Liu Zai

Life

His father was Liu Mengqing. He married Tao and Liang successively; Tao died in 1193 and Liang in 1219. His sons included Liu Ruyu and Liu Rujin.

In the first year of Shaoxi (1190), he passed the jinshi examination and was initially appointed Jiangning Commandant. Because spirit-medium practices were widespread there, he ordered the baowu units to police one another, and many people took up farming; he was later appointed magistrate of Taixing and gained a reputation for ability. He subsequently served as Judicial Commandant of Zhenzhou. While he was in judicial office, Han 梴 recommended him for the Lianda examination because of his high reputation; Cao Yanyue also recommended him.

During the Kaixi era he served as an aide in the Zhejiang Eastern Granary Office. When mourning his father, he went to the capital and strongly criticized Han Tuozhou for recklessly provoking war; he soon withdrew from office and later supervised the Nanyue Temple. He lived in retirement at Mantang on Yunmao Mountain for thirty years; another account gives thirty-eight years. Although summoned repeatedly during this period, he did not take up the appointments. In 1225 he was a friend of Zhu Xiyan and Zhuge Tian.

During his retirement in his native community, he established a charity granary and a system of communal service, providing relief to more than ten thousand people. He also fixed the conversion rate for wheat payments and destroyed eighty-four illicit shrines.

After Lizong ascended the throne, he was appointed Jitian Director (籍田令; also recorded as 籍田司令), but repeatedly declined the post. The appointment was changed to 添差通判建康府, which he again declined; he was instead given the Zhi mi ge title and placed in charge of Xiandu Abbey. In the first year of Duanping he was promoted to 直寶謨閣; the temple appointment remained unchanged. Soon he was transferred to 太常丞 (also recorded as 太常寺丞) and then to 將作監少監. He was appointed 直敷文閣知寧國府 but did not take up the post; he was later advanced to 直顯謨閣 and placed in charge of 玉局觀. He also held the title 右奉直大夫.

He died in the third year of Jiaxi at the age of seventy-four and received the posthumous title Wenqing, also written 文淸.

Learning and works

He was described as having read every book. He wrote 《漫塘文集》 in thirty-six juan, including five juan of poetry, as well as 《語錄》 and 《京口耆舊傳》; 《漫塘文集》 and 《京口耆舊傳》 survive.

His poetry is based on the facsimile Wenyuange edition of the 《四庫全書》 and was collated against the Zhengde edition carved by Ren Dian, the Jiajing continuation carved by Wang Gao, and the thirty-second-year Wanli edition carved by Fan Lun; poems outside the collection are appended at the end.