Chen Fuliang

Life

Renowned for his writing, Chen studied under Zheng Boxiong and Xue Jixuan in his early years and became a leading figure of Yongjia learning. He was also a friend of Zhang Shi and Lü Zuqian.

In the eighth year of the Qiandao era (1172), he passed the jinshi examination in the first division, was appointed professor at Taizhou, and was specially selected as registrar of the National University. He later served as assistant prefect of Fuzhou, was dismissed after a remonstrance, and five years later became prefect of Guiyang Commandery.

During the reign of Emperor Guangzong, he successively served as intendant of the Hunan Regularization of Tea and Salt, transport commissioner, and inspector of judicial affairs in western Zhejiang; after appearing at court, he was retained as Vice Director of the Ministry of Personnel.

In the third year of Shaoxi (1192), he became Vice Director of the Palace Library, concurrently serving as a compiler in the Veritable Records Office, Reader in the Jia Prince's household, and Qiju Sheren; in the fourth year (1193), he concurrently served as acting Secretariat Drafter. After submitting a memorial urging mediation between the two palaces, he resigned when the proposal was not accepted and returned home.

After Emperor Ningzong's accession, he was summoned as Secretariat Drafter, concurrently serving as Reader (also rendered Lecturer), Director of the Academy, and co-editor of the Veritable Records. He soon fell out with Han Tuozhou, was assigned to the Jiangzhou Taiping Xingguo Palace, and was later dismissed after a remonstrance.

In the second year of Qingyuan (1196), he was stripped of rank and dismissed from palace service. He withdrew from public life and named his residence Zhizhai. In the second year of Jiatai, he was restored to office, appointed prefect of Quanzhou, declined because of illness, and was granted the title of Jiying Hall editor before being advanced to Bao Mo Ge Daizhi on retirement.

He died at home in the third year of Jiatai. His age is given as either sixty-seven or sixty-nine, and his posthumous name was Wenjie.

Family

His father was Chen Bin, his father-in-law Zhang Xiaokai, and his clan uncle Chen Fu. His wife was Zhang Youzhao (1146–1195), his agnatic cousin Chen Qian (1144–1216), his sons Chen Shizhe and Chen Shipu, and his clan brother Chen Wu. His sons-in-law were Pan Zishun, Xue Shiyong, Lin Ziyan, Xu Chong, Zhang Shao, and Zhang Chou.

Intellectual thought

His learning extended from the Three Dynasties through the Qin and Han and later periods, which he studied without restriction; in court audiences he argued forcefully that conserving the people's resources should be the foundation of government.

Works

His bibliography includes 《詩解詁》, 《詩訓義》, 《周禮說》, 《周禮進說》, 《春秋後傳》, 《左氏章指》, 《歷代兵制》, 《皇朝大事記》, 《建隆編》, 《永嘉先生八面鋒》, 《止齋論祖》, and 《止齋文集》.

Other titles include 《止齋先生春秋後傳》, 《止齋先生文集》, 《止齋集》, 《止齋題跋》, 《止齋集補鈔》, 《讀書譜》, 《西漢史鈔》, 《孝宗聖政》, and 《皇朝百官公卿拜罷譜》; the bibliographic lists also contain both 《左氏章指》 and 《左氏章旨》, and both 《永嘉先生八面鋒》 and 《永嘉八面鋒》.

《春秋後傳》 survives in a twelve-volume form, while 《止齋先生文集》 has fifty-two volumes; 《春秋後傳》, 《歷代兵制》, 《永嘉先生八面鋒》, 《止齋論祖》, and 《止齋文集》 are identified as extant.