[1]IdentityThe three records together identify Xia Yan, his 1482–1548 lifespan, his Ming political career, his literary activity, and his classification as a calligrapher.
CBDBXia Yan (68194)The person record gives the name, lifespan, Ming dynasty, and calligrapher status.
Souyun夏言 (44784)The biographical entries identify him as a Ming official and a writer known for ci and qu.
WikidataXia Yan (Q15902201)The item gives his English name, Ming political identity, and the two date values.
[2]Courtesy and posthumous namesHis courtesy name was Gongjin, with the written variant 公瑾; his sobriquet was Guizhou and his posthumous name Wenmin.
CBDBXia Yan (68194)The alternate-name fields give Gongjin, Guizhou, and Wenmin.
Souyun夏言 (44784)The profile and biographies give the courtesy-name variants, Guizhou, and Wenmin.
WikidataXia Yan (Q15902201)The name and claim fields list Gongjin, Guizhou, and Wenmin as aliases or personal names.
[3]OriginXia Yan was from Guixi in Guangxin Prefecture, Jiangxi.
CBDBXia Yan (68194)The address fields consistently give Guixi as his native place and household registration.
Souyun夏言 (44784)The profile and biographies place him in Guixi, Guangxin Prefecture, Jiangxi.
[4]Family backgroundHis father was Xia Ding, a former magistrate of Linqing, while his grandfather and great-grandfather were Xia Yingong and Xia Zixin.
CBDBXia Yan (68194)The kinship fields give his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather by name.
Souyun夏言 (44784)The biography identifies Xia Ding as the magistrate of Linqing.
[5]Immediate familyThe kinship entries give his mother, stepmother, brothers, and two wives by name.
CBDBXia Yan (68194)The kinship fields list Chen, Wu, Xia Nan'an, Xia Qi, Xia Xing, Xu, and Zhan in the stated relationships.
[6]Later familyThe family entries identify Xia Kecheng, Xia Chaoqing, and Xia Chaofu in the stated relationships.
CBDBXia Yan (68194)The kinship fields identify Xia Kecheng, Xia Chaoqing, and Xia Chaofu.
[7]ExaminationsXia Yan placed sixth in the 1510 Jiangxi provincial examination, passed the 1517 Dingchou jinshi examination third in the third class, and was appointed xingren.
CBDBXia Yan (68194)The examination and office fields give the sixth-place provincial result, third place in the third class, and the xingren appointment.
Souyun夏言 (44784)The biography supplies the 1510 and 1517 dates, ranks, and initial appointment.
[8]Early Jiajing officeAt the beginning of Jiajing he held 兵科都給事中, and the suburban-sacrifice debate brought him to the emperor's notice.
CBDBXia Yan (68194)The office fields give 兵科都給事中 and its Jiajing starting year.
Souyun夏言 (44784)The biography explains that the suburban-sacrifice discussion brought him to the emperor's notice.
[9]Remonstrance officesFrom 1528 to 1529 Xia Yan moved through the military, rites, and personnel sections and advocated maritime restrictions and the return of seized property.
CBDBXia Yan (68194)The office fields list 禮科左給事中, 兵科都給事中, 吏科都給事中, and 兵科右給事中 with their recorded years.
Souyun夏言 (44784)The biography details the promotions and the proposals concerning maritime trade, the sea ban, and imperial-estate lands.
[10]Hanlin and rites officesXia Yan rose through Hanlin, Directorate of the Heir Apparent, and Ministry of Rites offices in 1530–1531.
CBDBXia Yan (68194)The office fields list the Hanlin, 少詹事, vice-minister, and minister of rites appointments.
Souyun夏言 (44784)The biography gives the dates, concurrent offices, Classics Banquet lectureship, fourth-rank emoluments, and 1531 promotions.
[11]Cabinet entryHe received additional heir-apparent and three-grand-preceptor titles and entered the cabinet in 1536 as Minister of Rites and Grand Academician of Wuying Hall.
CBDBXia Yan (68194)The office fields record 太子太保, 少保, 少傅, 少師, and 武英殿大學士 from 1532 and 1536 onward.
Souyun夏言 (44784)The biographies describe his cabinet entry with the Ministry of Rites and Wuying Hall grand academicianship.
[12]Chief grand secretaryIn the winter of 1538 Xia Yan succeeded Li Shi as chief grand secretary and enjoyed imperial favor.
