[1]Life dates and identityZhao Zhenji's birth year is given as either 1508 or 1514, while his death year is 1576; the evidence identifies him as a Ming official and thinker.
CBDBZhao Zhenji (68216)The person fields give his name, 1514 birth year, 1576 death year, Ming affiliation, and classification as a thinker.
Souyun趙貞吉 (51025)The profile gives the name Zhao Zhenji, birth year 1508, death year 1576, and the Ming dynasty.
WikidataZhao Zhenji (Q15908250)The entity is identified as Zhao Zhenji, a Ming political figure, with date claims for 1508 and 1576.
DILA Buddhist Authority Database趙貞吉 (A009612)The authority record gives his name, Ming affiliation, 1508 birth range, 1576 death, and official status.
[2]Names and native placeHis courtesy name was Mengjing, his style name Dazhou, and 大周 is another recorded form; his native place is specified as Tongziba in Neijiang County and also simply as Neijiang.
CBDBZhao Zhenji (68216)The alternate-name fields give 大周, 大洲, and 孟靜, while the address field gives Neijiang.
Souyun趙貞吉 (51025)The profile gives the courtesy name, style name, and the more detailed Sichuan Neijiang hometown.
WikidataZhao Zhenji (Q15908250)The Traditional Chinese name records list 大周, 大洲, and 孟靜 as aliases.
DILA Buddhist Authority Database趙貞吉 (A009612)The authority record lists Zhao Mengjing, Zhao Dazhou, and Neijiang as the birthplace.
[3]Ancestry and childhoodHe was described as a tenth-generation descendant of Zhao Xiong and as able to read the classics at six.
Souyun趙貞吉 (51025)The biographical passage gives his descent from Zhao Xiong and says that he could read the classics at six.
[4]Student statusHe was registered in the shengyuan, or xiangsheng, school status.
CBDBZhao Zhenji (68216)The education entry classifies him as a shengyuan (庠生).
[5]Parents and forebearsHis recorded father was Zhao Ji, his grandfather Zhao Wenjie, his great-grandfather Zhao Bozhou, and his mother a member of the Yu family.
CBDBZhao Zhenji (68216)The kinship entries list Zhao Bozhou as great-grandfather, Zhao Wenjie as grandfather, Zhao Ji as father, and Yu as mother.
[6]SiblingsHis four elder brothers were Zhao Qianji, Zhao Zhanji, Zhao Shengji, and Zhao Fuji, and his three younger brothers were Zhao Mengji, Zhao Fuji, and Zhao Yiji.
CBDBZhao Zhenji (68216)The kinship entries list his four elder brothers and three younger brothers by relationship and name.
[7]Wife and descendantsHis wife was a member of the Chen family; his sons were Zhao Jingzhu and Zhao Dingzhu, and his grandson was Zhao Zuyin.
CBDBZhao Zhenji (68216)The kinship entries list his wife Chen, sons Zhao Jingzhu and Zhao Dingzhu, and grandson Zhao Zuyin.
[8]ExaminationsHe placed fourth in the 1528 Sichuan provincial examination, ranked nineteenth in the 1535 metropolitan examination, and received the second degree in the second class; the jinshi year is also given as 1533.
Souyun趙貞吉 (51025)The biographical passage gives the fourth place in the 1528 Sichuan examination, nineteenth place in the 1535 metropolitan examination, and second-class second degree.
CBDBZhao Zhenji (68216)The examination entries list the second-class second degree and a rank of 19 among the juren entries.
DILA Buddhist Authority Database趙貞吉 (A009612)The authority note dates his jinshi success to the eleventh year of Jiajing, 1533, preserving the alternative date.
[9]Entry into officeAfter the jinshi degree he was selected as a shujishi, appointed a Hanlin compiler, and later advanced to Vice Director of the Directorate of Education.
Souyun趙貞吉 (51025)The biographical passages give his selection as shujishi, appointment as compiler, and later move to the Directorate of Education.
CBDBZhao Zhenji (68216)The office entries list the Hanlin shujishi and Hanlin compiler appointments.
DILA Buddhist Authority Database趙貞吉 (A009612)The authority note also gives the selection as shujishi and appointment as compiler, while dating the jinshi degree differently.
[10]Altan Khan crisisDuring Altan Khan's approach to Beijing, Zhao opposed a treaty beneath the city walls, urged the commanders to be instructed and the army to fight, and was then ordered to proclaim the imperial instructions to the troops.
Souyun趙貞吉 (51025)The biographical passage gives his position during Altan Khan's approach and the resulting order to address the troops.
[11]Jiajing officesIn 1550 he held the posts of Right Zhongyun and Left Yude and concurrently served as Investigating Censor of the Henan Circuit.
Souyun趙貞吉 (51025)The biographical accounts give his 1550 Right Zhongyun and Left Yude appointments, his supervision of the Directorate of Education, and the concurrent Henan censorate.
CBDBZhao Zhenji (68216)The office entries list Right Zhongyun and Left Yude beginning in the twenty-ninth year of Jiajing.
[12]Demotion and dismissalAfter offending Yan Song he was attacked and flogged at court, demoted to Libo, transferred to Huizhou, and later dismissed after offending Yan Song again.
