Sun Sheng

Life

His great-grandfather was Sun Menghong, his grandfather Sun Xin, his father Sun Sui, and his mother Lady Yang; he was Sun Sui’s youngest son.

His elder brothers were Sun Kan (孫堪), Sun Chi (孫墀), Sun Ji (孫吉), Sun Xi (孫喜), Sun Ji (孫基), Sun Zhu (孫翥), Sun Ben (孫坌), Sun Tang (孫塘), Sun Li (孫里), and Sun Yao (孫垚), and his younger brothers were Sun Fang (孫坊), Sun Jia (孫佳), and Sun Jun (孫埈).

His wife was identified as Lady Han, and his second wife as Yang Wenli; his sons were Sun Long (孫鑨), Sun Ting (孫鋌), Sun Kuang (孫鑛), and Sun Zeng (孫錝), while Sun Rufa (孫如法) was his grandson.

His examination record lists him as a licentiate (shengyuan), with a recorded rank of 72, and as a provincial recommended candidate (xiangong juren), with a recorded rank of 294. In 1535, the fourteenth year of the Jiajing reign, he passed the jinshi examination as second in the first class, that is, bangyan; the top candidate that year, Han Yinglong, was his fellow townsman from Yuyao.

Appointed a Hanlin Academy compiler, he took part in revising the Da Ming Huidian. He subsequently served as Right Zhongyun, Director of the Imperial Academy (Guozijian jijiu), Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and Left and Right Vice Ministers of the Ministry of Rites, eventually becoming Minister of Rites in Nanjing.

As Director of the Imperial Academy, he personally formulated its regulations and undertook the role of a teacher.

Although he was a disciple of Yan Song, he did not attach himself to Yan’s faction; he requested appointment as Minister of Rites in Nanjing in order to distance himself from Yan Song. His father, Sun Sui, died in 1519 during the calamity involving Prince Ning, Zhu Chenhao; thereafter Sun Sheng never wrote the character “ning” (寧) and never composed birthday congratulatory texts for others.

As an official, he was described as incorruptible, upright and uncompromising, and strict in opposing extravagance.

Writings and associations

Sun Sheng was a literary writer. In his later years he focused on phonology and musical patterns, devoting himself to rhapsody, poetry, and the performing arts; he also had a collected works.

He wrote a preface for He Liangjun and an epitaph and sacrificial text for Xu Jie.

His other commemorative writings included epitaphs for Wang Jin (王金), Ji Huan (及宦), Wu Jiazong (吳嘉聰), Yue Lun (岳倫), Sun Bojian (孫伯堅), Liu Mu (劉幕), Luo Wensheng (駱文盛), and Han Lian (韓廉); he wrote a spirit-way stele for Zheng Shen (鄭紳) and a biographical account for Ji Ben (季本).

Jiang Bao received a congratulatory text from him; he exchanged letters with Xue Yingqi (薛應旂), Fang Hongjing (方弘靜), Wang Weizhen (王維楨), and He Liangjun, while Ma Ziqiang (馬自强) and He Dongxu (何東序) received poems and prose from him.

Posthumous honors

After his death, he was posthumously granted Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent; another form gives Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent. His posthumous name was Wenke.