Souyun夏言 (44784)The biographies state that he succeeded Li Shi as chief grand secretary in the winter of 1538 and was favored by the emperor.
[13]Dismissals and returnHe was dismissed in 1541, recalled with diminished favor, dismissed again in 1542, and returned to the cabinet in 1545; the accounts also phrase the last event as restoration to his former office.
Souyun夏言 (44784)The biographies describe the dismissals, recall, diminished favor, second charge, and the differing wording for the 1545 return.
[14]Conflict with Yan SongWhen Yan Song was chief grand secretary, Xia Yan issued memorial rescripts without deferring to him.
Souyun夏言 (44784)The biography says that Yan Song was chief grand secretary and that Xia Yan's rescripts did not defer to him.
[15]Character and alliesThe biography presents Xia Yan as upright, outspoken, and responsible but also self-assured and overbearing, in conflict with Zhang Fujing; Yan Song later removed his allies.
Souyun夏言 (44784)The biography gives the character assessment, conflict with Zhang Fujing, and removal of his allies by Yan Song.
[16]Hetao campaignIn 1547 Altan Khan attacked with 30,000 cavalry, Zeng Xian proposed recovering Hetao, Xia Yan supported him, and the emperor initially authorized planning and border funds.
Souyun夏言 (44784)The biography details Altan Khan's attacks, Zeng Xian's Hetao proposal, Xia Yan's support, the imperial order, and the border-repair allocation.
[17]RetirementYan Song opposed the frontier proposal and used Qiu Luan to accuse Xia Yan and Zeng Xian; Xia Yan retired in January 1548 on the stated charge.
Souyun夏言 (44784)The biography describes Yan Song's opposition, Qiu Luan's accusation, and Xia Yan's January retirement charge.
[18]Final crisisAfter the southern raid, Xia Yan learned at Tongzhou of Zeng Xian's execution, fell from his carriage, and cried that he was doomed.
Souyun夏言 (44784)The biography recounts the raid on Xuanfu, the accusation against Xia Yan and Zeng Xian, and Xia Yan's reaction at Tongzhou.
[19]Execution and variantXia Yan appealed for redress, officials sought clemency, the emperor refused, and the 1548 execution is described either as beheading or as public execution in the marketplace.
CBDBXia Yan (68194)The main person record places his death in 1548.
Souyun夏言 (44784)The biographies all describe his execution, with one using public execution in the marketplace and another specifying beheading and the clemency episode.
[20]RehabilitationIn 1567 Xia Yan's family petitioned for rehabilitation, restoration of office, and the posthumous name Wenmin.
CBDBXia Yan (68194)The alternate-name field preserves the posthumous name Wenmin.
Souyun夏言 (44784)The biographies describe the Longqing rehabilitation, restoration of office, and posthumous name.
[21]Literary reputationXia Yan excelled in ci, was compared with Zhang Xiaoxiang and Lu You, wrote broad and orderly poetry and prose, and became known for ci and qu.
Souyun夏言 (44784)The literary entries give his skill in ci, the comparison with Zhang Xiaoxiang and Lu You, the description of his poetry and prose, his prominence in ci and qu, and the Yellow Crane Tower episode.
[22]Collections and works《桂洲集》 has the alternative titles 《桂洲詞》 and 《桂翁詞》, 《鷗園新曲》 is a sanqu collection, and 《賜閒堂稿》 and 《南宮奏稿》 are also listed among his works.
Souyun夏言 (44784)The literary entries give the alternative collection titles, the sanqu collection, and 《賜閒堂稿》 and 《南宮奏稿》.
[23]Other works and lengthsThe works fields list the additional titles and their juan lengths.
CBDBXia Yan (68194)The works fields list all of these titles and mark five, twenty-one, one, twenty-seven, and fifty juan as applicable.
[24]Prefaces and literary relationsXia Yan wrote a preface for Tian Rucheng and academy inscriptions for Tian Rucheng, Cai Kelian, and Gong Yongqing; he exchanged poems with Liu Wenguang, and Wang Shizhen wrote his biography.
CBDBXia Yan (68194)The association fields give the preface, academy-inscription, poetic-exchange, and biographical relationships.
[25]Epitaphs and farewell textsThe association fields identify Xia Yan's epitaphs, spirit-way inscriptions, sacrificial text, and farewell poems or prefaces for the listed people.
CBDBXia Yan (68194)The association fields list the people connected with his epitaphs, spirit-way inscriptions, sacrificial text, and farewell poems or prefaces.
CBDB
