Hu Guang · 全球本体聚合平台

Hu Guang (1369–1418; 1370 is also given) was a Ming-dynasty statesman, Confucian classicist, and calligrapher. His courtesy name was Guangda; he was second in birth order, used the sobriquets Hao’an and Huang’an, also written with variant characters, and was additionally known as Hu Jing, Hu Geng, and Jing; his posthumous name was Wenmu.

He was from Jishui, historically in Jishui Prefecture of Ji’an Circuit and in present-day Jishui County, Jiangxi.

Life

Hu Guang was the son of Hu Ziqi, a prefectural governor; his great-grandfather was Hu Dingheng and his grandfather Hu Migao. His mother was a member of the Wu clan, his elder brother was Hu Fangda, his wife was Xia, and his great-uncle was Hu Zizhen. His sons included Hu Tong, Hu Mu, and Hu Sui; recorded sons-in-law included Xie Zhenliang, Song Huaisun, and Chen Nian.

In 1399 he placed second in the Jiangxi provincial examination. In 1400 he went to the metropolitan examination at Jinling, ranked first in the palace examination, became the champion of the jiachen examination, and was appointed a Hanlin Academy compiler. His fellow townsman Wang Gen was the Jiangxi examination’s top candidate; although the examiners initially favored Wang Gen for first place, he was placed second because of his appearance, while Hu Guang’s essay contained the words “the imperial kinsmen are running rampant and people’s hearts are shaken,” leading the Jianwen Emperor to select Hu Guang first and bestow on him the name Jing.

When the Prince of Yan, Zhu Di, entered Ying天府, Wang Gen, Hu Jing, Jie Jin, and Wu Pu met together; Wang Gen later took his own life, while Hu Jing submitted to Zhu Di. After Zhu Di’s accession as the Chengzu Emperor, Hu Guang submitted as well: he was appointed lecturer, then reader, later became You Chunfang You Shuzi, and entered the inner cabinet. In Yongle 5 (1407) he became a Hanlin Academician and concurrently a Grand Academician of the Left Spring坊; in Yongle 9 (1411) he served as chief compiler, and in Yongle 14 (1416) entered the Grand Secretariat of Wenyuan Pavilion, also holding the corresponding office of the Right Spring坊 and serving as chief grand secretary.

Hu Guang accompanied Chengzu on two northern campaigns. Because of his calligraphy, whenever stones were engraved, he was ordered to write the inscriptions; on the second campaign, in Yongle 12 (1414), he and Yang Rong and Jin Youzi were ordered to teach the imperial grandson Zhu Zhanji the Classics and histories in the army.

When Chengzu held a Buddhist rite for prayers, Hu Guang presented the Shengxiao Ruiying Song, and the emperor composed a Buddhist song for palace performances. In Yongle 18 (1420), when the Ministry of Rites official Zhou Ne proposed a Fengshan sacrifice, Hu Guang presented the Que Fengshan Song in opposition, and the emperor abandoned the proposal. After returning from mourning his mother, Hu Guang told the emperor that although the people were living in peace, local officials were still pursuing alleged Jianwen-party offenses, extending the prosecutions through broad networks of relatives and causing popular suffering; Chengzu accepted his advice. He was discreet, did not repeat outside the court what he heard before the emperor, and was considered capable of maintaining the larger principles of affairs.

Scholarship and the arts

Hu Guang was known for classical learning, prose, poetry, and calligraphy. In Yongle 4 (1406), Chengzu assembled several dozen classicists and examination students engaged in book compilation before the palace to compose the White Elephant poem; Hu Guang ranked first. He was said to write prose immediately and in great volume, while his poetry pursued emotional expression and gave regulated verse the flavor of the High Tang; he excelled in regular, running, and cursive scripts, especially running-cursive calligraphy, and wrote many of the stone inscriptions made at the northern garrisons.

Works

His authored classical works include 《性理大全書》, 《書傳大全》 in ten juan, 《禮記大全》, 《周易大全》 in twenty-four juan, 《春秋大全》, 《詩經大全》 in twenty juan, 《大學章句大全》 with an accompanying 《或問》, 《中庸集注章句大全》 with an accompanying 《或問》, 《論語集注大全》 in twenty juan with an accompanying 《考異》, and 《孟子集注大全》 in fourteen juan with an accompanying 《考異》. His collected and miscellaneous writings included 《胡文穆集》 in twenty juan, 《胡文穆雜著》 in one juan, 《晃菴集》, and 《扈從集》; the collection also appears under the title 《晁菴扈從集》.

Associations and family

Hu Guang and Jie Jin were fellow townsmen, schoolmates, and colleagues. Chengzu arranged for Hu Guang’s unborn daughter to marry Jie Jin’s son, Jie Zhenliang; after Jie Jin died and Jie Zhenliang was exiled to Liaodong, Hu Guang considered ending the engagement, but his daughter cut her ear in protest and still married Jie Zhenliang after the Jie family was pardoned.

Huang Ding was Hu Guang’s disciple and Huang Zhongqi his student; Hu Guang recommended Qian Benzhong for reappointment to Jishui, wrote epitaphs for Chen Yayan, Peng Ruqi, Liao Qin, Liu Jidao, and Su Bohou, and prepared a biography, a spirit-way stele, and a calligraphic postscript for Wu Qin, Yang Yu, and Yang Rong respectively. He also wrote sacrificial texts for Jin Shan and Zou Ji, prefaces for Yang Yu and Jin Shan, and an inscription-poem for Yang Yu; He Qiaoxin also received a letter from him.

Later honors

Hu Guang died in Yongle 16 (1418), received the posthumous rank of Minister of Rites, and was given the posthumous name Wenmu; he was regarded as the beginning of posthumous names for Ming civil officials. When his coffin passed through Nanjing, the heir apparent Zhu Gaochi offered a sacrifice; the following year his son Hu Tong was appointed a Hanlin examiner. After the Hongxi Emperor succeeded to the throne, Hu Guang was additionally posthumously granted the rank of Junior Preceptor, but the Southern Ming Hongguang Emperor later revoked his posthumous name.