Song Zhiwen

出自全球本体聚合平台

公开 可引用 更新于 2026-09-13

Life

He passed the jinshi examination in 675.[4] In 690, the first year of Tianshou, he and Yang Jiong took turns serving at the Xi yi guan; he later helped compile San jiao zhuying (《三教珠英》).[5] Early appointments included service as a military registrar in Luozhou or Mingzhou—the prefecture differs between accounts—followed by service as Shangfang jiancheng and zuo Fengchen neigongfeng.[6] A further account lists him as governor of Qizhou in Hubei.[7]

When Empress Wu visited Longmen in Luoyang, she ordered the attending officials to compose poems. Dongfang Qiu finished first and received a brocade robe, but after Song Zhiwen submitted his poem, the empress judged it superior and transferred the robe to him.[8] In 705, after currying favor with the Zhang brothers, he was demoted to military registrar in Longzhou.[9] After the Zhangs fell, he returned under an amnesty to Luoyang and hid in Zhang Zhongzhi's household; when Zhang Zhongzhi and Wang Tongjiao plotted to kill Wu Sansi, Song Zhiwen had his nephew Song Tan report the plot, and was promoted to registrar of the Court of State Ceremonial.[10]

During Jinglong, he served as Vice Director of the Ministry of Revenue, a direct academician of the Xiuwen Hall, and Vice Director of the Office of Merit, and he also acted as chief examiner; the year of the chief-examiner appointment is given as either 707 or 709.[11] For accepting bribes, he was demoted to chief administrator of Yuezhou.[12] After Ruizong's accession, he was exiled to Qinzhou because of his earlier attachment to Zhang Yizhi and Wu Sansi; he was later ordered to die in exile, probably during Xuanzong's Xiantian era (712).[13]

Family and Associations

His father was Song Lingwen; his brothers were Song Zhiti and Song Zhixun, his son was Song Changzao (d. 778), and his nephew was Song Tan.[14] He associated with Chen Zi'ang, Lu Zangyong, and other literary figures; he is also linked with the groups called “方外十友” and “仙宗十友”.[15]

Literary Achievement

Song Zhiwen was skilled in literary composition and excelled in five-character regulated verse, with precise prosody. Alongside Shen Quanqi, he was known as “Shen-Song” and contributed to the completion of regulated verse in the early Tang.[16] His five-character regulated poems are observant and meticulously wrought, combining ornate density with a natural effect; his long regulated poems use broad vistas and are rich, orderly, vigorous, and alert without becoming stagnant.[17]

His imperial poems, including “Summer at Ren'e Pavilion in Response to an Imperial Command” and “Composed on the Imperial Procession to Fengshan”, retain the courtly patterns of the early Tang while opening into a broader vision. Poems written during exile, such as “Meeting Cold Food on the Road”, “At the Northern Station of Dayu Ridge”, and “Crossing Dayu Ridge”, turn sorrow into concentrated artistry, achieving depth through plain language and helping to open the way to the High Tang. Other celebrated pieces include “First Reaching the Cliff Mouth”, “Written on an Early Departure from the Shixing River Mouth to Xushi Village”, and “Lingyin Temple”; Shangguan Wan'er judged “In Harmony with the Double-Sixth Festival Imperial Visit to Kunming Pool” the best of the submitted poems. His five-character quatrain “Crossing the Han River” is plain in diction but deep in feeling, while the old-style poems “Returning to the Lu Hun Estate at Cold Food” and “The Bright River” are elaborate yet flowing and full of clear vitality, showing the transition between the early and High Tang. Hu Yinglin later called his regulated verse “the supreme regulated verse of all ages”.[18]

Works

The original Song Zhiwen ji consisted of ten juan, was compiled by Wu Pingyi in the Tang, and was lost at an early date. A two-juan Song Zhiwen ji survives in a later compilation, while a nine-juan Song Xueshi ji was edited by Zhang Xie in the Ming; the two-juan collection also has an edition in the Sequel to the Sibu congkan, and Tao Min produced a collated study.[19] Quan Tang Shi arranges his poems in three juan, while its supplementary collections add 27 poems and nine fragments. Song Zhiwen also participated in compiling San jiao zhuying, a work of 1,300 juan.[20]

TimelineCBDB

  1. 690 直習藝館 天授
  2. 705 錄事參軍 神龍
  3. 708 考功員外郎 景龍
  4. 709 州長史 景龍
  5. 709 知貢舉 景龍

Office recordsCBDB

OfficeFromToEraPosting
直習藝館690天授
錄事參軍705神龍瀧州
考功員外郎708709景龍
州長史709710景龍越州
知貢舉709景龍
Year unknown7
OfficeEraPosting
修文館直學士Era unknownUnknown
尚方監丞Era unknownUnknown
州長史景龍汴州
左奉宸内供奉Era unknownUnknown
戶部員外郎Era unknownUnknown
錄事參軍Era unknown洺州
鴻臚寺主簿Era unknownUnknown

