[1]Name and datesZhai Luan was a Ming dynasty official, born in 1477 and dead in 1546.
CBDBZhai Luan (68136)CBDB records Zhai Luan as a Ming man, born in 1477 and dying in 1546.
Souyun翟鑾 (50746)The Zhongguo lidai renming da cidian and the Wikipedia material both give Zhai Luan as a Ming man, born in 1477 and dead in 1546.
WikidataZhai Luan (Q15907840)Wikidata gives his Chinese label as 翟鑾, dates of birth and death as 1477 and 1546, and classifies him as a politician (Q82955).
[2]Courtesy and art namesZhai Luan's courtesy name was Zhongming, also written Zhongming, and his art name was Shimen.
CBDBZhai Luan (68136)CBDB records his courtesy name in two forms, 仲鳴 and 仲明, and his art name 石門.
Souyun翟鑾 (50746)The Zhongguo lidai renming da cidian gives his courtesy name as 仲鳴; the Wikipedia material likewise writes 仲鳴 and gives his art name as 石門.
WikidataZhai Luan (Q15907840)Wikidata lists both 仲鳴 and 仲明 as courtesy names and 石門 as art name.
[3]Registration and native placeZhai Luan was registered under the Embroidered Uniform Guard and was a native of Zhucheng County, Qingzhou Prefecture, Shandong.
CBDBZhai Luan (68136)CBDB registers him under Jingshi, Zhucheng and the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the last as his household registration.
Souyun翟鑾 (50746)The Wikipedia material records him as registered under the Embroidered Uniform Guard and a native of Zhucheng County, Qingzhou Prefecture, Shandong; the Zhongguo lidai renming da cidian calls him a man of Zhucheng, Shandong.
[4]FamilyZhai Luan's great-grandfather Zhai Jisheng, grandfather Zhai Shun and father Zhai Xuan; his brothers Zhai Kuang and Zhai Pu; his wife née Cai, his birth mother née Huang and his father's principal wife née Guo.
CBDBZhai Luan (68136)The 1505 jinshi examination record lists his great-grandfather Zhai Jisheng, grandfather Zhai Shun, father Zhai Xuan, elder brother Zhai Kuang, younger brother Zhai Pu, wife née Cai, birth mother née Huang and principal mother née Guo.
[5]Household registrationZhai Luan's great-grandfather served as a corporal in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and Zhai Luan therefore registered his household in Shuntian Prefecture.
CBDBZhai Luan (68136)CBDB also lists Jingshi (京師) among his places of origin.
Souyun翟鑾 (50746)The Wikipedia material records that his great-grandfather served as a corporal in the Embroidered Uniform Guard and that he therefore registered his household in Shuntian Prefecture.
[6]ExaminationsZhai Luan was a licentiate before passing the Shuntian provincial examination in 1498; in 1505 he became a jinshi, ranking tenth in the second class, and was chosen as a Hanlin bachelor.
CBDBZhai Luan (68136)CBDB records the school and examination stages of licentiate (庠生), provincial graduate (juren) and jinshi, the last ranked tenth in the second class, and his appointment as a Hanlin bachelor (庶吉士).
Souyun翟鑾 (50746)The Wikipedia material records his success as a Shuntian provincial graduate in 1498, his jinshi degree in 1505 and his selection as a Hanlin bachelor.
[7]Hanlin and ministry postsEarly in the Zhengde reign Zhai Luan was appointed a Hanlin compiler; under Liu Jin he was moved to the Ministry of Justice and then restored to the Hanlin Academy, rising to reader.
CBDBZhai Luan (68136)CBDB records his posts as Hanlin compiler, secretary of the Sichuan bureau of the Ministry of Justice, and Hanlin reader; the Ministry of Justice post falls in 1509–1510.
Souyun翟鑾 (50746)The Wikipedia material dates his Hanlin compilation appointment to 1506, notes his transfer to a ministry post under Liu Jin's ascendancy, his return to the Hanlin Academy and his promotion to reader, somewhat earlier than CBDB's dates.
[8]Compilation and examination serviceZhai Luan served as an editor of court compilations and as an officer for sealing palace-examination papers, and twice as associate metropolitan examiner.
CBDBZhai Luan (68136)CBDB records his service as a compiler of court publications and as an officer for sealing palace-examination papers, and his two appointments as associate metropolitan examiner in 1511 and 1514.
[9]Jiajing appointmentsIn 1522 Zhai Luan became a lecturer for the imperial seminar and a provincial examination officer; in 1525 he again served as a provincial examination officer and became a Hanlin academician.
CBDBZhai Luan (68136)CBDB records his appointment in 1522 as lecturer for the imperial seminar and as a provincial examination officer, and in 1525 his second provincial examination post and the Hanlin academicianship.
Souyun翟鑾 (50746)The reference data lists 'academician (學士)' among his titles.
[10]Entry into the Grand SecretariatIn the Jiajing period Zhai Luan rose to junior vice minister of Rites and in 1527 entered the Grand Secretariat as junior vice minister of Personnel.
CBDBZhai Luan (68136)CBDB records his tenure as junior vice minister of Rites (1525–1527), junior vice minister of Personnel (1527–1528) and Hanlin academician.
Souyun翟鑾 (50746)The Zhongguo lidai renming da cidian records that in 1527 he entered the Grand Secretariat as junior vice minister of Personnel concurrently with the Hanlin Academy; the Wikipedia material records his rise to junior vice minister of Rites and his recommendation for the Grand Secretariat in the spring of 1527.
