Fei Cai

Biography

His examination career included status as a provincial recommended candidate; he passed the jinshi examination in the sixth year of the Zhengde era (1511), ranking 65th in the second degree, and subsequently served as a shujishi, a Hanlin compiler, and a Classics Mat lecturer. Fei Hong stood in an agnatic-cousin relationship to him: one account identifies Fei Hong as his older cousin, while another calls Cai Fei Fei Hong’s younger cousin.

When the Prince of Ning, Zhu Chenhao, sought restoration of his guard, Cai Fei and Fei Hong argued strongly against it. He consequently offended powerful men, was dismissed and returned home, and was restored to office after the accession of the Jiajing emperor.

In the fourth year of Jiajing (1525), he served concurrently as a compiler and Left Assistant in the Left Spring Ward (左春坊左贊善). In 1527 he was appointed Intendant of the Nanjing Office of Seals (南京尚寶司卿); two years later he returned as Right Vice Director of the Right Spring Ward (右春坊右庶子), concurrently serving as a Hanlin reader (翰林院侍講).

In 1533 he became Nanjing Right Vice Commissioner of the Tongzhengsi (南京通政使司右通政), and the following year he became Nanjing Director of the Imperial Academy (南京國子監祭酒). In 1535 he became Nanjing vice minister of rites (南京禮部右侍郎), transferring the following year to Nanjing vice minister of personnel (南京吏部右侍郎).

In 1541 he returned to Beijing as left vice minister of war, and the following year transferred to left vice minister of rites, concurrently becoming a Hanlin academician and taking charge of the Hanlin Academy. In 1544 he was promoted to Minister of Rites, took charge of the Directorate of the Heir Apparent (掌詹事府事), and served as a reader at the palace examinations. In 1545 he received the title Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent (太子少保); in 1547 he received the title Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent (太子太保) and served as chief examiner (知貢舉官), and in the eighth month of the following year he was additionally made Shaobao (少保).

He died in office on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month of 1548, aged sixty-six, and received the posthumous name Wentong.

Writings and literary activities

His writings are listed under two titles, Fei Wentong’s Collected Works (《費文通集》) and the Zhongshi Collection (《鍾石集》).

His literary exchanges included prefaces for books by Lu Shen (陸深) and Liu Xiao (劉校), and epitaphs for Zhang Bangqi (張邦奇) and many others. He wrote a sacrificial text for Fei Hong (費宏), a biography for Zhang Mao (章懋), and such works as a spirit-way stele, a tomb inscription, and an account of conduct. He also wrote presentation poems and prose and farewell pieces for others.

He composed inscriptions, commemorative records, and names for buildings associated with Gao Zhuo (高擢), wrote a preface to Yin Xiang’s (尹襄) poetry and prose, and wrote shrine records for Fei Xuan (費瑄) and Zhan Han (詹瀚).