Tao Zongyi

出自全球本体聚合平台

公开 可引用 更新于 2026-09-13

Life

His father was Tao Yu (陶煜, 1286–1358); among his younger brothers were Tao Zongfu (陶宗傅, d. 1385) and Tao Zongru (陶宗儒)[7]. In his early years he travelled and studied in eastern and western Zhejiang, learning composition under Zhang Zhu, Li Xiaoguang and Du Ben, and studied seal script with his maternal uncle Zhao Yong[8]. He became a provincial examination graduate (鄉貢舉人) but failed the higher examination, sitting in the third month of 1348 (the eighth year of the Zhizheng era) without success[9].

In the eighth month of 1348 he fled the fighting in eastern and western Zhejiang, and later lodged at Nancun in Songjiang, from which he took his art name[10]. During the Zhizheng era he was recommended for the posts of messenger (行人) and school officer (校官) but declined; when Zhang Shicheng established himself at Suzhou, his officers proposed to press Tao into service as a military adviser, and he again declined[11]. He associated with Wang Feng, Wang Mian, Ni Zan, Sun Zuo, Shao Hengzhen, Xia Wenyan, Sun Daoming and Xia Yizhen[12]; Dong Ji wrote ten poems matching his verses (南村雜興次韻陶九成), and Bei Qiong wrote a piece on his return to Yunjian (題秋江送別圖送陶九成歸雲間)[13]. Song Lian wrote a preface for his Shushi huiyao and an essay on his leaving office to return to Huating (送陶九成辭官歸華亭序); Yang Weizhen wrote a preface for the Shuofu; and Sun Zuo wrote a preface for the Chuogenglu and a short life of Tao[14].

After the Ming was established he was engaged as an instructor and supported himself by teaching in Songjiang[15]. In 1371 (Hongwu 4), when the prefects and magistrates were ordered to recommend men of talent, he was excused on grounds of illness; in 1373 (Hongwu 6) he was recommended and went to the capital, but pleaded illness and was sent home[16]. In 1396 (Hongwu 29) he led his students to Nanjing for the Ministry of Rites examination and was given paper money before returning[17]. In his later years he shut himself away to write, tending a garden plot and, on fine days, drinking alone and singing verses of his own; he died early in the Yongle reign, aged over eighty[18]. Later opinion on his conduct was divided: some said he never took office under the Ming, while others, citing his poem on the accession of the imperial grandson — "the old servant dances for joy beneath Nancun, smiling at his sons and grandsons with frost upon his temples" — and his leading of students to the Ministry of Rites examination, argued that he had acknowledged Ming rule[19]. Mao Jin printed his poems among the "Ten Yuan Poets" and still classed him as a Yuan figure, whereas the Siku Quanshu, holding that he had served the Ming, reclassified him as a Ming author[20].

Works

Tao was assiduous in taking notes and left no branch of learning unexplored; he was a prolific author[21]. He compiled the Shuofu (說郛) in 100 juan, largely excerpts from earlier fiction and notebooks, though the editions that survive are much reduced[22]; the Nancun Chuogenglu (南村輟耕錄) in 30 juan, recording institutions and miscellaneous observations[23]; and, among others, the Shushi huiyao (書史會要) in 9 juan, the Sishu beiyi (四書備遺) in 2 juan, the Guofeng zunjing, the Nancun shiji (南村詩集) in 4 juan and the Canglang zhaoge (滄浪棹歌) in 1 juan, as well as the Jingzi fayu, Guke congchao, Qinjian tushi and Youguai lu[24].

It is said that in his last years, resting under a tree between spells of work in his garden, he would write down whatever he had gained on a leaf and drop it into a broken jar, burying the jar at the tree's roots when it was full; in time the leaves were arranged into several juan — the Chuogenglu[25]. The editors of the Siku Quanshu judged his poetry vigorous and strong, a continuation of the tradition of Yu, Yang, Fan and Jie rather than the enervated tones of the late Yuan, and a towering presence in the early Ming[26].

