[1]Identity, dates, and fieldsWang Zhong’s birth year is given as either 1744 or 1745, while his death year is 1794. He was a Qing scholar associated with classical learning, the various schools, xiaoxue, bibliography, and epigraphy.
CBDBWang Zhong (65767)The record gives Wang Zhong’s name, 1745 birth year, 1794 death year, Qing dynasty, and the classifications of xiaoxue, bibliography, and epigraphy specialist.
Souyun汪中 (66257)The biographical entries provide the 1744–1794 and 1745–1794 date variants, identify him as a Qing scholar, and describe his classical and miscellaneous learning.
WikidataWang Zhong (Q11136379)The entity is labelled Wang Zhong and supplies 1744 as the birth year and 1794 as the death year.
[2]Names and native placesWang Zhong’s style name was Rongfu, with other recorded names Rongfu, Yongfu, and Wang Bingzhong; Songfu was another name. Jiangdu, now Yangzhou in Jiangsu, was his registered native place, while Shexian was his ancestral place.
CBDBWang Zhong (65767)The record lists the Chinese and romanized forms of Rongfu, Yongfu, Wang Bingzhong, and Songfu, and identifies Jiangdu as the registered native place and Shexian as the ancestral place.
Souyun汪中 (66257)The biographical profile confirms the style name Rongfu, the sobriquet Songfu, and Jiangdu in present-day Yangzhou.
WikidataWang Zhong (Q11136379)The name table supplies the romanized aliases Rongfu, Songfu, Wang Bingzhong, and Yongfu, as well as the English label Wang Zhong.
[3]FamilyWang Zhong’s grandfather was Wang Gaojing, his father Wang Yiyuan, his son Wang Xisun, and his 伯叔母 relative Liang Lanyi; the family entries provide the stated dates for the grandfather, son, and Liang Lanyi.
CBDBWang Zhong (65767)The kinship entries identify the grandfather, father, son, and 伯叔母 relative, and give their corresponding recorded names and dates.
[4]Childhood and educationHe grew up orphaned and poor, was taught to read by his mother, and later read widely in bookshops, memorizing what he read and becoming broadly learned.
Souyun汪中 (66257)The biographical passage describes his impoverished orphaned childhood, his mother’s instruction, his visits to bookshops, and his remarkable memorization of classical and other books.
[5]Degrees and examination careerHe passed the xiucai examination at twenty-one and became a bagong in 1777, but did not attend the metropolitan examination because his mother was old.
CBDBWang Zhong (65767)The examination-status entries identify him as a shengyuan and a bagong.
Souyun汪中 (66257)The biographical passages state that he passed xiucai at age twenty-one, became a bagong in the forty-second Qianlong year, and declined the metropolitan examination because his mother was old; the 1777 conversion is supplied in the same material.
[6]Hardship and livelihoodHis life was difficult, and he supported himself through mufu service, selling prose, and teaching while travelling extensively.
Souyun汪中 (66257)The biographical account describes his hardship, livelihood as a mufu, writer, and teacher, and continual travel.
[7]Bi Yuan and the Yellow Crane TowerHe served under Bi Yuan as a mufu and wrote the Inscription on the Yellow Crane Tower and other prose pieces that became widely circulated.
Souyun汪中 (66257)The biographical passages describe his appointment by Bi Yuan, his mufu service, and his composition of the Inscription on the Yellow Crane Tower and other celebrated prose.
[8]Siku Quanshu collation and deathHe was recommended in the fifty-fifth Qianlong year to collate the Siku Quanshu at the Wenzong and Wenlan Pavilions; after four years he worked at the Wenlan Pavilion in Hangzhou and died soon afterward. His death is attributed in one account to a sudden attack of heart disease, and his place of death is given as Hangzhou Prefecture.
Souyun汪中 (66257)The biographical passages give the recommendation in the fifty-fifth Qianlong year, the four-year collation, the later work at Hangzhou’s Wenlan Pavilion, and the sudden heart attack.
CBDBWang Zhong (65767)The address entry identifies Hangzhou Prefecture as the place of death.
[9]Scholarly associationsHis circle included Wang Niansun, Liu Taigong, Qian Daxin, Cheng Yaotian, Ling Tingkan, Sun Xingyan, Bi Yuan, Zhang Xuecheng, and other scholars, as well as the additional friends named in the association entries.
