Ying Dayou

Life

Early in life he was a prefectural school student and an Imperial College student, and he passed the provincial examination before becoming a jinshi in the ninth year of the Zhengde era (1514), ranking 112th in the second class. He was appointed secretary of the Nanjing Ministry of Justice, and counted Wang Ji (王激) and Xu Xiangqing (許相卿) among the friends of his examination year.

In 1519, after the rebellion of Zhu Chenhao (朱宸濠) was suppressed, he was promoted for his merit to a secretaryship in the Bureau of Operations of the Ministry of War. He then entered the Ministry of Personnel: when the post of secretary in the Bureau of Selection fell vacant, Qiao Yu (喬宇) overrode objections to recommend him for the appointment. He went on to serve as a vice director in the bureaus of Selection, Investiture, Records and Merit Rating, rising to director of the Bureau of Records.

In 1527, the sixth year of Jiajing, he was appointed right counsellor in the Guangdong provincial administration commission, and was subsequently transferred to Jiangxi. He soon resigned on the ground of his mother's old age, and while living at home he lectured together with Jin Benheng (金賁亨).

In 1544 he was promoted to right provincial administrator of Yunnan, and before long he was transferred to be left provincial administrator of Guangdong. He subsequently rose through the posts of assistant censor-in-chief and vice censor-in-chief, serving as grand coordinator of Yunnan, Sichuan and Shandong, and as right vice minister of the Ministry of Personnel. In 1550, when Altan Khan invaded, he took part in the defence.

In the eleventh month of 1552 he was appointed minister of justice. While Yan Song dominated the government, Sun Hui (孫繪), a director in the Ministry of Revenue, was slandered and thrown into prison; Ying Dayou did his utmost to save him, and was himself framed by Yan Song and his son. In 1561, the fortieth year of Jiajing, he retired and returned home.

After his retirement the Longqing and Wanli emperors both sent edicts inquiring after him, and he was commonly known as "Minister Ying" (應尚書). He died on the sixth day of the ninth month of 1581, at the age of ninety-five.

Character and writings

He was an incorrupt official who refused gifts and rejected intercession; when a scholar showed the least merit he was quick to praise him; his household had no surplus wealth, yet he took pleasure in giving relief. In his later years he taught students, devoted himself especially to the study of the Book of Changes, and wrote the Zhouyi Zhuanyi Cunyi (《周易傳義存疑》) in one juan. He wrote a funerary record (行狀) for Yan Shitai (嚴時泰); after his death, Lu Kejiao (陸可教) composed a sacrificial address for him.

Family

His father was Ying Kuang (應匡) and his maternal grandfather Wang Cunzhong (王存忠). He had an elder brother, Ying Dajing (應大經), a younger brother, Ying Dagui (應大桂), and a cousin, Ying Shi (應實). His sons were Cunzhu (存初), Cunxing (存性), Cunsu (存素), Cunzhuo (存卓) and Cunzheng (存徵); his grandsons Ruhua (汝化), Chaoqing (朝卿), Shigong (世功), Shike (世科) and Yanqing (彥卿); and his great-grandson Changze (昌襗).