Biography of Zhang Yining

Name: Biography of Zhang Yining
ISBN: 9787520549257

中共古田基委宣传部 / 古田县张以宁文化研究会 / 郭祥回China Culture and History Press · ChinaAug 2025

2.6

Word count: 112K words
Chapters: 39
ISBN: 9787520549257

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Summary

Zhang Yining, courtesy name Zhidao, sobriquet Cuiping Shanren, a native of Gutian, Fujian, served in the Hanlin Academy under both the Yuan and Ming dynasties. His most important contributions in life: one examination (Chunqiu Chunwang Zhengyue Kao) to clarify the legitimate calendar; one discourse (Zhongshan Shuo) to fix the national capital; one mission (to Annam) to invest Annam; one poetry (the Minzhong school) to open a new path for Min poetry; and a lifelong promotion of upright spirit (never accumulating property). Zhu Yuanzhang's appraisal: (Harboring a spirit of loyalty and integrity, exerting the firmness of steadfast principle, the one who made goodness prevail was Yining.) This book traces Zhang Yining's life, focused on eight stages: birth and upbringing in Gutian, study in Ningde, travels across the land, magistrate of Huangyan, county magistrate of Liuhe, sojourn in Huainan, service in the Directorate of Education and Hanlin Academy, and his mission to Annam under the Ming.

Editor's review

Zhang Yining: A Biography is a thematic biography focused on the life and achievements of Zhang Yining, a renowned politician and man of letters of the late Yuan and early Ming. Compiled jointly by the Publicity Department of the CPC Gutian County Committee, the Gutian County Zhang Yining Culture Research Association, and the scholar Guo Xianghui, the book systematically traces the complete life trajectory of this native son of Gutian—from his youthful studies and service under the Yuan to his service under the Ming—and offers an in-depth analysis of his literary accomplishments and political contributions as "the foremost founding civil official." Compared with ordinary academic biographies, this book places greater emphasis on drawing on local cultural resources; through detailed textual research and a regional perspective, it vividly recreates Zhang Yining's choices and integrity amid historical upheaval. Its appraisal of his poetic and prose achievements, together with its account of his honest official conduct and his efforts to promote education and establish schools, not only has documentary value but also provides a concrete case for understanding early Ming civil governance policy. Overall, this is a work that combines regional cultural attachment with depth of historical research, written in plain prose and rigorously researched.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in the history and literature of the late Yuan and early Ming
Researchers concerned with Fujian local culture, especially Gutian's historical figures
Readers hoping to understand how ancient scholar-officials approached public service and scholarship
Readers inclined to explore the spiritual character of traditional Chinese intellectuals

Not a good fit for

Readers of popular works seeking light entertainment or novelistic narrative
Specialist scholars expecting highly theoretical or iconoclastic historical views

Reading tips

May be read alongside the relevant records in the History of Ming and Zhang Yining's original poems and prose for a fuller picture.
Readers may wish to attend to the turning points in his life and reflect on the rise and fall of individual fortune and steadfastness amid great historical change.
The book involves many historical-geographical and official titles; keeping a reference book at hand or using online searches will aid understanding.

About the publisher

China Culture and History Press China · Founded in 1980

China Culture and History Press has long devoted itself to modern and contemporary literature and culture-and-history reading matter, with publishing directions centered on classic works, social novels, prose and miscellaneous writings, and Eastern philosophy, alongside culture-and-history periodicals such as Zongheng. Among the more than 1,500 titles in the collection, representative books include Zhang Henshui's Ti Xiao Yin Yuan, Lu Xun's Complete Classic Works (10 volumes) and Wild Grass, and Lao She's Four Generations Under One Roof series and the boxed set of Lao She's Classic Works (10 volumes), while its author resources are concentrated on figures such as Zhang Henshui, Lu Xun, Lao She and Sima Qian. Its publishing character lies in solid editorial work on culture-and-history source texts and in issuing famous authors' works in sets, balancing the readability of individual texts with the systematic presentation of complete collections for focused reading and collecting. Beyond these directions, public information on the press's contemporary original publishing is limited, so it is not elaborated here.

