Hu surname (82) | Muyang Hu Clan: Wu Cheng'en, author of Journey to the West, praised the Hu Lian family as "the first famous door in Changhuai"

Huang Yong/Wen

Hu (81) | Muyang Hu clan: Hu Lian, a descendant of Hu Gang, a great filial son of the early Ming Dynasty, transformed Western firearms into divine cannons

Everyone knows that the author of "Journey to the West" is Wu Cheng'en, but few people know that Hu Lian and Wu Cheng'en are related by marriage. The younger sister of Hu Lian's daughter-in-law Niu Shi was Wu Cheng'en's wife. Wu Cheng'en once worshiped Hu Lian as a teacher and honored Hu Lian as "Nanjin Weng".

Statue of Wu Cheng'en (file photo)

Hu Lian immersed himself in the study of the history of the scriptures, taught students and apprentices, and also studied the history of the country

In the 18th year of Jiajing (1539), Hu Lian retired. Feng Zheng Dafu, Jing Zheng Lecturer, and Hanlin Academy reviser Lü Wei wrote "Hu Gong Zhi Zheng Huan Shu Shu", which recorded Hu Lian's merits and gave an objective and fair evaluation.

Shortly after returning home, Hu Lian's family moved to Pingqiao Town, Shanyang County, Huai'an Province (present-day Pingqiao Town, Huai'an District, Huai'an City, Jiangsu Province).

Hu Lian immersed himself in the study of the history of the classics, taught apprentices, and also studied the history of the country, and wrote the "Nanjin Poetry Collection".

Erudite and versatile, proficient in scripture and history, and bold, Hu Lian was a pioneer in China's early study and improvement of advanced Western weapons.

Hu Lian had four sons: Hu Xiaocai, Hu Xiaozhong, Hu Xiaomo, and Hu Xiaoyi.

Among them, Hu Yingjia, the son of Hu Xiaocai and Hu Xiaozhong, was born as a jinshi, hu xiaozhong and Hu Xiaocai's son Hu Yingzheng was a juren, plus Hu Lian, the grandson of The Hu clan, 3 generations of one door and three jinshi, two people, became a famous local noble family, Wu Cheng'en praised Hu Lian's family as "the first of the famous gates of Changhuai".

Hu Xiaocai, the eldest son of Hu Lian: He has a straight personality and dares to speak

Hu Xiaocai (胡效才), courtesy name Ruyuan (字汝園), was a Zhongjinshi (進士) in the 12th year of Zhengde (1517) and successively served as the prefect of Henan Province and the prefect of Zhending Province, and was honored as the Zhongxian Dafu.

Hu Xiaocai has a straight personality and dares to speak. The advisors Shi Dao and Yan Hong were convicted of advising the emperor, and Hu Xiaocai, regardless of his personal safety, stepped forward and vigorously defended them.

During the years of Zhengde and Jiajing, eunuchs were in charge and corrupted the imperial program, and the ministers dared to be angry and did not dare to speak. Hu Xiaocai did not care about these things, and impeached the eunuchs and denounced the evils of the eunuchs interfering in government affairs, and the government and the public were amazed by them.

Hu Xiaocai's son Hu Yingzheng (胡應征), Jiajing 24 years (1545) in the examination of the people, "ju jing kui" (the first name of the people is Xie Yuan, the first 5 are collectively known as ju jing kui).

Hu Xiaocai's grandson Hu Yibing has a biography in the Chronicle of Huai'an Province

Hu Yingzheng's son, Hu Xiaocai's grandson Hu Yibing, has a biography in the Qianlong edition of the Qing Dynasty's "Chronicle of Huai'an Province".

According to the Chronicle of Huai'an Province, Hu Yibing died when he was still in his infancy. From this, it can be inferred that Hu Yingzheng should have died before he could go to the examination to enter the examination.

After Hu Yibing was a little older, he understood things and learned that his parents were buried hastily after their deaths, so he re-chose a place to bury his parents and kept filial piety for his parents for 3 years. ”

During Hu Yibing's filial piety, two cranes flew to accompany him. Everyone said that it was Hu Yibing's filial piety that touched the heavens, so two cranes were sent to accompany him.

Hu Yibing also read books, was admitted to Xiucai, and has never gone to win fame since then, and his more deeds are to do charity.

After his uncle died, he left behind a young daughter. Hu Yibing raised his niece to adulthood, and soon after her marriage, she was widowed and did not have children.

Hu Yibing took his niece home to continue to provide for her, did not let her niece remarry, and kept her niece's chastity.

This seems to be very unworthy of promotion now, but at that time it was a virtue, and we cannot judge the right and wrong of ancient times with modern concepts.

Hu Yibing also had a cousin, Lu Shi, whose husband died early and did not give birth to a son, and Hu Yibing also provided for Lu Shi for 20 years. After Lu's death, Hu Yibinghou buried Hu.

Hu Yibing wanted to marry a concubine and spent a lot of money to buy a woman named Wu. After Wu arrived home, Hu Yibing inquired and learned that Hu was an orphan. Hu Yibing sent Wu back and did not ask for the dowry.

Hu Yibing later moved to Huaiyin County, Huai'an Province (present-day Huaiyin District, Huai'an, Jiangsu).

【Next issue concern】

See the surname Hu (83).

【Special Thanks】

Mr. Hu Chuanhuai, an expert in literature and history of Pengxi County, Sichuan.

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