Lin Han

Life

Lin Han passed the metropolitan examination in the second year of Chenghua (1466), in the bingxu session, placing third in the second class. He entered the Hanlin Academy as a shuji shi, then served as Compiler, Xiu zhuan, and Left Expositor in the Left Spring Office of the Directorate of the Heir Apparent. Early in Hongzhi, he was summoned to help compile the Veritable Records of Emperor Xianzong, served as a lecturer in the Classics Mat, and acted as an examiner for provincial examinations; between 1490 and 1499 he was Director of the Imperial College, and from 1496 to 1499 Vice Minister of Rites.

In the twelfth year of Hongzhi (1499) he successively held the posts of Right and Left Vice Minister of Personnel; in 1500 he became Minister of Personnel in Nanjing. After submitting a memorial that displeased the throne, he requested dismissal, but the Hongzhi Emperor did not approve.

Political career

During Zhengde he held a post in the Nanjing Ministry of War, with the title given variously as Vice Minister and Minister; in the first year of Zhengde (1506), recommended by Qiu Jun and Shi Jie, he was appointed Minister of War in Nanjing and assistant in handling military affairs. While serving there, he submitted twelve proposals on current affairs; many were blocked because his wording touched the emperor’s favorites. After disagreements with the eunuch commander and his curbing of eunuchs who carried tribute through Nanjing, Liu Jin came to resent him, and he was demoted to a provincial administration post in Zhejiang before retiring to his native place.

He was then falsely accused of belonging to a clique. After Liu Jin was executed, he was restored to office and again served as Minister of War in Nanjing in 1510, retiring once more soon afterward. He died in the ninth month of the fourteenth year of Zhengde (1519), was posthumously made Grand Protector of the Heir Apparent, and received the posthumous name Wen’an.

Family and connections

His father is variously given as Lin Liu (林鏐) and Lin Yuanmei (林元美). His great-grandfather was Lin Jun (林俊), his grandfather Lin Guan (林觀), his mother Zheng, his elder brother 林濬, his younger brothers 林濲, 林淮, and 林渭, and his wife Huang. He had a son, Lin Tingji (1506–1581), and a grandson, 林焬.

His literary and social connections included letters from Lin Jun, Cheng Minzheng, Zhang Mao, and He Qin, replies from Lin Jun, and gift poems or prose from Wang Ao and Yang Shouzhi. He wrote epitaphs for Huang Qian, Xu Tiansi, Qi Zhang, and Xie Shou, a sacrificial text for Peng Hua, and a spirit-way stele for Zhu Kui.

Character and works

He was described as modest and generous, and as uncompromising in his self-discipline. His works include 《文安公集》 and 《泉山集》, as well as 《奏議（林瀚）》, 《林瀚集》 in twenty-five juan, 《泉山詩文》, 《泉山集》 in twenty-five juan, 《經筵講章》, and 《通鑑綱目續編》.