Office recordsCBDB

Year unknown1
OfficeEraPosting
學官Era unknownUnknown

FamilyCBDB

RelationNameLife
父陶煜1286–1358
弟陶宗傅–1385
弟陶宗儒–

AliasesCBDB

  • 九成 字
  • 南村 室名、別號

StatusCBDB

  • 落第士人
  • 詩人
  • 博學之人
  • 小學家－字學
  • 工於古文
  • 士人
  • 收徒講學
  • 史學家
  • 工於文

AssociationsCBDB

PersonRelationYears
王逢友–
王冕友–
倪瓚友–
孫作友–
邵亨貞友–
夏文彥友–
孫道明友–
夏頤貞友–
杜本為杜本之學生–
張翥為張翥之學生–
李孝光為李孝光之學生–
宋濂書序由宋濂所作–
楊維禎書序由楊維禎所作–
孫作書序由孫作所作–
岳飛為岳飛作墓誌銘–
董紀相唱和–
孫作傳記作者為孫作–
王世貞傳記作者為王世貞–
貝瓊書、畫由貝瓊作跋–
宋濂臨別得到宋濂所作贈言(送別詩、序)–
王蒙為王蒙作哀辭–
夏文彥為夏文彥作哀辭–
宋濂從宋濂處收到賀詞 (occasion)–
王逢畫贊(畫像記)由王逢所作–
趙麟贈詩、文–
張樞收到張樞的贈詩、文–
全節收到全節的贈詩、文–
唐錦收到唐錦的贈詩、文–
衛仁復為衛仁復之建築物題詠、記、命名–
胡儼建築物得到胡儼的題詠、記、命名–
邵亨貞建築物得到邵亨貞的題詠、記、命名–
沈鉉建築物得到沈鉉的題詠、記、命名–
顏近仁為顏近仁之詩文作跋–
楊士奇詩文跋由楊士奇所作–
盧文弨詩文跋由盧文弨所作–
張宗泰詩文跋由張宗泰所作–

ExaminationsCBDB

RecordRank
科舉: 鄉貢舉人

WorksCBDB

TitleRoleYearEra
輟耕錄撰著者
經子法語
古刻叢鈔
滄浪櫂歌
說郛
琴箋圖式 一卷撰著者
幽怪錄一卷撰著者
書史會要: 九卷撰著者
四書備遺: 二卷撰著者

