Wenzheng Mingxing Scroll and Yuncheng Zhixian Vincent

Text/Lu Ming

The Yuncheng Museum houses a scroll of calligraphy by Wen Zhengming, a famous calligrapher and painter of the Ming Dynasty. The connection between the Wen family and Yuncheng lies not only in this scroll, but also in the fact that Wen Zhengming's uncle Vincent was once yuncheng Zhixian. So, what is the situation of Wen Zhengming, Shu scrolls and Vincent?

Wen Zhengming, a native of Changzhou (present-day Suzhou, Jiangsu), was famous. He was a Ming Dynasty painter, calligrapher, and writer. Because the official to Hanlin to be edicted, so called "Wen to be zhao", its cultural attainment is extremely comprehensive, poetry, literature, books, paintings are all exquisite, known as the "four absolute" all-rounders. In the history of painting, Wen Zhengming, together with Shen Zhou, Tang Bohu and Qiu Ying, was collectively known as the "Four Houses of Ming" (The Four Houses of Wumen). In poetry, Wen Zhengming, together with Zhu Yunming, Tang Yin, and Xu Zhenqing, is called "the four talents of Wu Zhong."

The Works of Wenzheng Mingxing in the collection of the Yunzhou Museum are vertical scrolls and large in size, and are national second-class cultural relics. It is said that if there was not a defect in the word "every", it could have been designated as a national first-class cultural relic. The content of the scroll is a seven-law poem by Wen Zhengming himself, "Inner Straight Feeling":

In the heavenly building, Bai Yutang, the white head came to be the secretary Lang.

Retreat towards each flower branch, and look straight at the long distance.

Lingsuo Xiao was green and quiet, and the words were full of purple mud.

The wild man does not know Yingzhou Le, and the dream is still in his hometown.

This poem, Wen Zhengming has written more than once in other works, mostly with other poems written on the same page. Yun Cheng's painting is a poem written separately. The tail is only signed with the word "Zhengming", which is a poor money, and there is no such thing as the background of the year and month.

The experts of the insider knew that Wen Zhengming's scroll was in Yuncheng. The cultural people of Yuncheng are even more proud that the county has this famous artist's work. What most people don't necessarily know is that Wen Zhengming's uncle, Wen Sen, was once the Zhi County of Yuncheng.

Wen Sen, a scholar familiar with the history of Yuncheng, will generally notice that he was a famous official of the Ming Dynasty in Yuncheng. The most direct source of information is the record of Ming Chongzhen's "Yuncheng County Chronicle" and Qing Guangxu's "Yuncheng County Chronicle". The Chongzhen edition of the Yuncheng County Chronicle states, "Vincent, a native of Changzhou County, was appointed by Jinshi Hongzhi for five years. "So, how many years has Vincent worked in Yuncheng? After Vincent was Xu Rui. County Chronicle: "Xu Rui, directly subordinate to Yongnian County, was appointed by Jinshi Hongzhi for eight years. In other words, Vincent's tenure in Yuncheng was from the fifth year of Hongzhi to the eighth year of Hongzhi, which was about three years.

Vincent was not an ordinary county official, but a man with a strong political reputation. Guangxu's "Yuncheng County Chronicle" included him in the column of "Famous Eunuchs", which read: "Vincent, incorruptible and capable, Wei Hui parallel." Promotion of imperial history, there is sound. Shi zhi Nangan patrol, Yi people are still dezhi, the main affair Long Ni has "Go to Si Stele Record". The full text of Long Ni's "Yihou Wengong Go to Si Stele" is included in the two editions of Chongzhen and Guangxu", which recorded Vincent's political achievements in Yuncheng and expressed the full affirmation of the people of Yuncheng for this Zhi County. It can be seen that he is a shrewd and capable official, who suppresses and punishes adultery, reduces taxes, eliminates the unreasonable burdens of the people, expropriates and suppresses thieves, and manages river troubles, with remarkable results. He left Yuncheng because of his promotion. "Go to the Monument" remembers clearly: "Go here and be a royal history." Vincent's political achievements in Yuncheng are not only recorded in the history of Yuncheng, but also in his hometown of Wu County. The Republic of China's "Wu County Chronicle" contains: Vincent "returned from internal hardships and restored Yuncheng County." The county has a tokufu Zhuangtian, and the official school abuses the people. Sen once served in the superintendent's office to requisition the county, and the official school took it upon himself, and the people had no worries. Qingyun and Yun are both thieves. Sen, the militia, patrolled and arrested cao and raised its rewards, stole the territory, and there was no one who escaped. ”