FamilyCBDB

RelationNameLife
父宋令文–
弟宋之悌–
弟宋之遜–
從子;姪子宋曇–
子宋昌藻–778

AliasesCBDB

  • 宋之問 别名、曾用名
  • 宋五 行第
  • 宋少連 别名、曾用名
  • 延淸 字

StatusCBDB

  • 書法家
  • 詩人
  • 文人
  • 工於文
  • [為官者：文]

AssociationsCBDB

PersonRelationYears
畢構友–
陳子昂友–
盧藏用友–
杜審言友–
司馬承禎友–
冉祖雍友–
王守慎友–
趙元亮友–
陸餘慶友–
釋懷一友–
郭襲微友–
張易之與張易之結黨–
張昌宗與張昌宗結黨–
武曌(武則天)詩作為武曌(武則天)所稱道–
楊炯同僚–
薛稷同僚–
韋維同僚–
杜審言同僚–
東方虬同僚–
武三思因與武三思的交往受牽連–
張易之因與張易之的交往受牽連–
張易之以文章、學問受知於–
張昌宗以文章、學問受知於–
武平一詩/文由武平一編輯–
蘇頲贈詩、文–
李顯(唐中宗)贈詩、文–
武三思贈詩、文–
韋嗣立贈詩、文–
楊炯贈詩、文–
駱賓王贈詩、文–
王紹宗贈詩、文–
崔融贈詩、文–
沈佺期贈詩、文–
杜審言贈詩、文–
王晙贈詩、文–
陳褘贈詩、文–
司馬承禎贈詩、文–
來濟贈詩、文–
康廷芝贈詩、文–
趙元亮贈詩、文–
李夔贈詩、文–
武崇訓贈詩、文–
李氏(太平公主)贈詩、文–
王無競贈詩、文–
釋弘景贈詩、文–
上官庭芝贈詩、文–
朱思賢贈詩、文–
甯原悌贈詩、文–
李裹兒(安樂公主)贈詩、文–
宋之望贈詩、文–
釋道俊贈詩、文–
李藹贈詩、文–
李隆業贈詩、文–
姚紹之贈詩、文–
韓法昭贈詩、文–
薛崇胤贈詩、文–
楊望贈詩、文–
曹娘贈詩、文–
閻朝隱贈詩、文–
杜甫收到杜甫的贈詩、文–
李顯(唐中宗)收到李顯(唐中宗)的贈詩、文–
駱賓王收到駱賓王的贈詩、文–
陳子昂收到陳子昂的贈詩、文–
盧藏用收到盧藏用的贈詩、文–
韋述收到韋述的贈詩、文–
胡皓收到胡皓的贈詩、文–
李適收到李適的贈詩、文–
張諤收到張諤的贈詩、文–
李夔收到李夔的贈詩、文–
李乂收到李乂的贈詩、文–
徐彥伯收到徐彥伯的贈詩、文–
賈曾收到賈曾的贈詩、文–
田遊巖收到田遊巖的贈詩、文–
張仲之得到友人張仲之之幫助–
武曌(武則天)受武曌(武則天)之贈物–

ExaminationsCBDB

RecordRank
科舉: 進士(籠統)

