Zhao Shanxiang

Life and career

His father was 趙不陋, and an elder of the same clan was 趙允讓. He had four sons: the eldest is named simply 趙, followed by 趙汝梓, 趙汝榗, and 趙汝楳.

He passed the jinshi examination in the second year of the Qingyuan era (1196) and was appointed assistant magistrate of Jintan; in the fifth year he became magistrate of Yuyao. In the first year of the Kaixi era (1205), he received an additional appointment as associate prefect of Wuzhou. In the first year of the Jiading era (1208), he administered Wuwei, concurrently serving as a Huainan transport circuit judge, a Huaisi judicial commissioner, and a transport-office judge on the Huainan circuit.

He subsequently served as prefect of Changzhou, Huzhou, Hezhou, Luzhou, and Zhenjiang Prefecture.

In 1219 he again administered Wuwei and headed the Huainan West circuit's regular-grain, tea, and salt administration; he also served as pacification commissioner of Huainan West.

His offices also included prefect of Shengzhou, Qingyuan Prefecture, and Shaoxing Prefecture, as well as prefect of Chengdu, pacification commissioner for Sichuan, and military commissioner in Jiangnan.

In the second year of the Baoqing era (1226), he became coastal defense commissioner, concurrently serving as prefect of Jiankang and pacification commissioner of Jiangdong; in the first year of the Shaoding era (1228), he concurrently became deputy transport commissioner of Jiangdong and was transferred to the Huai-Jiang pacification and military command.

During the Shaoding era, Li Quan invaded Huai East. As Huai-Jiang military commissioner, Zhao defeated Li Quan, repeatedly distinguished himself in suppressing the rebellion, was promoted to Minister of War, and was enfeoffed as Duke of Tianshui.

In the second year of the Jiaxi era (1238), he was appointed coastal defense commissioner and prefect of Qingyuan, then transferred to Shaoxing as prefect and pacification commissioner of Zhejiang East. Other titles in his career included 大宗正丞, 戶部郎中, 大理少卿, 端明殿學士, 資政殿大學士, and 觀文殿學士, along with rank titles such as 朝散郎, 通議大夫, 中奉大夫, and 銀青光祿大夫.

He retired with the title 觀文殿學士 and died in the second year of the Chunyou era (1242).

Military career and associations

When he commanded Huainan West, he recognized the ability of 劉虎, a subordinate who had begun in the military service, and kept him in his headquarters. During the disturbances caused by Li Quan in Huai-Chu, 徐霆 served on Zhao's military staff.

Sun Yingshi (孫應時) wrote a preface for one of Zhao's books and for a village rite he organized; buildings associated with Zhao also received inscriptions, commemorative essays, or names from Sun. 衛涇, 趙范, and 彭義斌 wrote to Zhao, and Zhao wrote a shrine record for 宗澤.

Works

Works associated with Zhao include 《中庸約說》, 《周易或問》, 《周易約說》, 《大學解》, 《孟子解》, 《洪範統論》, 《論語大義》, and 《詩詞雜著》; 《春秋三傳通義》 is also found as 《春秋三傳通議》.

《詩詞雜著》 comprised thirty-five juan and is lost; only one juan of 《洪範統一》 survives.