Citations

  1. [1] Dates Tao Zongyi's dates are given differently across sources: 1316, 1322 or 1329 for his birth and 1403, 1409 or 1410 for his death.
    • CBDBTao Zongyi (29854)CBDB gives his name as Tao Zongyi, with 1329 as his birth year and 1409 as his death year.
    • Souyun陶宗儀 (41608)cnkgraph gives his name as Tao Zongyi, with birth in 1316 and death in 1403; the Zhongguo lidai renming da cidian gives his dates as 1316–?, and the Cixue tulu as 1316–1403.
    • WikidataTao Zongyi (Q12159927)Wikidata records his name as 陶宗儀 and lists birth years of 1316, 1322 and 1329 and death years of 1403 and 1410.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database陶宗儀 (A012762)DILA records his name as 陶宗儀, birth in 1329 and death in 1410.
  2. [2] Names His courtesy name was Jiucheng and his art name Nancun, though one account gives the two in reverse.
    • CBDBTao Zongyi (29854)CBDB gives his courtesy name as 九成 and his sobriquet as 南村.
    • Souyun陶宗儀 (41608)cnkgraph gives his courtesy name as 九成 and art name as 南村; its notice for the Nancun shiji, however, reads "courtesy name Nancun, art name Jiucheng".
    • WikidataTao Zongyi (Q12159927)Wikidata records the personal names 九成 and 南村.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database陶宗儀 (A012762)DILA lists the alternative names 陶九成 and 陶南村.
  3. [3] Identity He is described as a man of letters and scholar of the late Yuan and early Ming.
    • CBDBTao Zongyi (29854)CBDB lists him as a poet, a man of broad learning, a specialist in character studies (小學家－字學), a shi (士人) and a historian.
    • Souyun陶宗儀 (41608)cnkgraph describes him as a man of the late Yuan and early Ming who left no branch of learning unexplored.
    • WikidataTao Zongyi (Q12159927)Wikidata describes him as a Chinese scholar of the Ming and Yuan dynasties and author of the Nancun Chuogenglu.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database陶宗儀 (A012762)DILA describes him as a Ming man, diligent in note-taking.
  4. [4] Origins He was a native of Huangyan in Taizhou (present-day Zhejiang) who later moved to Huating in Songjiang.
    • CBDBTao Zongyi (29854)CBDB records 黃巖州 as his native place and Huating and Songjiang fu as places he moved to, Huating also appearing as a basic address.
    • Souyun陶宗儀 (41608)cnkgraph records him as a native of Huangyan in Taizhou (present-day Zhejiang) who lodged at Nancun in Songjiang while avoiding the fighting.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database陶宗儀 (A012762)DILA gives his place of birth as 黃岩州.
  5. [5] Appellation He was commonly known as "Mr. Nancun".
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database陶宗儀 (A012762)DILA lists 南村先生 among his names and notes that he was commonly known as "Mr. Nancun".
  6. [6] Accomplishments He was accomplished in poetry and prose and in calligraphy, especially seal script, and was noted for wide learning.
    • Souyun陶宗儀 (41608)cnkgraph records that he excelled in poetry and prose and in calligraphy, and that he worked at seal-script brushwork after his maternal uncle Zhao Yong.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database陶宗儀 (A012762)DILA records that he was skilled in calligraphy, especially seal script.
    • CBDBTao Zongyi (29854)CBDB lists him as a specialist in character studies and as a writer of prose and of ancient-style prose.
  7. [7] Family His father was Tao Yu; his younger brothers included Tao Zongfu and Tao Zongru.
    • CBDBTao Zongyi (29854)CBDB records his father Tao Yu (1286–1358) and his younger brothers Tao Zongfu (d. 1385) and Tao Zongru.
  8. [8] Teachers He studied in eastern and western Zhejiang under Zhang Zhu, Li Xiaoguang and Du Ben, and learned seal script from his maternal uncle Zhao Yong.
    • CBDBTao Zongyi (29854)CBDB records that he was a student of Du Ben, Zhang Zhu and Li Xiaoguang.
    • Souyun陶宗儀 (41608)cnkgraph, quoting Sun Zuo, records that he travelled in eastern and western Zhejiang and studied composition under Zhang Zhu, Li Xiaoguang and "Jingzhao Shiben" (京兆仕本), and that he worked at his uncle Zhao Yong's seal-script brushwork.
  9. [9] Examinations He gained the provincial examination degree but failed the higher examination, sitting unsuccessfully in 1348.
    • CBDBTao Zongyi (29854)CBDB records a civil-examination degree as xianggong juren (鄉貢舉人) and lists him as a failed candidate (落第士人).
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database陶宗儀 (A012762)DILA records that he failed the examination in the third month of 1348 (Zhizheng 8).
    • Souyun陶宗儀 (41608)cnkgraph states that he was unsuccessful in the examinations of the late Yuan.
  10. [10] Flight and sobriquet In 1348 he fled the fighting in Zhejiang and later lodged at Nancun in Songjiang, from which he took his art name.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database陶宗儀 (A012762)DILA records that he fled the fighting in eastern and western Zhejiang in the eighth month of 1348.
    • Souyun陶宗儀 (41608)cnkgraph records that he lodged at Nancun in Songjiang and took his sobriquet from it.
  11. [11] Declined offices He declined official recommendations in the Zhizheng era and refused to serve Zhang Shicheng.
    • Souyun陶宗儀 (41608)cnkgraph, quoting Sun Zuo and the Mingshi jishi, records that he declined the offices of xingren and school officer and refused to serve Zhang Shicheng at Suzhou; the Zhongguo lidai renming da cidian notes that he repeatedly declined summonses.
  12. [12] Associates He was on friendly terms with a circle of Yuan–Ming poets and painters.
    • CBDBTao Zongyi (29854)CBDB records Wang Feng, Wang Mian, Ni Zan, Sun Zuo, Shao Hengzhen, Xia Wenyan, Sun Daoming and Xia Yizhen as his friends.
  13. [13] Poetic exchanges Dong Ji and Bei Qiong wrote poems connected with him.
