Wang Mai

Life

He passed the jinshi examination and was versed in the Classics, with particular command of the Book of Songs. After passing, he awaited appointment as county lieutenant of Yiyang; his offices also included 殿中省尚舍奉御 and 司農寺少卿; from 1245 to 1247 he served as administrator of Shaowu Military Prefecture. In a memorial prompted by currency and current affairs, he sharply argued against the reported restoration of Shi Songzhi.

Students built him a residence on Longmen Mountain and served him as their teacher. The commandery governor Zhao Ruteng and He Ji praised and recommended him to the court, but he died before arriving.

Scholarship and Associations

Wang Mai studied under Lin Pan and held Lin Mengheng in particular esteem for his mastery of astronomy, geography, and the writings of the various philosophical schools. His friends included Fang Shenquan, Fang Fei, and You Bin; he and Jiang Youqiu were fellow degree-holders and especially close. He was also a friend of Liu Kezhuang.

Wang Mai wrote postscripts and sacrificial texts for Liu Kezhuang, while Liu Kezhuang wrote Wang Mai’s epitaph.

Works and Writings

A work titled 臞軒集 is associated with him. It includes the postface 《真西山集後序》 and 《泉守真公申請宗子給俸記》, both connected with Zhen Dexiu. He annotated Xu Shudu’s 《江東十論》, a work that traced the causes of the divisions and reunifications of the Three Kingdoms and the Six Dynasties.

He also wrote prefaces for works by Zhen Dexiu and Cheng Gongxu, postscripts for works associated with Zhao Ruyu, Zhao Xiong, Fang Shenquan, and Lin Songqing, and a biography of Zhen Dexiu. His writings include epitaphs, sacrificial texts, shrine records, academy records, and inscriptions or commemorative writings for buildings.