanlin Academician-in-Chief and Zishan Dafu, enfeoffed as Duke of Taiyuan Commandery, and given the posthumous name Wending.

Family and associations

His father was Wang Tianduo (1202–1257), and his younger brother was Wang Chen. His wife was Lady Tui (1227–1286), and his son-in-law was Du Boyuan (1234–1292). His eldest son was Wang Gongru and his great-grandson was Wang Xunzhi; he was also a friend of Zhao Mengfu.

Learning and writings

Wang Yun was learned, wrote prose well, and also composed poetry and ci; he was known for his ability in office and was especially devoted to writing.

The poetry of the Qiujian Collection was described as overflowing with talent and aspiring to range among the great writers of the Tang and Song; yet the surviving poems were too numerous and insufficiently selective, so that severe pruning would have revealed their excellence more fully.

His writings include 《相鑑》, 《汲郡志》, 《承華事略》 (one scroll, twenty sections), 《守成事鑑》, and 《秋澗先生大全集》, as well as 《書晝目錄一卷》 and 《彭蠡小龍記一卷》. His miscellaneous prose and poetry were collected as 《秋澗集》 in one hundred scrolls. When 《承華事略》 was presented to Crown Prince Yuzong, Yuzong praised it, rewarded Wang Yun with wine and words of consolation, and ordered the imperial grandsons to pass the book around; after Chengzong's accession, Wang Yun presented 《守成事鑑》 in fifteen sections.