Chen Liang

Life

Gifted from childhood, Chen Liang had exceptional talent and a strong interest in military affairs. In his early years he examined the successes and failures of ancient military commanders, wrote 《酌古論》, and was treated as an honored guest by the prefect Zhou Kui. In the early Longxing era, when peace was made with Jin, Chen Liang alone held that it was unacceptable.

In the fifth year of the Qiandao era (1169), Wuzhou recommended him as its jietou, and he was admitted as a student of the Imperial Academy. After his submission of 《中興五論》 received no response, he returned home and devoted ten years to study and writing. In the fifth year of Chunxi (1178), he changed his given name to Tong and made six visits to the imperial court to submit memorials on current affairs, but ministers blocked his proposals; after Xiaozong's accession, he again submitted a memorial on restoration, without result.

Because of resentment against him, Chen Liang was imprisoned twice and emerged with his resolve strengthened. When Xiaozong sought to appoint him, he declined, crossed the river to return home, and took to daily drinking and grandiloquent talk, so that people regarded him as eccentric. In the fifteenth year of Chunxi (1188), he submitted a third memorial asking that the crown prince oversee the army and be stationed at Jiankang, so as to administer Jiankang, signal a determination to recover the north, and break with Jin; the proposal received no response.

In the second year of Shaoxi (1191), he was falsely accused and imprisoned a third time. His offices included chengshilang. In the fourth year of Shaoxi (1193), he placed first in the Presented Scholar examination and was appointed qianshu pan'guan ting gongshi in Jiankang Prefecture; he died before taking up the post, at the age of fifty-two. His posthumous title was Wenyi, conferred in the early Duanping era.

Family and associations

His family included his grandfather Chen Yi (陳益), father Chen Ciyin (陳次尹), mother Huang (黃氏), great-uncle Chen Chi (陳持), and clan kinsman Lü Zuqian (呂祖謙). His younger brothers were Chen Ming (陳明) and Chen Chong (陳充); his affinal relatives included his father-in-law He Hui (何恢), his wife's paternal uncle He Ke (何恪), her brother He Dabian (何大辯), and his son-in-law Wu Shen (吳深).

Chen Liang was on friendly terms with Zhu Xi. Their exchanges on learning involved extensive disputation, and in matters of learning they were as incompatible as ice and fire. He advocated a “learning of practical achievement” (shigong zhi xue), grounded in the ideal of statecraft and benefiting the people.

Works and literary achievement

His political essays were sweeping and forceful, while his ci poetry was bold and unrestrained. His writings include 《酌古論》, 《中興五論》, 《三國紀年》, 《龍川文集》, and 《龍川詞》; he also compiled 《歐陽文粹》. Other works listed under his authorship include 《伊洛禮書補亡》, 《伊洛遺禮》, 《新定志》, 《春秋屬辭》, 《通鑒綱目》, and 《類次文中子中說》.

The title 《龍川集》 is also used; its transmitted text is incomplete, and fourteen poems are now included.