[1]Name and datesThe name and lifespan 963–1044 are jointly supplied by the principal biographical record, the three biographical texts, and the date statements.
CBDBChen Yaozuo (98)The main biographical record gives the name Chen Yaozuo and the years 963 and 1044.
Souyun陳堯佐 (34392)The profile and all three biographical texts identify Chen Yaozuo and give 963–1044 as his lifespan.
WikidataChen Yaozuo (Q13407967)The entity label and the birth and death statements identify Chen Yaozuo and the years 963 and 1044.
[2]Identity and periodHe is identified as a Northern Song official, poet, and historian, while the biographical text also describes his calligraphy.
CBDBChen Yaozuo (98)The main record places him in the Song and classifies him as a poet and historian.
Souyun陳堯佐 (34392)The profile identifies the Northern Song period, the texts show his official career, and they describe his poetry and calligraphy.
[3]Style name and sobriquetsHis style name was Xiyuan, and the texts give Zhiyuzi and Yingchuan xiansheng as his sobriquets or public names; Zhiyu is also preserved as a shorter form.
CBDBChen Yaozuo (98)The alternate-name fields identify Xiyuan as the style name and list Yingchuan xiansheng and Zhiyu as other names.
Souyun陳堯佐 (34392)The profile and biographical texts provide Xiyuan, Zhiyuzi variants, and Yingchuan xiansheng.
WikidataChen Yaozuo (Q13407967)The name and alias statements list Xiyuan, Yingchuan xiansheng, Zhiyu, Wenhui, and their Chinese forms.
[4]Duimo shuDuimo shu is presented both as a calligraphic sobriquet and as an alternate name.
Souyun陳堯佐 (34392)The profile lists Duimo shu as a sobriquet, and the biographical text says that this was his public name in calligraphy.
[5]Place of originThe place of origin is given variously as Langzhong in Langzhou, Guancheng, and Xishui; the English text preserves the difference without choosing among them.
CBDBChen Yaozuo (98)The address fields list Guancheng and Xishui.
Souyun陳堯佐 (34392)The profile and biographical texts give Langzhou Langzhong and identify it with present-day Langzhong in Sichuan.
[6]Parents and brothersThe family information names Chen Xiang as the fourth-generation ancestor, Chen Shenghua as the father, Feng as the mother, Chen Yaosou as the elder brother, and Chen Yaozi as the younger brother.
CBDBChen Yaozuo (98)The kinship fields identify Chen Xiang as a fourth-generation ancestor, Chen Shenghua and Feng as parents, and Chen Yaosou and Chen Yaozi as brothers.
Souyun陳堯佐 (34392)The biographical texts identify Chen Yaosou as Chen Yaozuo’s brother, complementing the more specific kinship entries.
[7]Early learningHe was fond of learning, studied at Jinli Mountain, followed Zhong Fang at Zhongnan Mountain, continued reading after attaining rank, and practiced Daoist arts.
CBDBChen Yaozuo (98)The association note supplies Jinli Mountain, Zhong Fang, Zhongnan Mountain, and continued reading; the status fields describe learning and Daoist practice.
Souyun陳堯佐 (34392)The biography says that he was fond of learning and studied with Zhong Fang at Zhongnan Mountain.
[8]Disputed jinshi yearThe jinshi success is common to the evidence, but the year differs: one text gives Duangong 1 (988) and another gives Duangong 2 (989).
CBDBChen Yaozuo (98)The examination entry confirms a jinshi qualification but does not specify its year.
Souyun陳堯佐 (34392)The biographical texts preserve the conflicting dates: Duangong 2 in one passage and Duangong 1 (988) in another.
[9]Early officesThe early career included Kaifeng registrar and judicial assistant posts, the county commandancy of Wei, and the Chaozhou assistant prefecture; the text links the Chaozhou appointment to a demotion after speaking out.
Souyun陳堯佐 (34392)The career texts provide the Kaifeng registrar and judicial assistant posts, Wei county commandancy, Chaozhou assistant prefecture, and demotion after speaking out.
[10]Transport offices and administrationHe served as vice transport commissioner for Liangzhe and held transport posts in Jingxi, Hedong, and Hebei, with the biographies describing beneficial administration.
Souyun陳堯佐 (34392)The biographies provide the vice transport commission and the Jingxi, Hedong, and Hebei transfers, and describe his local administration as beneficial.
CBDBChen Yaozuo (98)The office fields list transport posts in the Liangzhe and Hedong circuits; the biographies supply the vice rank and the other circuit names.
[11]Zhenzong-era officesUnder Zhenzong he entered the Directorate of Historiography and served as prefect of Shouzhou and Huazhou.
Souyun陳堯佐 (34392)The biographies list entry into the historiographical office and the prefectures of Shouzhou and Huazhou.
CBDBChen Yaozuo (98)The office fields separately confirm the historiographical post and the Shouzhou and Huazhou prefectures.
[12]Renzong’s accessionAfter Renzong’s accession, he held fiscal, edict-drafting, Tongjin-Yintai, Longtuge, and Kaifeng appointments.
