Song Wan's Life Story

Song Wan, born in Laiyang, whose styled name is Yushu and assumed name is Lishang, is a famous poet in the late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty. His father , Song Yingheng, director of Department of Achievement Examination of Board of Civil Office, died when Qing Army invaded Laiyang in 1643. Song Wan is the third son of Song Yingheng. In 1646, Songwan passed the triennial provincial civil service examination for the degree of juren held in Shuntian. After Song Wan passed the highest imperial examination held in the palace under the emperor's supervision in 1647, he was bestowed head of He'nan Department of Ministry of Revenue; in 1650, he was in charge of the tax collection of Wuhu; in 1651, he was removed to director of Department of Achievement Examination of Board of Civil Office and soon he was transferred to Shanxi and filled the post of Qianshi for Western Gansu; in 1657, he was promoted to the vice commander of Yongping; in 1659, he was ranked Canzheng of Ningshaotai of Zhejiang; in 1659, he was promoted to inspector of Zhejiang. In Wendeng, there was a bandit, named Yu Qi, who did great harm to the locality. Song Wan's clansmen were wronged in taking part in Yu Qi's riot and thus Song Wan was sent from Zhejiang to prison of Ministry of Punishments. After receiving thorough investigation, Song Wan was not found guilty and released in 1663. He was banished to Suzhou and Hangzhou and lived there for eight years without official ranks. Later, Song Wan filed a suit for his wrongness and cleared himself of false accusation. In 1670, he entered the Capital of Qing Dynasty; in 1671, he was ranked inspector of Sichuan and soon as Canzhen. In 1672, Song Wan caught an illness and he insisted on requesting an audience with the emperor. So Song Wan died in Jingshi, the capital of Qing Dynasty. Song Wan has three sons. Song Simai, his eldest son, was a student of Imperial College; Song Wan's brother, Song Wangfan, adopted his second son, Song Sibo; Song Sixie was his youngest son. Song Wan had a daughter who married Wang Chengming. .This paper collects Song Wan's life story, information on his teachers and friends and relevant historic materials into which he does the textual research and studies the following aspects:I. Approximately making clear Song Wan's life story. Identifying, interpreting and verifying some mistakes descended from history or problems not expounded thoroughly.II. Collecting and doing the textual research into Song Wan's making friends, on the basis of which making clear and arranging the life stories of the persons connected with him.III. On the basis of the above research and study, trying to display the historic background in which Song Wan lived.IV. Attaching importance to the collecting, sorting and comparison of relevant materials with an attempt to have them playing a fundamental role in the study of problems concerned.This paper is divided into the following two parts:1.Preface, used to display Song Wan's life story, thinking, literary achievement and woks.2. Body, used to do the textual research in and verify Song Wan's life experience and works.