Song Qi

Song Qi (998–1061), courtesy name Zijing, was a native of Anlu in Anzhou who later moved to Yongqiu in Kaifeng. A writer and historian of the Northern Song dynasty, he and his elder brother Song Xiang were known as the "Two Songs." He passed the imperial examination in the second year of the Tiansheng era and rose to the posts of Hanlin Academician Recipient of Edicts and Minister of Works. His writings span history and literature: he co-compiled the New Book of Tang with Ouyang Xiu and others as a principal contributor, and also wrote the Song Jingwen gong biji and the Yibu fangwu lüeji, while taking part in work related to the Old Book of Tang, covering both historical reading and ancient documents. His poetry and prose were praised as polished and elegant, and for the line "red apricot branches burst with spring," he was known as the "Red Apricot Minister." Five of his works are collected here, covering history, poetry, and literary appreciation, offering a glimpse of Northern Song letters and history. Because sources on his birth and death years are limited, some biographical details await further verification.