[11]First Grand Secretariat appointmentYang Yiqing thought Zhai Luan's reputation too slight and proposed Wu Yipeng and Luo Qinshun, but the emperor kept him as junior vice minister of Personnel; he was later promoted to minister of Rites concurrently Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion and granted the silver seal 'Qingjin xueshi'.
CBDBZhai Luan (68136)CBDB records his posts as minister of Rites and Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion.
Souyun翟鑾 (50746)The Wikipedia material records that Yang Yiqing thought his reputation too slight and proposed Wu Yipeng and Luo Qinshun, that the Jiajing Emperor refused and kept him as junior vice minister of Personnel, and that he was later promoted to minister of Rites concurrently Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion with the silver seal 'Qingjin xueshi' (清謹學士).
[12]Court compilations and palace examinationIn 1529 Zhai Luan served as chief compiler and as general supervising editor of several court compilations, and he served four times as a reader of palace-examination papers.
CBDBZhai Luan (68136)CBDB records his appointment as chief compiler in 1529, his post as general supervising editor of the collected imperial writings, the Shengxue xinfa and the Four Books, Five Classics and Xingli daquan compendia, and his four appointments as reader of palace-examination papers in 1529, 1532, 1541 and 1544.
[13]Mourning leaveAfter mourning leave Zhai Luan was long not recalled and then allied himself with Xia Yan.
Souyun翟鑾 (50746)The Zhongguo lidai renming da cidian records that after his mourning leave he was long not recalled and then conspired with Xia Yan.
[14]Frontier missionIn 1539, on Xia Yan's recommendation, Zhai Luan was sent on a frontier inspection, made minister of War concurrently right censor-in-chief, and given the title junior guardian of the heir apparent.
CBDBZhai Luan (68136)CBDB records his posts in 1539 as minister of War and right censor-in-chief, and his title of junior guardian of the heir apparent.
Souyun翟鑾 (50746)The Zhongguo lidai renming da cidian records that in 1539, on Xia Yan's recommendation, he was sent as frontier commissioner and made minister of War concurrently right censor-in-chief; the reference data also lists the title junior guardian of the heir apparent and dates the frontier mission to 1539.
[15]Re-entry into the Grand SecretariatZhai Luan accepted lavish gifts from frontier officers, bribed the powerful to re-enter the Grand Secretariat, and accumulated the titles of junior guardian, grand guardian of the heir apparent and Grand Secretary of the Wuying Hall.
CBDBZhai Luan (68136)CBDB records the titles junior guardian, grand guardian of the heir apparent and Grand Secretary of the Wuying Hall, the last also attested for 1540–1542.
Souyun翟鑾 (50746)The Zhongguo lidai renming da cidian records that he accepted lavish gifts from frontier officers and used them to bribe the powerful, re-entering the Grand Secretariat with the titles of junior guardian and Grand Secretary of the Wuying Hall; the Wikipedia material adds the title grand guardian of the heir apparent.
[16]Senior Grand SecretaryIn 1542, after Xia Yan's dismissal, Zhai Luan became senior Grand Secretary, advancing to junior tutor and Grand Secretary of the Jinshen Hall; he held the senior post three times and was on bad terms with Yan Song.
CBDBZhai Luan (68136)CBDB records his appointments in 1542 as junior tutor and Grand Secretary of the Jinshen Hall.
Souyun翟鑾 (50746)The Zhongguo lidai renming da cidian records that in 1542 he replaced Xia Yan as senior Grand Secretary; the Wikipedia material records his promotion to senior Grand Secretary with the titles junior tutor and Grand Secretary of the Jinshen Hall, his three spells in the post and his poor relations with Yan Song, though it prints the year as 1541, which does not agree with 1542, the year corresponding to the twenty-first year of Jiajing.
[17]Examination scandalIn the Jiachen examination scandal of 1544 Zhai Luan's sons were found guilty of examination fraud; impeached by Yan Song, Zhai Luan was stripped of office and reduced to commoner status, and Yan Song succeeded him.
Souyun翟鑾 (50746)The Wikipedia material records that in 1544, in the Jiachen examination scandal, his sons Zhai Ruxiao and Zhai Rujian were found to have committed fraud in the examinations and that he was impeached by Yan Song, stripped of office and reduced to commoner status, Yan Song succeeding him as senior Grand Secretary; the Zhongguo lidai renming da cidian records his son's examination fraud, Yan Song's attack and his dismissal.
[18]Restoration and posthumous nameAfter Emperor Muzong's accession Zhai Luan's offices were restored and he was granted the posthumous name Wenyi.
Souyun翟鑾 (50746)The Zhongguo lidai renming da cidian records that under Emperor Muzong his offices were restored and he was given the posthumous name Wenyi; the Wikipedia material records the restoration of his offices and the posthumous name under the Longqing Emperor.
[19]DescendantsZhai Luan's son was Zhai Ruzhong and his grandson Zhai Sizhen.
CBDBZhai Luan (68136)CBDB records his son Zhai Ruzhong and grandson Zhai Sizhen.
[20]Literary connectionsZhai Luan wrote epitaphs and a spirit-path stele for contemporaries, received a stele and a conduct record from others, and received letters from Wang Shouren.
CBDBZhai Luan (68136)The Mingren zhuanji ziliao suoyin records that Zhai Luan wrote epitaphs for Yao Mo and Yang Zhixue and a spirit-path stele for Hu Zan, and that his own spirit-path stele was written by Yan Song and his conduct record by Xu Chengming; the Wang Wencheng gong quanshu records letters to him from Wang Shouren, one of them dated 1528.
CBDB