    • CBDBTao Zongyi (29854)CBDB records that Dong Ji wrote ten poems matching his (南村雜興次韻陶九成) and that Bei Qiong wrote a piece on his return to Yunjian (題秋江送別圖送陶九成歸雲間).
  14. [14] Prefaces and biography Contemporaries wrote prefaces for his works, and Sun Zuo wrote a short biography of him.
    • CBDBTao Zongyi (29854)CBDB records prefaces for the Shushi huiyao and for his departure from office by Song Lian, a preface for the Shuofu by Yang Weizhen, a preface for the Chuogenglu by Sun Zuo, and a biography by Sun Zuo.
    • Souyun陶宗儀 (41608)cnkgraph notes that Sun Zuo's Cangluo ji contains a short life of Tao Jiucheng.
  15. [15] Instructor under the Ming After the Ming founding he taught in Songjiang as an instructor.
    • Souyun陶宗儀 (41608)cnkgraph records that after the Ming founding he was engaged as an instructor (教官) and served as one in the Hongwu period.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database陶宗儀 (A012762)DILA records that he supported himself by teaching in Songjiang after the Ming founding and never held office.
    • CBDBTao Zongyi (29854)CBDB records him as a school officer (學官) and as one who took students and lectured (收徒講學).
  16. [16] Hongwu recommendations He was recommended for office in 1371 and again in 1373, but excused himself through illness.
    • Souyun陶宗儀 (41608)cnkgraph, quoting Sun Zuo and the Mingshi jishi, records that in Hongwu 4 (1371) the prefects and magistrates were ordered to recommend men of talent and he was excused through illness, and that in Hongwu 6 he was recommended to the capital and sent home after pleading illness.
  17. [17] Ministry of Rites In 1396 he took his students to the Ministry of Rites examination in Nanjing and returned with a gift of money.
    • Souyun陶宗儀 (41608)cnkgraph records that in Hongwu 29 (1396) he led his students to Nanjing for the Ministry of Rites examination and returned with a gift of paper money; the Siku notice likewise mentions his leading students to the examination.
  18. [18] Last years and death His last years were spent in writing and retirement; he died early in the Yongle reign, aged over eighty.
    • Souyun陶宗儀 (41608)cnkgraph, quoting Sun Zuo, records his late years of seclusion, gardening and solitary drinking with his own poems; the Zhongguo lidai renming da cidian records that he died in the early Yongle reign aged over eighty.
  19. [19] Conduct debated Later accounts disagree on whether he served the Ming; the Siku editors held that he had.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database陶宗儀 (A012762)DILA states that he never held office under the Ming.
    • Souyun陶宗儀 (41608)cnkgraph's Siku quanshu notice and Nancun shiji account argue that he had in fact served the Ming, citing his poem on the accession of the imperial grandson and his leading students to the Ministry of Rites examination.
  20. [20] Yuan or Ming Mao Jin classed him as a Yuan poet, while the Siku Quanshu classed him as a Ming author.
    • Souyun陶宗儀 (41608)cnkgraph notes that Mao Jin printed his verse among the ten Yuan poets and still classed him as a Yuan author, which the Siku editors rejected; the Mingshi jishi adds that the Siku Quanshu placed him among Ming authors.
  21. [21] Note-taking He was diligent in note-taking and a prolific author of broad learning.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database陶宗儀 (A012762)DILA records that he was diligent in note-taking.
    • Souyun陶宗儀 (41608)cnkgraph describes him as leaving no branch of learning unexplored, broadly learned and prolific.
  22. [22] Shuofu He compiled the Shuofu, a 100-juan anthology of excerpts, of which the surviving editions were much reduced.
    • Souyun陶宗儀 (41608)cnkgraph records that he excerpted earlier fiction and notebooks as the Shuofu, that the work ran to 100 juan, and that printed editions omitted much of it.
    • CBDBTao Zongyi (29854)CBDB records the Shuofu among his works.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database陶宗儀 (A012762)DILA lists the Shuofu among his works.
  23. [23] Chuogenglu The Nancun Chuogenglu, in 30 juan, records institutions and miscellaneous observations.
    • Souyun陶宗儀 (41608)cnkgraph records the Nancun Chuogenglu in 30 juan and notes his diligence in recording institutions.
    • CBDBTao Zongyi (29854)CBDB records the Chuogenglu, with Tao as its author.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database陶宗儀 (A012762)DILA records the Chuogenglu.
  24. [24] Other works Other works include the Shushi huiyao, Sishu beiyi, Guofeng zunjing, Nancun shiji and Canglang zhaoge, along with several smaller titles.
    • Souyun陶宗儀 (41608)cnkgraph records the Guofeng zunjing, the Nancun shiji in 4 juan, the Shushi huiyao in 9 juan, the Sishu beiyi in 2 juan and the Canglang zhaoge in 1 juan.
    • CBDBTao Zongyi (29854)CBDB records the Shushi huiyao (9 juan), the Sishu beiyi (2 juan), the Canglang zhaoge, the Jingzi fayu, the Guke congchao, the Qinjian tushi (1 juan) and the Youguai lu (1 juan).
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database陶宗儀 (A012762)DILA lists the Shushi huiyao, Shuofu, Nancun shiji and Sishu beiyi among his works.
  25. [25] Leaves into a book An anecdote tells how his leaf-written notes became the Chuogenglu.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database陶宗儀 (A012762)DILA relates how, in his late years, he rested under a tree between spells of farm work, wrote what he had gained on leaves and dropped them into a broken jar, later compiling them into the Chuogenglu.
  26. [26] Siku appraisal The Siku editors judged his poetry vigorous and a high achievement of the early Ming.
    • Souyun陶宗儀 (41608)cnkgraph's Siku quanshu notice praises his verse as vigorous and strong, a successor of Yu, Yang, Fan and Jie and free of late-Yuan decadence, calling him a towering figure of the early Ming.