Zhang Yining (1301–1370) was an official and scholar of the late Yuan and early Ming. His style name was Zhidao, and he was known as Cuiping Xiansheng; he was from Gutian in Fujian and had Gushi as his ancestral home. He was also called Xiaozhang Xueshi (“Little Zhang Academician”) and used the sobriquet Cuipingshanren.
Life
His father was Zhang Yiqing, and his grandfather was Zhang Mu. A tradition relates that at age eight he composed the poem 《琴堂》 and secured his paternal uncle’s release from prison.
In the fourth year of the Taiding era (1327), he passed the jinshi examination through the Spring and Autumn category. He first served as judge of Huangyan Prefecture and then as magistrate of Liuhe, also styled Liuhe county magistrate; dismissed for an offense, he remained in Jianghuai for ten years. Under the Yuan Shundi emperor, he served as assistant instructor at the Directorate of the Imperial Academy, later becoming an Academician Reader-in-Attendance in the Hanlin Academy and a drafter of imperial edicts.
After Ming forces captured the Yuan capital, he was reappointed Academician Lecturer-in-Attendance. He was sent as an envoy to Annam; accounts place the mission either in the autumn of Hongwu 2 (1369) or in Hongwu 3, and he died on the return journey. His death is generally dated to 1370, though another account places it in Hongwu 4; tradition also says that an imperial poem was composed to see him off on his mission to Annam.
Scholarship and literature
He was renowned for erudition and a strong memory, excelled in classical learning, and was especially accomplished in the Spring and Autumn.
Later poetic criticism regarded him as a representative of the Min school of early Ming poetry and ranked him with Gao Qidi and Liu Zigao among the leading writers of seven-character long poems. His qigu, or seven-character old-style verse, was praised for vigorous strength and expansive talent, for drawing on Duling and ranging between Yishan and Daoyuan.
Works
His works include the Cuiping Collection (《翠屏集》), also found under the title Cuiping gao (《翠屏稿》), which contains ci lyrics. His classical studies include Chunwang Zhengyue kao (《春王正月考》), also titled Chunqiu Chunwang Zhengyue kao (《春秋春王正月考》), and Bianyi (《辨疑》), one juan. Other titles are Huainan gao (《淮南稿》), Nan gui ji xing (《南歸紀行》), and An nan ji xing ji (《安南紀行集》).
Teachers and literary circle
Han Guyi was his teacher, and Shi Guangji his disciple. His literary associations included prefaces involving Song Lian, Liu Sanwu, and Nai Xian, as well as poetic exchanges with Zhu Xianwen, Li Ji, and Lian Huishanhaiya; he also wrote the epitaph 《學海陳君墓誌銘》 for Chen Jing and postscripts to works of calligraphy and painting by Ma Wan, Zhang Shunzi, and Bian Lu.
References
- CBDB Zhang Yining (28377)
- 搜韵 張以寧 (41282)
- Wikidata Zhang Yining (Q11066467)