Xu Zonglu

Life

In 1517 he passed the dingchou jinshi examination, was selected as a Hanlin Academy shujishi, and ranked 194th in the third class; his Shaanxi provincial-examination placement is variously given as fourth and “132,” and he was also listed as a shengyuan.

In August 1519 he was appointed an investigating censor of the Yunnan Circuit; in 1522 he inspected Xuan and Da, and the following year became an educational qianshi in Huguang. In February 1527 he was promoted to deputy commissioner at Bazhou under the Shandong Surveillance Commission, transferred in October to be Huguang's educational deputy commissioner, and in August 1529 became a junior vice minister of the Court of Imperial Studs.

In February 1532 he became Left Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and in April Right Associate Censor-in-Chief, with responsibility for Baoding and other prefectures and oversight of Zijing and other passes; in June of the following year he retired under a 拾遺 proceeding. In frontier service he established a frontier headquarters and undertook many projects.

After Altan Khan besieged Beijing in 1550, Xu was recalled as Right Associate Censor-in-Chief, stationed at Changping to protect the imperial mausoleums; in October of the following year he was promoted to Right Vice Censor-in-Chief and appointed governor of Liaodong. In October 1552 the remonstrance official Zhu Bochen impeached him as infirm and unfit for office, and he was ordered to retire and return home.

His great-grandfather was Xu Ying (許瑛), his grandfather Xu Jie (許傑), and his father Xu Hong (許鋐); his mother was née Sun (孫氏). His younger brothers were Xu Zongzhao (許宗召) and Xu Zongyi (許宗伊). His first wife was Ma (馬氏) and his second wife Zhao (趙氏).

Literary and Calligraphic Work

After returning home, he built a thatched studio, accumulated books, hosted gatherings with wine and poetry, and amused himself by composing lyrics and songs in Jin and Yuan styles.

He and Huangfu Fang were connected by appreciation and esteem; Xu wrote a preface for a book by Huang Chen, while Qiao Shining composed Xu's tomb inscription.

Poetic criticism describes all his poetic forms as accomplished, combining grace and harmony with tragic force; he was also praised for expansive talent and for poetry capable of continuing the tonal traditions of the Tang. His calligraphy was particularly accomplished.

Works

His works included the collections 《少華集》, 《陵下集》, 《遼海集》, and 《歸田集》, totaling fifty-two volumes; he also had 《少華山人文集》 in fifteen volumes and a fifteen-volume continuation, 《少華山人文集續集》.