WorksCBDB

TitleRoleYearEra
宋之問集：十卷撰著者
三教珠英：一千三百卷編纂者

Citations

  1. [1] Life dates and identity Song Zhiwen is identified as a Tang poet, literary figure, and calligrapher; the sources give his birth as approximately 656 and disagree on a death year of 710, 712, or 713.
    • CBDBSong Zhiwen (31560)The biographical data gives 656 as the birth year and 712 as the death year, and classifies him as a Tang poet, man of letters, and calligrapher.
    • Souyun宋之問 (13975)The biographical entries give death dates of 712, 713, and approximately 712, with one entry giving approximately 656–712, and describe him as an early Tang poet.
    • WikidataSong Zhiwen (Q7561071)The person item describes him as a Chinese poet, gives 656 as the birth year, and lists 710 and 712 as death years.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database宋之問 (A011689)The biographical authority record places him in the Tang and states that he was ordered to die during Xiantian (712).
  2. [2] Names and style name He was also called Song Shaolian, used Yanqing as his courtesy name, was fifth in birth order, and was known as Song Kaogong after holding the Office of Merit post.
    • Souyun宋之問 (13975)The biographical entries list Shaolian, Yanqing, fifth in birth order, and Song Kaogong among his names and designations.
    • CBDBSong Zhiwen (31560)The name data lists Song Wu, Song Shaolian, and Yanqing in the traditional character form, while the office data lists Vice Director of the Office of Merit.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database宋之問 (A011689)The authority record gives Song Yanqing and Song Shaolian as alternate names.
    • WikidataSong Zhiwen (Q7561071)The person item lists Song Shaolian and both written forms of Yanqing among his names and courtesy-name claims.
  3. [3] Native-place traditions His native place is variously given as Xihe in Fen prefecture and Hongnong in Guo prefecture, with the former also interpreted as a commandery affiliation and the latter as his actual registered origin.
    • Souyun宋之問 (13975)The biographical entries give Xihe in Fen prefecture, modern Fenyang, or Hongnong in Guo prefecture, modern Lingbao, and discuss the commandery-affiliation and actual-registration interpretation.
    • CBDBSong Zhiwen (31560)The address data lists both Fen prefecture and Hongnong as native-place entries.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database宋之問 (A011689)The authority record gives Fen prefecture as the birthplace and notes Hongnong as an alternative.
  4. [4] Jinshi degree Song Zhiwen passed the jinshi examination in 675, and the examination data also places him in the jinshi category.
    • Souyun宋之問 (13975)The biographical entries all state that he passed the jinshi examination in 675.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database宋之問 (A011689)The authority note states that he passed the jinshi examination in 675.
    • CBDBSong Zhiwen (31560)The examination entry places him in the jinshi category.
  5. [5] Xi yi guan and compilation In 690 he served at the Xi yi guan with Yang Jiong and later participated in compiling San jiao zhuying.
    • Souyun宋之問 (13975)The biographical entry dates his service with Yang Jiong at the Xi yi guan to 690 and says that he participated in compiling San jiao zhuying.
    • CBDBSong Zhiwen (31560)The office and literary-work data record his 690 Xi yi guan appointment, his association with Yang Jiong, and his role as a compiler of San jiao zhuying.
  6. [6] Early appointments His early military-registrar appointment is variously assigned to Luozhou or Mingzhou; he later held the Shangfang jiancheng and zuo Fengchen neigongfeng offices.
    • Souyun宋之問 (13975)The biographical entries give Luozhou and Mingzhou as differing prefectural assignments for his registrar post and list Shangfang jiancheng and zuo Fengchen neigongfeng.
    • CBDBSong Zhiwen (31560)The office data records Mingzhou military registrar, Shangfang jiancheng, and zuo Fengchen neigongfeng.
  7. [7] Qizhou tradition One biographical account additionally lists a governorship of Qizhou in Hubei.
    • Souyun宋之問 (13975)A biographical entry states that he once served as governor of Qizhou in Hubei, and the profile includes the title of governor.
  8. [8] Longmen poetry contest At Longmen, Dongfang Qiu first received a brocade robe, but Empress Wu judged Song Zhiwen's later poem superior and transferred the robe to him.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database宋之問 (A011689)The biographical note recounts the Longmen poetry contest, Dongfang Qiu's initial reward, Song Zhiwen's superior submission, and the transfer of the brocade robe.
    • Souyun宋之問 (13975)The introduction states that Song Zhiwen accompanied Empress Wu to Longmen and ranked first in the poetry composition.
  9. [9] Demotion to Longzhou In 705 Song Zhiwen was demoted to Longzhou after currying favor with the Zhang brothers.
    • Souyun宋之問 (13975)The biographical entries date his demotion to 705 and attribute it to his attachment to the Zhang brothers.
    • CBDBSong Zhiwen (31560)The office and biographical data record a 705 Longzhou military-registrar appointment and his demotion after attachment to Zhang Yizhi.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database宋之問 (A011689)The authority note says that Song Zhiwen attached himself to the brothers of Zhang Yizhi.
  10. [10] Report on Zhang Zhongzhi After returning to Luoyang, Song Zhiwen hid at Zhang Zhongzhi's home and used his nephew Song Tan to report the plot against Wu Sansi, after which he became a registrar of the Court of State Ceremonial.
    • Souyun宋之問 (13975)The biographical entries recount his return to Luoyang, concealment at Zhang Zhongzhi's home, report of the plot against Wu Sansi, and promotion to the Court of State Ceremonial post.
