Hu Zongxian

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 Hu Shangren and his mother was Fang; his grandfather was Hu Kun and his great-grandfather Hu Ruochuan. He had an elder brother, Hu Zongyu, a younger brother, Hu Zongting, a wife surnamed Zhang, and a son, Hu Guiqi.[5] Hu was studious from childhood. His mother, Fang, came from a scholarly family, taught him the Thousand Character Classic and the Elementary Learning, and sent him to a private school at seven; initially indifferent to the civil examinations, he began serious study after his father's admonition.[6] In 1528 he became a student of the county school; in 1534 he took the Yingtian prefectural examination, for which the placing is variously given as 100th and 84th; in 1538 he earned the third-class jinshi degree in the Wuxu examination, placed 188th in the third class.[7] After observing government service in the Ministry of Punishments, he became magistrate of Yidu in Shandong in 1540, where he dealt with drought, locusts, and banditry and gained a reputation for effective administration.[8] His mother died in 1542 and his father in 1544; during mourning he read Zhu Xi's Gangmu, Daxue yanyi, Wujing qishu, Baijiang zhuan, and other works.[9] After completing mourning, he became magistrate of Yuyao in Zhejiang; the starting year is given as 1546 or 1547, and he was praised for clean public service and upright enforcement.[10] In 1548, because of outstanding administrative performance, he was selected as a probationary censor of the Huguang circuit; in June 1549 he was confirmed as censor, inspecting Xuanfu and Datong and then serving as inspector in North Zhili.[11] In 1551, as inspector in Huguang, he suppressed a Miao uprising.[12]

Coastal defense and high office

In 1554, while inspecting Zhejiang, he is said to have killed hundreds of wokou at Jiaxing with poisoned wine; on Zhao Wenhua's instructions, he impeached Zhang Jing for “squandering provisions and harming the people, fearing the enemy and missing the opportunity.” Zhang was later executed at the Western Market, and Hu rose three ranks to become Right Vice Censor-in-Chief.[13] In 1555–1556 he became Right Vice Censor-in-Chief and governor-general of Zhejiang's military affairs; after repeated campaigns, the coastal wokou threat in southeast China was said to have somewhat abated.[14] During the anti-wokou campaign, he recruited Xu Wei to his staff to devise strategy.[15] After Xu Hai was induced to surrender and bind Chen Dong and Ma Ye and hand them over, Hu surrounded Xu Hai again and drove him to suicide.[16] Accounts differ over Wang Zhi: one says Hu lured him to his death and the wokou troubles in the Two Zhejiang region gradually subsided; another says Wang was pacified and then executed by the court, causing the wokou to run out of control.[17] His accumulated successes brought him promotion to Chief Censor, and his authority shook southeast China; he drew southeast literati into his councils and acquired considerable reputation.[18] In 1560, the Jiajing emperor rewarded him for capturing Wang Zhi (the name also appears as 汪直 rather than 王直); he was appointed Junior Protector of the Heir Apparent in the official listings, Grand Protector in another account, and Censor-in-Chief, with the left/right designation varying in the accounts, concurrently Vice Minister of War. Three months later he became Minister of War, and in 1561 was additionally made Junior Guardian and given command over Jiangxi.[19] In 1562, after Yan Song and his son fell, Lu Fengyi impeached him as a partisan of Yan Song; one account says he was dismissed as a Yan partisan, another that the emperor declared him not a Yan partisan and released him.[20] In 1564 he retired to his native place. In 1565 a handwritten letter from Yan Shifan implicated him, and he was arrested and imprisoned; he wrote the ten-thousand-character *Bianwu shu* in his own defense, received no response, and finally killed himself in prison with a blade, reportedly reciting: “A precious sword is buried in a wronged prison; a loyal soul circles the white clouds.”[21] At the beginning of the Wanli reign he was restored to office and posthumously given the name Xiangmao.[22]

Staff and writings

His staff also included Zhou Shuxue, Wang Yin, Su Eshan, and Liu Tingying.[23] The attribution of the thirteen-volume *Chouhai Tubian* (《籌海圖編》) is disputed: one account says it was compiled by his staff member Zheng Ruoceng; another lists Hu as its compiler, while a separate summary calls it his work.[24]

TimelineCBDB

  1. 1540 知縣 嘉靖
  2. 1546 知縣 嘉靖
  3. 1548 監察御史 嘉靖
  4. 1549 道監察御史 嘉靖
  5. 1555 右僉都御史 嘉靖
  6. 1556 兵部右侍郎 嘉靖
  7. 1556 兵部左侍郎 嘉靖
  8. 1556 都察院右都御史 嘉靖
  9. 1560 兵部尚書 嘉靖
  10. 1560 太子少保 嘉靖
  11. 1560 都察院右都御史 嘉靖
  12. 1561 少保 嘉靖
  13. 1572 太子少保 隆慶