Vincent pays attention to people's livelihood and sympathizes with people's feelings, which is consistent. Not only in Yuncheng, but also in other places. Before coming to Yuncheng, he was in Qingyun Renzhi County. According to the Chronicle of Wu County of the Republic of China, Vincent "became a jinshi, was granted Qingyunzhi County, and was given a drought in the years, and begged for free land rent." The household department plays with no caress and does not report. Loose again, add cuts to the words, and spares half of it. All servitude is spared by the people's hunger and struggle against the superiors. The situation is high and low, there is no canal weir, and the people regard the rain as old. In case of drought, wait for the hammer. Sen, the parishioners store water in the pond for drought. The people of every county in Cangzhou are suffering. Sen Yue: Although the county is subordinate to the prefecture, each has its own land, and the prefecture is Ande (worry) County. Minbai is in charge of the superintendent and dismisses it. ”

The situation after Vincent's promotion to imperial history is also recorded in the WuXian Chronicle, which is quoted here so that the reader can have a more comprehensive understanding of him: "Summoning the royal history." The officials of the Ministry of Shangshu are lacking, and the ministers have the opportunity to seek advancement, and Sen Shu discusses them, because he cites Liu Daxia and Zhou Jing, or thinks that it is inappropriate to say, and is imprisoned. The superior knows its straight, flogging and not asking. Zhengde Zhong, Reverse (Liu) Jin uses examples, Zhi Shi. Jin Jie (瑾诛), a former official, was promoted to the rank of Shaoqing of the Taibu Temple in Nanjing. Eleven years later, he was promoted to the rank of Right Governor of Yushi and inspector of Nangan..." It seems that Vincent was also a minister who dared to fight against eunuchs.

The most crucial link is how to see that Vincent is Wen Zhengming's uncle? This question is not difficult to answer, because we have enough information to prove it. The Ming Shi Wen Zheng Ming Biography clearly states: "Wen Zheng Ming, the people of Changzhou ... Don't call Hengshan. Father Lin, prefect of Wenzhou. Uncle Mori, right-hand man Yushi. The Republic of China's "WuXian Zhi Wenlin Biography" says: "Wenlin, the character Zongru, his first out of the lake Guangwuchang, Zu Hui's first parent Zhou, the father Hongzi Gongda." The Suzhou lineage table recorded in the "Suzhou Wen Clan Genealogy Sequel" published in the eighteenth year of the Republic of China shows that wenjia i was Wenhui and wenhong and Wenji ii. Wen Hong had three sons: Wen Lin, Wen Sen, and Wen Bin. Wen Lin had three sons: Wen Kui, Wen Zhengming, and Wen Shi as the fourth son.

To explain the kinship between Ming Wen Zhengming and Vincent does not mean that Wen Zhengming's scrolls were created in Yuncheng or brought by Vincent. This painting is related to Yuncheng, and there should be another way. However, if we broaden our thinking a little more and enlarge our boldness a little more, we can speculate that perhaps Wen Zhengming has come to Yuncheng, or perhaps he has also created calligraphy and painting works in Yuncheng.

According to some data, although Vincent and Wen Zhengming are uncles and nephews, their age difference is very small, and there are many places where they get along. Two relatives with similar relations and similar temperaments, the uncle was the chief official in Yuncheng, and the nephew came to Yuncheng to visit and stay for a few days, which was very easy, so the possibility that Wen Zhengming had come to Yuncheng was not ruled out.

Although history is far away, the figures left by the sages have long been transformed into the spiritual wealth of the Chinese nation. For Yuncheng, it is worth mentioning that Wen Zhengming's works from hundreds of years ago can exist, and that Wen Zhengming's uncle has been a zhi county in Yuncheng.