Wang Zhi

Life

His father, Wang Bozhen, passed the Mingjing examination during the Hongwu era and later served as prefect of Qiongzhou; his grandfather was 王子興, his elder brother 王行敏, his sons were 王䆅 and 王秱, and his great-grandson was 王思 (1481–1524). Wang Zhi grew up poor but studied diligently. In 1404, the second year of the Yongle era, he passed the jinshi examination fourth in the second degree, was selected as a shujishi, and studied at the Wenyuan Pavilion with twenty-eight others, including 曾棨 and 王英; impressed by his writing, the Yongle emperor summoned him into the Grand Secretariat and appointed him a Hanlin Academy xiuzhuan.

His early career included the Hanlin offices of shujishi, xiuzhuan, and shidu xueshi, as well as you shuzi and shao zhanshi; after the accession of the Renzong Emperor, he became shidu, then shidu xueshi and you shuzi, and early in the Xuande era was promoted to shao zhanshi. In the third year of Zhengtong (1438), he completed the Veritable Records of the Xuande Emperor, was promoted to vice minister of Rites while retaining his Hanlin academician post, took charge of the Ministry of Rites in the fifth year, and in the eighth year succeeded 郭璡 as Minister of Personnel, administering the civil appointment system for fourteen years.

His examination-service appointments included provincial examination official in Xuande 1 and 4, metropolitan examination official in Xuande 8, Zhengtong 1 and 4, and palace-examination reader in Zhengtong 10 and 13 and Jingtai 2 and 5.

In the eleventh year of Zhengtong, the Vice Minister of Revenue Nai Heng, an adherent of Wang Zhen, falsely accused Wang Zhi. Wang Zhi, together with the Vice Minister of Personnel Cao Yi and Zhao Xin, was imprisoned. After the Three Judicial Offices reviewed the case, Nai Heng was sentenced to death, while Wang Zhi and the others redeemed their sentences; Yingzong pardoned Wang Zhi and Cao Yi and penalized Nai Heng and Zhao Xin by withholding their stipends.

During Yingzong’s reign, Wang Zhi remonstrated against the northern expedition but was not heeded. After the Tumu Crisis, he urged Prince Cheng to take the throne and, considering himself inferior to Yu Qian, deferred to him in every matter. When the Jingtai Emperor proposed altering the heir, Wang Zhi signed only with reluctance and later regarded the decision as a regret. During Jingtai, he was made Grand Guardian of the Crown Prince and promoted to Shaofu and Grand Preceptor of the Crown Prince; after Yingzong’s restoration and the Duomen coup, he requested retirement. He died during Tianshun, was posthumously made Grand Guardian, and received the posthumous name Wenduan.

In literary affairs, Wang Zhi wrote prefaces for works by 楊榮 and 陳璉 and composed epitaphs for 周偉, 柴車, 鄧棨, and 羅亨信, among others.

Literary work and writings

During more than two decades in the Hanlin Academy, his work included classical learning, imperial composition, compilation, and annotation, and much of the court’s official writing came from his hand. He was ranked with Wang Ying, and contemporaries referred to them as the “Western Wang” and the “Eastern Wang.” His poetry and prose were judged elegant and orthodox, with a Song–Yuan legacy; their seemingly plain manner was warm and harmonious, and sought fitness to principle.

His writings include 《抑菴集》, given in different accounts as 40 or 42 juan; another title is 《王文端公文集》 in 40 juan.