Office recordsCBDB

OfficeFromToEraPosting
知縣15401544嘉靖益都
知縣15461548嘉靖餘姚
監察御史15481549嘉靖湖廣監察道
道監察御史1549嘉靖湖廣布政司
右僉都御史15551556嘉靖
兵部右侍郎15561560嘉靖
兵部左侍郎1556嘉靖
都察院右都御史15561560嘉靖
兵部尚書15601562嘉靖
太子少保15601561嘉靖
都察院右都御史15601562嘉靖
少保1561嘉靖
太子少保1572隆慶
Year unknown4
OfficeEraPosting
知縣嘉靖益都
知縣嘉靖餘姚
總督Era unknownUnknown
巡按御史嘉靖Unknown

FamilyCBDB

RelationNameLife
曾祖胡若川–
祖父胡崑–
父胡尚仁–
母方氏(胡宗憲母)–
兄胡宗虞–
弟胡宗廷–
妻子章氏(胡宗憲妻)–
子胡桂奇–

AliasesCBDB

  • 二 行第
  • 梅林 室名、別號
  • 汝欽 字
  • 汝貞 字
  • 襄懋 諡號
  • 都堂 别名、曾用名

AssociationsCBDB

PersonRelationYears
萬鵬未詳-9999–
吳成器推薦–
劉廷鶧欣賞/器重-9999–
羅龍文得到羅龍文的支持–
王慎中書序由王慎中所作–
徐渭幕僚為徐渭–
周述學幕僚為周述學–
王寅幕僚為王寅–
蘇峨山幕僚為蘇峨山-9999–
劉廷鶧幕僚為劉廷鶧-9999–
戚繼光傳記作者為戚繼光–
許國祭文由許國所作–
耿定向祭文由耿定向所作–
阮鶚年譜由阮鶚所作–
薛應旂從薛應旂處收到賀詞 (occasion)–
皇甫汸從皇甫汸處收到賀詞 (occasion)–
王宗沐從王宗沐處收到賀詞 (occasion)–
沈愷從沈愷處收到賀詞 (occasion)–
吳承恩從吳承恩處收到賀詞 (occasion)–
馮恩被致書由馮恩–
唐順之被致書由唐順之–
淩儒被致書由淩儒–
周怡被致書由周怡–
莫如忠被致書由莫如忠–
董份被致書由董份–
羅洪先收到羅洪先的答書–
王畿收到王畿的贈詩、文–
汪道昆收到汪道昆的贈詩、文–
吳子玉收到吳子玉的贈詩、文–
范欽收到范欽的贈詩、文–
范欽收到范欽的贈詩、文–
蔡汝楠收到蔡汝楠的贈詩、文–
胡煜其學術作品由胡煜編輯–
沈明臣詩文序由沈明臣所作–
李承式下屬為李承式-9999–
管懋光下屬為管懋光-9999–
茅坤其生祠由茅坤作記–
張海鵬政績為張海鵬所稱道–
茅坤政績為茅坤所稱道–
沈愷政績為沈愷所稱道–
吳成器上奏論吳成器-9999–

ExaminationsCBDB

RecordRank
科舉: 進士(籠統)第三甲第一百八十八名
科舉: 鄉貢舉人
學校: 生員(庠生)

