Xi Shu

Family and examination career

His family included his great-grandfather Xi Sigong, grandfather Xi Xuan, father Xi Zuxian, mother Wu, younger brothers Xi Chun, Xi Shi, Xi Ji, and Xi Tuan, and wife Zhang. His younger brother Xi Chun died in 1536. Xi Shu was a shengyuan and a provincial tribute candidate; in the third year of the Hongzhi reign (1490), he passed the Gengxu jinshi examination, ranking 122nd in the third class.

Career

He was appointed magistrate of Tancheng in Shandong, entered the Ministry of Works as a principal clerk, transferred to the Shanxi Section of the Ministry of Revenue, and was promoted to vice director of its Henan Section. In Hongzhi 16, natural calamities and an earthquake struck Yunnan. After Vice Minister Fan Ying inspected the region, he proposed dismissing more than 300 officials below the surveillance commissioners; Xi Shu opposed the proposal, urged reform, and attributed the disasters to abuses at court, but the Hongzhi Emperor did not accept his view.

After the accession of the Wuzong Emperor, Xi Shu was sent out as a qianshi of the Henan provincial surveillance commission. In Zhengde 4 (1509) he became vice education commissioner in Guizhou; in Zhengde 6 (1511) he was promoted to right vice commissioner of the Henan Provincial Administration, and in Zhengde 8 (1513) to surveillance commissioner of Zhejiang. While in Guizhou, he selected students from the prefectures and counties and invited Wang Shouren, then demoted to the Longchang post station, to lecture; Yangming learning consequently gained renown. In Zhengde 9 (1514) he became right provincial administration commissioner in Shandong; in Zhengde 12 (1517) he moved to the right provincial administration commissionership of Yunnan, and the following year to left provincial administration commissioner in Fujian.

During the Chenhao rebellion, Xi hurriedly raised 20,000 troops for the campaign; when the army arrived, Wang Shouren had already suppressed the rebellion, and Xi returned. Not long afterward, as right vice censor-in-chief, he was appointed governor of Huguang; during his tenure he exposed the resident eunuchs Li Zhen and Zhang Yang for extorting more than 100,000 under the pretexts of sham tribute and imperial salt.

The Great Rites controversy and later years

At the beginning of the Jiajing reign, the Great Rites controversy arose. Discerning the emperor's intentions, Xi drafted a memorial and showed it to Gui E; Gui E approved it and submitted it together with Xi, who was consequently transferred from right vice minister of war to Minister of Rites. By memorializing in support of the Jiajing Emperor's designation of his biological father as huangkao, Xi became a central figure in the Great Rites controversy. From Jiajing 1 to 3 (1522–1524) he served as right vice minister of war; in Jiajing 3 (1524) he became Minister of Rites. Late in life he held the titles Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent, Junior Guardian, and Grand Tutor, and also served as a supervising official, superintendent, chief officer of the tribute examinations, and chief editor. He was bold in dealing with affairs and often made pointed remonstrances; his temperament was also considered partial and obstinate, and his advancement through the Great Rites controversy was disliked by contemporary opinion.

Associations and writings

Wang Shouren also wrote to him. Wang Ao and Hu Zanzong wrote prefaces for his books; Huang Wan wrote a sacrificial text, Shao Bao and Liu Chun composed farewell pieces for him, Zhan Ruoshui wrote prefaces to his poetry and prose, and Yang Lian also wrote to him. His works include 《大禮集議》, 《漕船志》, 《漕運錄》, and 《元山文選》. Other works include 《大禮集議纂要》 (six juan), 《元山春秋論》 (one juan), 《漕河志》, and 《鳴冤錄》.