A Study On Wang Bangrui, The Ningxia Governor In The Ming Dynasty And His Collection Of Wang Xiangy

Wang Bangrui(1495-1561),named Weixian,whose pseudonym was Fengquan,was born in Yiyang,Henan(Yiyang County,Luoyang City,Henan Province).In the12 th year of Zhengde’s reign(1517),he was able to obtain Jinshi(a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations)and later held various positions such as the governor of Guangdezhou,the governor of Chuzhou,the director of the Wenxuan Department of the Nanjing Ministry of Personnel,the vice surveillance commissioner of the Shaanxi,the governor of Ningxia,the assistant minister of the Ministry of Personnel,and he reached the highest position as the minister of the Ministry of War.As an incorruptible official who regards the happiness of the people as his own happiness and regards the worries of the country as his own worries,Wang has achieved many results.Additionally,his eldest son,Wang Zhengguo,was able to obtain Jinshi in the 29 th year of Jiajing’s reign(1550)and reached the highest position as the assistant minister of Nanjing Ministry of Penalty,being upright and unyielding;Wang Zhengxiu,the fifth son of Wang Bangrui,was a Juren(a successful candidate in the imperial examinations at the provincial level)in the first year of Wanli’s reign(1573).He once served as the magistrate of Huguan County,Shanxi Province,and was loved by the people for his honesty.From farming to "securing an official position with Confucianism",and then choosing to live in Luoyi in the later period,the Heluo culture nourished his mind,and the classics enriched his thoughts.The twenty volumes of Wang Xiangyi Gong Ji handed down from generation to generation were collected by the eldest son Wang Zhengguo,and engraved by Second son-in-law Wen Ruchun.Wen Ruchun’s block-printed edition in the fifth year of the Longqing’s reign of the Ming Dynasty(1571)was stored in the Henan Provincial Library,Shanghai Library,the Library and Literature Department of "the National Palace Museum" in Taiwan,and "the National Library " in Taiwan,which recorded 351 poems,being divided into the Poems narrating events and travel records,the poems expressing aspirations and emotions,the poems senting to others and expressing farewell,as well as poems related to Ningxia;and 121 articles were recorded,which can be divided into six categories according to the genre and number of articles: Fu and eulogy,preface,documentary writing,sacrificial writing,inscription and miscellaneous writing.The poetries and articles are rich in content,diverse in style,elegant in wording and meaning,showcasing a strong realistic spirit and the idea of benevolence and love for the people.It also shows a tendency to advocate Du Fu in poetry and learn Historical Records in article.In addition to the literary appreciation value,these poetries and articles also reflect the situation of water conservancy,geography,frontier defense and natural calamities in Ningxia during the Jiajing’s period of the Ming Dynasty,which is still of important literature reference value for the local research of Ningxia.Though Wang Bangrui went through ups and downs in his official career,he always adhered to his original intention and was not afraid of treacherous officials.Whether serving at frontier fortress of the Ningxia or in the imperial court,he has nothing to be ashamed of the country and the people with his strong sense of righteousness.The consciousness of attaching importance to the integration of national cultures reflected in his body and the concept of the unity of the country and the family revealed in the sacrificial writings about mountains and rivers were also very valuable.Furthermore,a group of Henan officials represented by Wang Bangrui recorded the stories of Ningxia and admire the scenery of Ningxia with their own practical actions and literary works,and became the practitioners and singers of Ningxia,making contributions to the local development and cultural construction of Ningxia.