WorksCBDB

TitleRoleYearEra
籌海圖編: 十三卷編纂者

Citations

  1. [1] Name, period, and status The name, Ming affiliation, and 1512–1565 life span are jointly supported by the identity and biographical values.
    • CBDBHu Zongxian (68363)The identity values provide Hu Zongxian's name, death year, and Ming affiliation.
    • Souyun胡宗憲 (51925)The biographical profile supplies the name, birth year, death year, and dynasty.
    • WikidataHu Zongxian (Q848834)The identity values give the English name and describe him as a Chinese politician of 1512–1565.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database胡宗憲 (A008106)The authority values provide his name, birth range, death date, and Ming affiliation.
  2. [2] Disputed birth year One biographical entry leaves his birth year unspecified, creating the stated discrepancy with accounts that give 1512.
    • Souyun胡宗憲 (51925)The biographical entry opens with an unspecified birth year and a death year of 1565.
  3. [3] Exact date variants The narrative account gives 4 November 1512 to 25 November 1565, while the authority value gives 5 December 1565 as the death date.
    • Souyun胡宗憲 (51925)The narrative account supplies 4 November 1512 and 25 November 1565.
    • WikidataHu Zongxian (Q848834)The date claims give 4 November 1512 and 25 November 1565.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database胡宗憲 (A008106)The authority value gives 5 December 1565 as the death date.
  4. [4] Names and origin The courtesy names, sobriquet, Jixi origin, and alternative Puyang ancestral tradition are supported by the name, place, and narrative values.
    • CBDBHu Zongxian (68363)The name values identify Meilin as a sobriquet, Ruqin and Ruzhen as courtesy names, and Jixi as his registered origin.
    • Souyun胡宗憲 (51925)The profile supplies the names and Jixi homeland, while the narrative adds the Puyang ancestral-origin tradition.
    • WikidataHu Zongxian (Q848834)The English alias values provide the romanized forms Meilin, Ruqin, and Ruzhen.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database胡宗憲 (A008106)The authority values provide the pronunciation, courtesy name, sobriquet, and Jixi place identifier.
  5. [5] Family The kinship values identify his great-grandfather, grandfather, parents, siblings, wife, and son.
    • CBDBHu Zongxian (68363)The kinship list identifies Hu Ruochuan, Hu Kun, Hu Shangren, Fang, Hu Zongyu, Hu Zongting, Zhang, and Hu Guiqi in their respective relationships.
  6. [6] Early education The narrative account describes Fang's scholarly background, Hu's childhood schooling, and his father's role in directing him toward examination study.
    • Souyun胡宗憲 (51925)The narrative account describes his early study, Fang's family background, the books she taught him, schooling at seven, and his father's admonition.
    • CBDBHu Zongxian (68363)The kinship values confirm the names of his father Hu Shangren and mother Fang.
  7. [7] Examination career The examination values list county-school status, examination placings, and the third-class jinshi result; the narrative supplies the years and examination names while preserving the placing discrepancy.
    • CBDBHu Zongxian (68363)The examination and school values list student status, the third-class 188th place, and the additional placings 84 and 100.
    • Souyun胡宗憲 (51925)The narrative account gives 1528, 1534, and 1538, identifies the Yingtian examination, and describes the Wuxu third-class jinshi result.
  8. [8] Yidu magistracy The office values identify the Yidu magistracy and its 1540–1544 period; the narrative supplies the administrative achievements.
    • CBDBHu Zongxian (68363)The office values identify the magistracy of Yidu and its Jiajing 19–23 period.
    • Souyun胡宗憲 (51925)The narrative account describes his post in Yidu after service in the Ministry of Punishments and his handling of drought, locusts, and banditry.
  9. [9] Mourning and study The narrative account gives the dates of his mother's and father's deaths and names the works he read during mourning.
    • Souyun胡宗憲 (51925)The narrative account gives the 1542 and 1544 deaths and lists the books read during mourning.
    • CBDBHu Zongxian (68363)The kinship values identify the father and mother involved in the mourning period.
  10. [10] Yuyao magistracy The narrative account gives 1547 as the spring appointment after mourning, while the office value gives 1546 as the starting year; the summary confirms the Yuyao magistracy and the stated praise.
    • CBDBHu Zongxian (68363)The office values identify the Yuyao magistracy and give 1546 as its starting year.
    • Souyun胡宗憲 (51925)The narrative account gives spring 1547 as the appointment after mourning and praises his clean and upright administration.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database胡宗憲 (A008106)The summary confirms that he served as magistrate of both Yidu and Yuyao.
  11. [11] Censorial career The narrative account supplies the selection and confirmation dates and inspection route, while the office values identify the Huguang censorial posts.
    • CBDBHu Zongxian (68363)The office values identify the 1548–1549 censorial posts associated with Huguang.
    • Souyun胡宗憲 (51925)The narrative account gives the selection and confirmation dates and the inspections of Xuanfu, Datong, and North Zhili.
  12. [12] Miao uprising The Huguang inspection and suppression of a Miao uprising are jointly supported by the narrative account and the authority summary.
    • Souyun胡宗憲 (51925)The narrative account places his Huguang inspection and suppression of the Miao uprising in 1551.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database胡宗憲 (A008106)The authority summary states that he suppressed a Miao uprising.