Souyun汪中 (66257)The biographical entries describe his close friendship with Wang Niansun and Liu Taigong and list Qian Daxin, Cheng Yaotian, Ling Tingkan, Sun Xingyan, Bi Yuan, and Zhang Xuecheng among his scholarly associates.
CBDBWang Zhong (65767)The association entries name Liu Taigong, Hong Liangji, Jiang Fan, Wang Duanguang, Sun Yuanxiang, Zhang Xuecheng, Zhu Bin, Li Dun, and Qian Daxin as friends or acquaintances.
[10]Teachers and literary connectionsWang Zhong studied under Wang Chang, served as Feng Tingcheng’s aide, was esteemed by Xie Yong, and visited Zhu Gui. He wrote biographies for Ba Weizu and a Wang woman identified as Ye Tianci’s mother, supplied a title inscription for Yang Qionghua’s book, and had Hang Shijun write a preface for Ai Yanchuan.
CBDBWang Zhong (65767)The association entries identify Wang Chang as his teacher, Feng Tingcheng as the person for whom he served as an aide, Xie Yong as an admirer of his learning, and Zhu Gui as someone he visited; they also record the biographies, title inscription, and preface relationships.
[11]Literary position and Yangzhou schoolHis prose followed Han and Six Dynasties models, was praised for elegance, and he is presented as a major mid-Qing literary figure and a representative of the Yangzhou school.
Souyun汪中 (66257)The biographical entries state that his prose followed Han–Six Dynasties models, was elegant, and made him a representative of the Qing Yangzhou school and a major mid-Qing literary figure.
[12]Classical learning and Gu YanwuHe devoted himself to classical learning, was especially versed in the Zhouguan and Zuozhuan, studied the various schools, revered Gu Yanwu, and regarded himself as Gu’s private disciple.
Souyun汪中 (66257)The biographical passage describes his commitment to classical learning, expertise in the Zhouguan and Zuozhuan, study of the various schools, and relationship to Gu Yanwu.
[13]Wang Niansun’s praiseIn the preface to Shuxue, Wang Niansun described their mutual cultivation through ancient learning and modestly said that his own learning was not as broad as Wang Zhong’s.
Souyun汪中 (66257)The biographical entry quotes Wang Niansun’s preface to Shuxue on their mutual study of ancient learning and his admiration for Wang Zhong’s breadth.
[14]Principal worksHis principal works include Shuxue, Chunqiu Shuyi, Chunqiu Houzhuan, Guangling Tongdian, Xunzi studies, and Xiaoxue; the associated title list also contains the other named works.
Souyun汪中 (66257)The biographical entries name Shuxue, Chunqiu Shuyi, Chunqiu Houzhuan, Guangling Tongdian, Xunzi-related work, and Xiaoxue among his writings.
CBDBWang Zhong (65767)The works list adds the titles 大戴禮正誤, 廣陵通典, 春秋後傳, 春秋述義, 荀卿子通論, 荀子通論年表, 述學內外篇, 述學, 經義知新記, and 舊學蓄疑.
[15]Classical and textual studiesThe associated titles also include works on ritual, classical texts, xiaoxue, and historical argument, as well as miscellaneous essays and bibliographic writings.
CBDBWang Zhong (65767)The works list contains the named titles in classical studies, xiaoxue, historical argument, miscellany, and bibliography.
[16]Poetry and proseThe poetry and prose titles include Rongfu’s posthumous poems, the collected poems and appendices, and the individual pieces named in the works list.
Souyun汪中 (66257)The biographical entries name Rongfu’s posthumous poems and the related poetry collection.
CBDBWang Zhong (65767)The works list contains the titles 傷心集, 哀鹽船文, 汪容甫先生詩集 and its appendix, 汪容甫遺詩遺詩 and its appendix, 漢上琴台銘, and 黃鶴樓銘.
[17]Yellow Crane Tower monumentWang Zhong wrote the Inscription and Preface to the Yellow Crane Tower for Bi Yuan; Cheng Yaotian wrote the inscription on stone, Qian Dian engraved the title in seal script, and contemporaries praised the monument as a triple masterpiece.
Souyun汪中 (66257)The Yellow Crane Tower entry describes Wang Zhong’s inscription and preface for Bi Yuan, its account of the rebuilding, Cheng Yaotian’s stone inscription, Qian Dian’s seal-script title, and the contemporary praise of the monument.
CBDB
