Zhu Changchun

Life

His record includes the statuses of shengyuan and a provincially recommended candidate; in the eleventh year of the Wanli reign (1583), he passed the jinshi examination, ranking ninety-ninth in the third class. Afterward, he served as magistrate of Weicheng, Changshu, and Yangxin; Xinyang appears as an alternative form of the place-name, and he entered the Ministry of Justice as a zhushi.

During the bing申 year of the Wanli reign (1596), he argued that Shi Xing's policy of making peace with Japan was a mistake, offending the Wanli emperor; an imperial order stripped him of his official status, after which he lived at home. After his dismissal, he took an interest in immortality practices and Buddhist learning. He practiced self-cultivation and bodily refinement, believing that he could become immortal and ascend to heaven; he piled up dozens of tables, climbed them as a ladder, imitated a bird in flight, and fell to the ground, suffering serious injuries.

Writings and literary circle

He had a literary reputation. His works include 《大復文集》 (also titled 《朱太復文集》, 52 juan), 《朱大復詩集》, and 《管子榷》. 《管子二十四卷》 also appears in the book list, but its relationship to Zhu's authorship is unspecified.

His literary circle included correspondence with Feng Mengzhen, Yu Chunxi, and Xing Tong. He wrote funeral texts for Pan Jixun and Ma Yundeng, a farewell inscription for Li Shida (a farewell poem and preface), presented poetry and prose to Mao Kun, and wrote a preface for Mao Guojin's poetry and prose.

Family

His family included his father, Zhu Yingyuan, his mother, Chen (陳氏), his grandfather, Zhu Shan, and his great-grandfather, Zhu Xun. His elder brother was Zhu Yanzong, his younger brother was Zhu Changming, and his wife was Lu (盧氏).