版权信息
《张以宁传》编委会
序
第一部少年立志
地灵人杰毓英才
理学名士引路人
交游四方长学问
进士及第上青云
第二部县官善政
岩州缉盗民称颂
六合绿野尽开耕
科举滞选起风波
第三部淮南授徒
城隍庙记明礼制
庚辰南归身浮萍
淮南隐士多鸿儒
诗画人生交谊长
淮南八载此日回
泉州诗会领潮流
第四部大都任职
玉堂人诧笔如飞
凝心聚力倡忠君
木鸡老去德方全
进退荣辱唯义在
第五部入明为官
双星聚会振新风
定都金陵聚共识
元明闽诗开先驱
出使安南路迢遥
百载疑案斯人解
乡情亲情隔不断
太祖声声我以宁
附录
张以宁的《翠屏集》
张以宁年表
主要参考文献
张以宁宗脉简图
张以宁宗脉世系（略）
后记

FAQ

What is Zhang Yining's main historical standing?

Zhang Yining was an important civil official and man of letters of the late Yuan and early Ming; in the early Ming he was honored as "the foremost founding civil official," and his poetic and prose writings and his participation in codifying institutions had a foundational influence on early Ming civil governance.

What are the distinctive features of this book's compilation?

Led by a local publicity department and a cultural research association, the book integrates official historical sources with local documents and emphasizes a regional cultural perspective, offering a more detailed portrayal of Zhang Yining's formative environment and local influence.

How difficult is this book to read?

It is a historical biography with a certain academic character, requiring some familiarity with basic historical background. The language is plain, but it involves considerable historical detail and is suited to careful reading.

Comments

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About the author

中共古田基委宣传部 Author

The Publicity Department of the Gutian County Committee of the Communist Party of China is a publicity body under a local Party committee, which takes part in compiling and organizing local cultural materials under a collective byline. Public information about this body is currently limited, and the library holds only one work by it, namely A Biography of Zhang Yining. Zhang Yining was a literatus of the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties; the book is a biographical work that recounts his life and writings, combining local historical and literary compilation with an introduction to the life of a historical figure. Judging from its choice of subject, the body focuses on discovering and popularizing local historical figures, basing its writing largely on documentary sources to trace the subject's experiences in a plain narrative style, and serving local cultural publicity and the spread of knowledge. Owing to the limited materials available, its specific compilation background, editorial team and actual influence cannot yet be described in detail, and readers may learn more about its approach and narrative style from the main text of the book itself.

古田县张以宁文化研究会 Author

The Gutian County Zhang Yining Culture Research Association is a local academic organization dedicated to the collation and study of cultural heritage related to Zhang Yining. Judging from its form of signature, it is a county-level cultural research institution. Public information on its founding date, organizational structure, membership, and specific activities is limited, making a detailed account difficult at present. According to currently available information, the association participated in compiling the book Biography of Zhang Yining, which falls under the general category of biography and presumably covers Zhang Yining's life and writings, combining historical source organization with character commentary. As a local cultural research association, its editorial focus generally centers on the discovery, preservation, and popularization of regional documents, striving to make the deeds and contributions of local historical figures known to a wider readership. Although the association has produced few works, they reflect the practical role of grassroots academic efforts in transmitting local culture and offer a useful reference for subsequent related research.

郭祥回 Author

Guo Xianghui is an author about whom limited public information is currently available. His known work is a biography titled Zhang Yining zhuan (A Biography of Zhang Yining), which falls under the general category of biography. Based on the available information, Guo Xianghui's writing centers on the historical figure Zhang Yining, presenting the subject's life and related historical events in biographical form. Because only one work by this author is held in the collection, and no clear records of his life, native place, or professional background have been found, this note offers no speculative details. Readers interested in Zhang Yining and the historical context surrounding him may use this book to understand the author's narrative approach and organization of materials; more information about Guo Xianghui himself awaits fuller public documentation.