Souyun陳堯佐 (34392)The career texts list the fiscal offices, edict drafting, Tongjin and Yintai, Longtuge, and acting Kaifeng appointments after Renzong’s accession.
[13]Tiansheng prefecturesIn Tiansheng 2 he became prefect of Henan Prefecture, and in Tiansheng 3 he was transferred to Bingzhou.
Souyun陳堯佐 (34392)The career texts give Tiansheng 2 and 3 as the dates for Henan Prefecture and Bingzhou.
[14]Deputy privy councillor and participating secretaryIn Tiansheng 7 he became deputy privy councillor and then a participating secretary in government, with later promotion to Vice Minister of Personnel.
Souyun陳堯佐 (34392)The biographies supply the Tiansheng 7 appointments as deputy privy councillor, participating secretary in government, and Vice Minister of Personnel.
CBDBChen Yaozuo (98)The office fields confirm the deputy privy councillor and participating-secretary posts.
[15]Yongxing and ZhengzhouAfter the death of Renzong’s empress dowager, he was removed from Yongxing and transferred to Zhengzhou.
Souyun陳堯佐 (34392)The biographies connect the empress dowager’s death with removal from Yongxing and transfer to Zhengzhou.
[16]Chief councillor and HuaikangIn Jingyou 4 he became Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi and Grand Academician of the Jixian Hall; the next year he was removed, made military governor of Huaikang, and assigned to preside over Zhengzhou.
Souyun陳堯佐 (34392)The biographies give the Jingyou 4 appointment, the following year’s removal, the Huaikang military governorship, and the Zhengzhou assignment.
CBDBChen Yaozuo (98)The office fields confirm the chief-councillor title and the Huaikang military command.
[17]Mizhou criminal caseThe association note describes the murder committed by Wang Xie’s slave, Chen Yaozuo’s attempt to grant Wang Xie leniency, and Jiang Kai’s refusal, which made Jiang Kai known.
CBDBChen Yaozuo (98)The association note directly gives the murder, the proposed capital punishment, Chen Yaozuo’s wish to spare Wang Xie, and Jiang Kai’s refusal.
[18]Retirement and posthumous nameHe retired in 1040 as Grand Preceptor of the Heir Apparent, died in 1044 aged eighty-two, and received the posthumous name Wenhui.
Souyun陳堯佐 (34392)The biographies provide the retirement year, the Grand Preceptor title, the Qingli 4 death, the age of eighty-two, and the posthumous name.
CBDBChen Yaozuo (98)The office and alternate-name fields confirm Grand Preceptor and Wenhui, while the main record gives the death year 1044.
[19]Scholarship and calligraphyHe wrote Hai yu, was admired for its ambition, practiced clerical and eight-part script with heavy strokes, and participated in compiling two dynastic histories.
Souyun陳堯佐 (34392)The biographies provide Hai yu, the calligraphic description, poetry, and participation in compiling the Veritable Records of Zhenzong and the History of the Three Reigns.
CBDBChen Yaozuo (98)The status fields also classify him as a poet and historian.
[20]Collected worksHis collected works comprised thirty volumes.
Souyun陳堯佐 (34392)Two biographical texts state that he had a thirty-volume collected works.
CBDBChen Yaozuo (98)The works field lists Chen Yaozuo’s collected works in thirty volumes.
[21]Other works and variant titlesThe other titles include variant pairs Chaoyang bian and Chaoyang xinbian, Bianlu bian and Yelu bian, as well as Yuqiu ji and Qianxing ji; the biographical text says they are lost.
CBDBChen Yaozuo (98)The works fields list Yuqiu ji, Chaoyang bian, Bianlu bian, and Qianxing ji.
Souyun陳堯佐 (34392)The poetry text gives the alternate titles Chaoyang xinbian and Yelu bian, lists the same works, and says that they are lost.
[22]PoemsFifty of his poems are included in current compilations.
Souyun陳堯佐 (34392)The poetry text ends by stating that fifty poems are currently included.
[23]Children and sons-in-lawThe kinship entries list Chen Shugu as the eldest son, Chen Daogu, Chen Bogu, Chen Yougu, Chen Xigu, and Chen Xianggu as the fourth, fifth, eighth, ninth, and tenth sons, and Fan Zongjie and Wang Juzheng as sons-in-law.
CBDBChen Yaozuo (98)The kinship fields list the two sons-in-law and six sons with ordinal positions: eldest, fourth, fifth, tenth, eighth, and ninth.
[24]DescendantsThe descendants listed include the grandsons Chen Zhijian and Chen Zhiyu and the great-grandson Chen Yan.
CBDBChen Yaozuo (98)The kinship fields list the two grandsons and one great-grandson by name.
[25]Posthumous writingsOuyang Xiu wrote the spirit-path inscription for him, and Fan Zhongyan composed a sacrificial text.
CBDBChen Yaozuo (98)The association fields identify Ouyang Xiu as the author of the tomb and spirit-path inscriptions and Fan Zhongyan as the author of the sacrificial text.
CBDB