Souyun趙貞吉 (51025)The biographical accounts describe the attack by Yan Song, court flogging, demotion to Libo, transfer to Huizhou, and later dismissal.
CBDBZhao Zhenji (68216)The office entries list the Libo county clerkship and the Huizhou assistant prefecture.
DILA Buddhist Authority Database趙貞吉 (A009612)The authority note likewise gives the Libo demotion and transfer to Huizhou after the conflict with Yan Song.
[13]Additional dutiesOther duties included deputy commissioner, metropolitan examination co-examiner, editorial commissioner, daily lecturer, deputy chief editor of the Veritable Records, and instructor of the shujishi.
CBDBZhao Zhenji (68216)The office entries list the deputy commissioner, examination co-examiner, editorial commissioner, daily lecturer, deputy chief editor, and shujishi instructor duties.
[14]Nanjing appointmentsFrom 1553 to 1559 he held a succession of personnel, ceremonial, transmission, and works posts in Nanjing.
Souyun趙貞吉 (51025)The biographical passage lists the succession of offices and states that they were all in Nanjing.
CBDBZhao Zhenji (68216)The office entries list the Huizhou post and the Nanjing positions in the personnel, ceremonial, transmission, and works administrations.
[15]Revenue ministry appointmentIn 1561 he became Vice Minister of Revenue and was later dismissed again after offending Yan Song.
Souyun趙貞吉 (51025)The biographical accounts give the 1561 Revenue appointment and the renewed dismissal after offending Yan Song.
CBDBZhao Zhenji (68216)The office entry gives Vice Minister of Revenue beginning in 1561, the fortieth year of Jiajing.
[16]Longqing cabinet careerAfter the Longqing accession he returned as Left Vice Minister of Personnel and Hanlin Academician, held the Directorate of the Heir Apparent, served as Nanjing Minister of Rites, and became Grand Secretary of the Wenyuange while concurrently Minister of Rites.
Souyun趙貞吉 (51025)The biographical passages give the Longqing recall, personnel and Hanlin appointments, responsibility for the heir-apparent directorate, temporary libationer duty, Nanjing Rites post, and Wenyuange appointment.
CBDBZhao Zhenji (68216)The office entries list Left Vice Minister of Personnel, responsibility for the heir-apparent directorate, Minister of Rites in Nanjing, and Grand Secretary of the Wenyuange.
[17]Heir-apparent honorsDuring Longqing he was made Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent, and his record also includes Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent.
Souyun趙貞吉 (51025)The biographical passage says that he was granted Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent.
CBDBZhao Zhenji (68216)The office entry lists Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent beginning in the fourth year of Longqing.
[18]Learning and proseHe was widely learned, especially in Wang Shouren's learning, and his prose was described as vigorous and brisk.
Souyun趙貞吉 (51025)The biographical passage describes his broad learning, expertise in Wang Shouren's learning, and vigorous prose.
[19]Retirement and teachingHe retired after disagreeing with Gao Gong, lectured on Guihu Street after returning home, and was grouped with Yang Shen, Ren Han, and Xiong Nansha as the Four Great Men of Shu.
Souyun趙貞吉 (51025)The biographical passages give his disagreement with Gao Gong, retirement, lectures on Guihu Street, and association with the Four Great Men of Shu.
DILA Buddhist Authority Database趙貞吉 (A009612)The authority note also gives his retirement, teaching on Guihu Street, and membership in the Four Great Men of Shu.
[20]Letters and epitaphHis associations included correspondence with Gao Gong, Lu Bing, Tang Shunzhi, and Zhang Yue, and an epitaph he wrote for Wang Gen.
CBDBZhao Zhenji (68216)The association entries list letters with Gao Gong, Lu Bing, Tang Shunzhi, and Zhang Yue, and an epitaph written for Wang Gen.
[21]Book prefacesJiang Bao and Chen Wenzhu are each associated with writing a preface to one of his books.
CBDBZhao Zhenji (68216)The association entries identify Jiang Bao and Chen Wenzhu as the writers of book prefaces.
[22]WorksHis works include the Wensu Collection, with titles also given for two twenty-three-volume versions and for a collected poems-and-prose edition.
Souyun趙貞吉 (51025)The biographical passages name the Wensu Collection and the collected poems and prose of Zhao, Duke Wensu.
CBDBZhao Zhenji (68216)The works entries give the twenty-three-volume Wensu Collection and the twenty-three-volume Collected Works of Zhao, Duke Wensu.
DILA Buddhist Authority Database趙貞吉 (A009612)The authority note names the collected poems and prose of Zhao, Duke Wensu.
[23]Death and posthumous honorsHe died in 1576; the day is variously given as the fifteenth day of the third month and 23 April, one account gives his age as sixty-nine, and he received Junior Guardian and the posthumous name Wensu.
Souyun趙貞吉 (51025)The biographical passages give the 1576 death, the fifteenth day of the third month, age sixty-nine, posthumous Junior Guardian, and posthumous name Wensu.
CBDBZhao Zhenji (68216)The person fields give the 1576 death year and Wensu posthumous name, while the office entry lists Junior Guardian.
CBDB