    • CBDBSong Zhiwen (31560)The association and kinship data name Song Tan as the nephew who reported the plot and list the subsequent Court of State Ceremonial appointment.
  11. [11] Jinglong offices During Jinglong he held offices in the Ministry of Revenue, Xiuwen Hall, and the Office of Merit and served as chief examiner; the year of the chief-examiner appointment is given as 707 or 709.
    • Souyun宋之問 (13975)The biographical entries list the Ministry of Revenue, Xiuwen Hall, Office of Merit, and chief-examiner appointments during Jinglong, with one entry dating the chief examinership to 707.
    • CBDBSong Zhiwen (31560)The office data records the Ministry of Revenue, Office of Merit, Xiuwen Hall, and chief-examiner posts, with the latter dated to 709.
  12. [12] Demotion to Yuezhou He was demoted to chief administrator of Yuezhou for accepting bribes.
    • Souyun宋之問 (13975)The biographical entries attribute his demotion to Yuezhou to accepting bribes or corrupt examination conduct.
    • CBDBSong Zhiwen (31560)The office data records his Yuezhou chief-administrator appointment in 709–710.
  13. [13] Qinzhou exile and death After Ruizong's accession he was exiled to Qinzhou because of his earlier political attachments and later ordered to die in exile, probably during Xiantian (712).
    • Souyun宋之問 (13975)The biographical entries state that he was exiled to Qinzhou after Ruizong's accession and later ordered to die during or around Xiantian.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database宋之問 (A011689)The authority note attributes the Qinzhou exile to his attachment to Zhang Yizhi and Wu Sansi and dates his ordered death to Xiantian (712).
    • CBDBSong Zhiwen (31560)The biographical and address data record assignment to Qinzhou, exile from 710 to 712, and Qinzhou as the place of death.
    • WikidataSong Zhiwen (Q7561071)The person item also lists 710 and 712 as possible death years.
  14. [14] Family His father was Song Lingwen; his brothers were Song Zhiti and Song Zhixun, his son was Song Changzao, who died in 778, and his nephew was Song Tan.
    • CBDBSong Zhiwen (31560)The kinship data identifies Song Lingwen as father, Song Zhiti and Song Zhixun as brothers, Song Changzao as son who died in 778, and Song Tan as nephew.
    • Souyun宋之問 (13975)The biographical introduction identifies Song Zhiwen as Song Lingwen's son.
  15. [15] Associations He moved in the literary circle of Chen Zi'ang and Lu Zangyong and is associated with the designations Fangwai shiyou and Xianzong shiyou.
    • CBDBSong Zhiwen (31560)The association data places Song Zhiwen with Chen Zi'ang and Lu Zangyong in the same literary circle and gives the designation Fangwai shiyou.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database宋之問 (A011689)The group classification additionally places him among Xianzong shiyou.
  16. [16] Shen-Song and regulated verse Song Zhiwen excelled in literary composition and five-character regulated verse, had precise prosody, and with Shen Quanqi was known as Shen-Song; he contributed to the completion of early Tang regulated verse.
    • Souyun宋之問 (13975)The biographical entries describe his literary skill, five-character regulated verse, precise prosody, partnership with Shen Quanqi under the name Shen-Song, and contribution to early Tang regulated verse.
    • CBDBSong Zhiwen (31560)The status and association data identifies him as a poet and man of letters who was accomplished in writing, and lists Shen Quanqi among his associates.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database宋之問 (A011689)The group classification gives Shen-Song, and the note says that he excelled in five-character regulated verse.
    • WikidataSong Zhiwen (Q7561071)The person item identifies him as a Chinese poet.
  17. [17] Poetic style His five-character regulated poems are observant and carefully wrought, while his long regulated poems use broad vistas and combine richness, order, and alertness without stagnation.
    • Souyun宋之問 (13975)The literary assessment describes his close observation, refined craftsmanship, natural effect within ornate density, and broad, rich, orderly, alert long regulated poems.
  18. [18] Poems and critical reception The cited poems show the transition from early to High Tang styles, and the sources preserve judgments by Shangguan Wan'er and Hu Yinglin.
    • Souyun宋之問 (13975)The literary entry lists the imperial, exile, quatrain, and old-style poems, describes their artistic features and transitional significance, and preserves the judgments attributed to Shangguan Wan'er and Hu Yinglin.
  19. [19] Collected works The original ten-juan collection was compiled by Wu Pingyi and lost; later two-juan and nine-juan collections survive, with a Sibu congkan sequel edition and Tao Min's collated study.
    • Souyun宋之問 (13975)The literary entries state that the original ten-juan collection was compiled by Wu Pingyi and lost, and describe the later two-juan collection, Zhang Xie's nine-juan Song Xueshi ji, the Sibu congkan sequel edition, and Tao Min's collated study.
    • CBDBSong Zhiwen (31560)The literary-work data records Song Zhiwen ji as a ten-juan work for which Song Zhiwen is the author.
  20. [20] Tang poetry transmission and compilation His poems are arranged in three juan in Quan Tang Shi, with supplementary collections adding 27 poems and nine fragments; he also participated in compiling the 1,300-juan San jiao zhuying.
    • Souyun宋之問 (13975)The literary entry states that Quan Tang Shi contains three juan of his poems, with the supplementary collections adding 27 poems and nine fragments, and that he participated in compiling San jiao zhuying.
    • CBDBSong Zhiwen (31560)The literary-work data identifies Song Zhiwen as a compiler of the 1,300-juan San jiao zhuying.