The Foremost Minister-Scholar

The Foremost Minister-Scholar: A Biography of Song Lian, through chapters such as "Qianxi in Jinhua," "Linxi in Pujiang," and "The Yingtian Years," comprehensively chronicles the life of Song Lian, the "foremost minister-scholar of the founding era" of the Ming Dynasty. The book details his impoverished youth and diligent studies, his mentorship under great Confucian scholars, his seclusion and scholarly writing in the late Yuan Dynasty, and his recruitment by Zhu Yuanzhang in the early Ming to lecture the crown prince on the classics. It traces his rise to the position of Hanlin Academician Recipient of Edicts, his role as chief editor of the History of the Yuan Dynasty, and his part in formulating the court's rituals, music, and institutions. The biography also analyzes his literary, historical, and philosophical thoughts, weaving in discussions of famous essays like "Preface to Ma Sheng of Dongyang" to illustrate the erudition and loyal, upright character that earned him the title "foremost minister-scholar." It also recounts the tragic end of his life-exiled and fallen ill on the journey due to implication in the Hu Weiyong case. Solidly researched and balancing academic rigor with readability, this book is an essential biography for understanding Song Lian's life and the culture and politics of the early Ming Dynasty.¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ "¿¿¿¿""¿¿¿¿""¿¿¿¿" ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ "¿¿¿¿¿¿" ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ "¿¿¿¿" ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿

Pagina's: 348, Editie: Unabridged, Paperback, ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