Zhang Shi

Life and career

Born in Mianzhu in Han Prefecture, present-day Mianzhu, Sichuan, he later moved to Hengyang; he is also described as being of Mianzhu ancestry and residing in Changsha. He was the son of Zhang Jun (張浚) and the son-in-law of Yuwen Shishen (宇文師申). The kinship entries identify Zhang Zhuo (張焯) as his only son, Hu Dashi (胡大時) as a son-in-law, Zhang Zhongshu (張忠恕) and Zhang Xun (張勳) as nephews, Zhang Qia (張洽) as a grandson, and Zhang Tang (張鏜) and Zhang Dang (張唐) as later-line descendants. From youth he studied under Hu Hong and took the ancient sages as his ideal; he was a friend of Zhu Xi and Lü Zuqian, and also had a friendship with Yang Wanli.

His entry into office is described as an appointment through hereditary privilege, or yin, to Chengwulang; a separate broad entry lists a jinshi qualification but gives no rank. He entered Zhang Jun’s pacification headquarters as a writer of confidential military documents and was appointed to Zhibi ge; one chronology dates this service to 1162, while another places it in the first year of Longxing, and he sometimes presented military affairs to Emperor Xiaozong, who came to value him highly. In 1164, when Tang Situi dominated policy and advocated peace, Zhang Shi was dismissed along with his father. After completing mourning, he lectured at the Chengnan and Yuelu academies; in the early Qiandao era he also headed the Yuelu Academy.

In 1167, Liu Gong recommended him as governor of Yanzhou; another account says that he first governed Fuzhou and then moved to Yanzhou. In 1168 he was summoned as an official of the Ministry of Personnel, concurrently held the provisional post of Qiju lang—with Shili guan also associated with the appointment—then became an expositor and was promoted to Left Secretary. He later rose to Vice Minister of Personnel. In his memorials he advocated cultivating virtue and establishing government, employing the worthy and nurturing the people, and selecting and training commanders so as to advance in attack and withdraw in defense.

He later governed Yuanzhou, left office because of an incident, and spent several years at home teaching students; this appointment is dated to 1169 in one chronology and to 1172–1173 in another. Other recorded appointments include governor of Muzhou in 1169–1170, Chengwulang, You Chengwulang, Military Judge in Qinzhou, Assistant Instructor in the Law School of the Guangnan West Circuit, Qingche duwei, Transport Commissioner and Deputy Transport Commissioner, and Pacification Commissioner for Jinghu North and Jingnan. In 1174 he became governor of Jingjiang Prefecture and was placed in charge of the Guangnan West Circuit Pacification and Military Commission; his administration was praised, the local tribal peoples were pleased, and he was advanced to Chengshilang, Zhibaowen ge, and then Mige xiuzhuan.

In 1178 he became deputy transport commissioner of Jinghu North, then governor of Jiangling and Pacification Commissioner of Jinghu North; he treated the commanders with courtesy and won their goodwill. After seeking retirement, he served as Youwendian xiuzhuan and was placed in charge of the Chongyou Abbey on Mount Wuyi. He died in the second month of the seventh year of Chunxi, 1180, at the age of forty-eight; he was posthumously awarded the name Xuan during the Jiading era and was enshrined in the Confucian temple during the Chunyou era.

Scholarship and teaching

Zhang Shi was a leading figure of the Huxiang school of Southern Song learning, was known together with Zhu Xi and Lü Zuqian as the “Three Worthies of the Southeast,” and was regarded with Zhu Xi as a master of the learning of the Way. He was described as open and clear in character, with an inner and outer self in accord; his learning placed particular weight on the distinction between righteousness and profit, and students addressed him as Master Nanxuan.

Works and legacy

His works include 《南軒易說》, 《論語解》, and 《孟子說》; the titles 《南軒先生論語解》, 《南軒先生孟子說》, and 《孟子詳說》 are also found, with 《論語解》 in ten juan and 《孟子說》 in seven juan surviving. Other titles include 《癸巳論語解》 or 《癸已論語解》, 《癸已孟子說》, and 《伊川粹言》, with variant forms in the titles. His collected writings are known as 《南軒集》, 《南軒先生文集》, and 《張南軒先生文集》; 《南軒先生文集》 comprises forty-four juan, including seven juan of poetry. He also wrote 《漢丞相諸葛忠武侯傳》 in one juan, also found under the title 《韓丞相諸葛忠武侯列傳》, as well as 《經世紀年》 in two juan and 《通鑑論篤》 in four juan.

He wrote 《黃鶴樓說》, discussing legends about the Yellow Crane Tower and the origin of its name, and argued that the tower was named after the mountain; he is also associated with the view that Jianghan Pavilion, between Nanlou and She Hill, was built during the Shaoxing era.