Su Song

Life

His grandfather was Su Zhongchang, and his paternal uncle was Su Jian. He passed the jinshi examination in the second year of the Qingli era (1042), was appointed 宿州觀察推官, and later served as 知江寧縣 and 南京留守推官.

In the fifth year of the Huangyou era (1053), he was summoned for an examination, appointed 館閣校勘, and made 同知太常禮院. In the fourth year of the Jiayou era (1059), he became 集賢校理, served as a compiler of library books, and in the sixth year went out as governor of Yingzhou.

In the second year of Zhiping (1065), he became a judge in the Three Offices’ finance directorate, and in the fourth year was sent out as transport commissioner for Huainan; in the first year of Xining (1068), he was promoted to 知制誥 and later served in 知通進銀臺司 and 知審刑院. In the second year of Xining, because he memorialized that Li Ding’s appointment violated proper procedure, he lost his post as 知制誥 and was sent out as governor of Wuzhou, later transferring to Bozhou; in the seventh year, he was appointed 秘書監 and 知銀臺司, and soon served as governor of Yingtian and Hangzhou.

At the beginning of Yuanfeng (1078), Su Song became acting governor of Kaifeng, was demoted to Haozhou for his handling of a judicial case, transferred to Cangzhou, and later recalled to preside over the Ministry of Personnel. At the beginning of Yuanyou (1086), he presided over the Ministry of Personnel and served as a compiler in the Veritable Records Office and as an imperial reader; in its fourth year he became a Hanlin Academician and was appointed 左丞, and in its seventh year was made 右僕射兼中書侍郎.

As chief councillor, he sought to make all officials observe the law and perform their duties, appointing them according to their abilities. In the eighth year of Yuanyou, he was removed to the posts of 觀文殿大學士 and 集禧觀使, and sent out as governor of Yangzhou, later moving to Henan; in the fourth year of Shaosheng (1097), he retired as tutor to the heir apparent.

Su Song was on good terms with Cui Tangchen and Lü Jun, and joined Pu Zongmeng in recommending Yang Xiaoben, who had lived in seclusion at Tongtian Cliff west of the city for twenty years. Fu Bi called him an “ancient gentleman” and, together with Han Qi, commended his self-effacing conduct.

He died in the first year of Jianzhong Jingguo (1101), in the fifth month, at the age of eighty-two; he was posthumously awarded the titles Sikong and Duke of Wei, and received the posthumous name Zhengjian during the Southern Song under Emperor Lizong.

Scholarship and writings

Deeply learned in lüli, Su Song was appointed in the early Yuanyou period to supervise the development of a new armillary instrument, presided over the construction of a water-powered astronomical instrument platform, and wrote 《新儀象法要》; he is regarded as one of the outstanding scientists of the Song period. He also collated 《神農本草》 and several other medical works.

He was commissioned to compile 《魯衛信錄》. The work is also titled 《華戎魯衛信錄》; its length is given as either two hundred or two hundred and fifty juan.

His prose was refined and well formed. His collected works, 《蘇魏公文集》, also called 《蘇魏公集》, comprised seventy-two juan, including fourteen juan of poetry; his son compiled the collection in the ninth year of the Shaoxing era (1139), and it continued to circulate. Other titles associated with him include 《本草圖經》, 《注本草》, 《魏公題跋》 in one juan, 《邇英要覽》 in twenty juan, and 《元祐編敕》 in twelve juan.