  13. [13] Zhejiang inspection and Zhang Jing The two narrative accounts describe the Zhejiang inspection, the Jiaxing poisoned-wine episode, Zhao Wenhua's direction, Zhang Jing's impeachment and execution, and Hu's promotion; the office value confirms the new post.
    • Souyun胡宗憲 (51925)The narrative accounts describe the 1554 Zhejiang inspection, Jiaxing episode, Zhao Wenhua and Zhang Jing affair, execution, and promotion.
    • CBDBHu Zongxian (68363)The office values identify the Right Associate Censor-in-Chief post in 1555–1556.
  14. [14] Governor-general of Zhejiang The office values give the 1555–1556 Right Associate Censor-in-Chief period, while the narratives describe the governor-general appointment, repeated campaigns, and partial calming of the coastal crisis.
    • CBDBHu Zongxian (68363)The office values identify the Right Associate Censor-in-Chief post and its 1555–1556 period.
    • Souyun胡宗憲 (51925)The narratives describe the governor-general appointment, repeated battles, and the partial easing of the southeast coastal wokou crisis.
  15. [15] Xu Wei on the staff The staff relationship, narrative account, and authority summary all identify Xu Wei as a strategist and member of Hu's staff.
    • CBDBHu Zongxian (68363)The relationship value lists Xu Wei as a staff member.
    • Souyun胡宗憲 (51925)The narrative account says that Hu hired Xu Wei to devise strategy.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database胡宗憲 (A008106)The authority summary likewise records the employment of Xu Wei for strategy.
  16. [16] Xu Hai The two narrative accounts describe Xu Hai's induced surrender, the handover of Chen Dong and Ma Ye, and his subsequent death during the encirclement.
    • Souyun胡宗憲 (51925)The narratives describe the surrender of Xu Hai, the delivery of Chen Dong and Ma Ye, and Xu Hai's compelled suicide.
  17. [17] Wang Zhi discrepancy The narratives disagree over whether Wang Zhi was lured to his death or pacified before execution by the court, and over whether the wokou crisis subsided or worsened; the authority summary confirms the pacification version.
    • Souyun胡宗憲 (51925)The two narratives give the luring-to-death and pacification-then-execution versions, with different accounts of the subsequent wokou situation.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database胡宗憲 (A008106)The authority summary records the pacification of Wang Zhi.
  18. [18] Reputation in the southeast The biographical account describes Hu's promotion, authority, literati participation, and reputation; the office values confirm the Chief Censor post.
    • Souyun胡宗憲 (51925)The biographical account describes promotion to Chief Censor, authority in the southeast, participation by southeast literati, and his reputation.
    • CBDBHu Zongxian (68363)The office values list the Chief Censor post from 1556 onward.
  19. [19] 1560 promotions The office values list the 1560 Minister of War, Vice Minister of War, Chief Censor, Junior Protector, and Junior Guardian posts; the narratives and authority summary preserve the variant names and titles and add the Jiangxi command.
    • CBDBHu Zongxian (68363)The office values list the 1560 Minister of War, Vice Minister of War, Chief Censor, Junior Protector, and 1561 Junior Guardian appointments.
    • Souyun胡宗憲 (51925)The narratives preserve the Wang Zhi name variant, the Grand Protector and left/right Chief Censor variants, the 1560 promotion, and the 1561 Jiangxi command.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database胡宗憲 (A008106)The authority summary records the 1560 reward for Wang Zhi and promotion to Junior Protector and left Chief Censor.
  20. [20] Yan faction controversy The narratives give dismissal and imperial release as alternative outcomes of the 1562 impeachment, while the authority summary confirms the accusation by Lu Fengyi.
    • Souyun胡宗憲 (51925)The narratives give the dismissal and imperial-release versions of the aftermath of the Yan-faction accusation.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database胡宗憲 (A008106)The authority summary identifies Lu Fengyi's 1562 impeachment accusing Hu of belonging to Yan Song's faction.
  21. [21] Retirement, imprisonment, and suicide The narrative and authority summary support the 1564 retirement, 1565 arrest and imprisonment, the defensive memorial, and suicide in prison; the recited poem appears in the narrative account.
    • Souyun胡宗憲 (51925)The narrative account describes his 1564 retirement, the letter from Yan Shifan, imprisonment, defensive memorial, and the poem recited before suicide.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database胡宗憲 (A008106)The authority summary confirms his 1564 return home, 1565 imprisonment, and suicide with a blade.
  22. [22] Restoration and posthumous name The biographical account records restoration at the beginning of the Wanli reign and the posthumous name Xiangmao, while the name value identifies Xiangmao as a posthumous title.
    • Souyun胡宗憲 (51925)The biographical account records restoration and the posthumous name Xiangmao.
    • CBDBHu Zongxian (68363)The name values identify Xiangmao as a posthumous title.
  23. [23] Other staff members The relationship values list Zhou Shuxue, Wang Yin, Su Eshan, and Liu Tingying as staff members.
  24. [24] Chouhai Tubian The book value gives the thirteen-volume title and compiler role, the narrative gives Zheng Ruoceng's compilation, and the authority summary calls it Hu's work; the sentence preserves those differences.
    • CBDBHu Zongxian (68363)The book values identify the thirteen-volume Chouhai Tubian and list Hu as compiler.
    • Souyun胡宗憲 (51925)The biographical account says the work was compiled by his staff member Zheng Ruoceng.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database胡宗憲 (A008106)The authority summary lists Chouhai Tubian as a work by Hu.