Li Shi

Life

His father was Li Mu (李楘; 1443–1509), his grandfather Li Pu (李溥), and his great-grandfather Li Rong (李榮); his mother was Bian (邊氏), and his wife was Zhang (張氏). His father and his son Li Tan (李坦) both held the jinshi degree, and his grandson was Li Hui (李鏸).

He was initially enrolled as a shengyuan (生員). At the 1495 Yimao Shuntian provincial examination he ranked 34th; in 1502 he passed the Renxu jinshi examination, ranking eleventh in the second class, after which he was selected as a shujishi (庶吉士) and appointed Hanlin Compiler.

During the Hongzhi and Zhengde reigns, he successively served as Hanlin Compiler, Reader (侍讀), Right Expositor in the Right Spring Ward (右春坊右諭德), Reader Academician (侍讀學士), and Lecturer (侍講). He also held appointments as an Expounder at the Classics Mat (經筵講官), compiler (纂修官), and examiner for the metropolitan and provincial examinations.

After the accession of the Jiajing emperor, he served as a court lecturer and was promoted to Reader Academician. In 1524 he became Vice Minister of Rites, but left office during mourning. After completing the mourning period, he served as Vice Minister of Revenue, returned to Rites as a vice minister and rose to Senior Vice Minister, and in 1529 became Minister of Rites and supervisor of the metropolitan examinations.

In 1531 he was granted the rank of Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent. Later that year, following Gui E’s death, he concurrently became Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Hall, entered the Grand Secretariat, and shared responsibility for government with Zhai Luan. He subsequently held grand-secretarial posts associated with the Wenyuan, Wuying, Jinshen, and Huagai halls. He became Minister of Personnel in 1532 and was successively granted Junior Guardian, Junior Tutor, Grand Tutor of the Heir Apparent, and Grand Preceptor of the Heir Apparent; in 1536 he was advanced to Grand Secretary of the Huagai Hall.

He also served as deputy chief editor, chief editor, and supervisor of the compilation of ritual canons, and read palace examination papers on three occasions, in 1532, 1535, and 1538. He was supervisor of the metropolitan examinations in 1529, an examiner for the metropolitan examination in 1508 and 1514, and an examiner for the provincial examination in 1519.

Political career and assessment

His guiding principle in the Grand Secretariat was quietude. Ceremonial measures generally originated with other officials and were brought to completion through his coordination; although he did not undertake major corrective action, his deliberations were rooted in benevolence, and court opinion regarded him as worthy. He was described as cautious and modest, and he spoke in defense of Wei Liangbi and Feng En.

Between 1533 and 1536, the Jiajing emperor repeatedly summoned him with Zhang Fuzing, Fang Xianfu, and Zhai Luan for excursions at the Southern Precinct and Xiyuan, ordered responses in old-style yuefu and seven- and five-character verse, and commissioned the rhapsody *Fengzhi jile fu* (《奉制記樂賦》). In 1536 he joined Xia Yan and Guo Xun on a boat at Xiyuan, answered imperial questions, and was given a banquet.

Documentary and literary connections

His tomb inscription was written by Wang Tongzu. He wrote epitaphs for Liao Ji and Shen Dongkui, while Wang Lidao, Huo Tao, Gong Yongqing, and Huang Xun wrote sacrificial texts for him.

He wrote spirit-way steles for Fei Hong and Tao Yan; Zhao Yong wrote his biography, while he wrote one for Fu Gui. Lü Nan and Yan Song supplied poems, records, or names for related buildings, and Gu Dingchen wrote an academy record.

He died in office in the seventeenth year of the Jiajing reign (1538); another account places his death in early 1539. He was posthumously granted Grand Tutor and given the posthumous name Wenkang.

Works

His works include *Nancheng zhaodui lu* (《南城召對錄》), in one juan, and *Weihua tang gao* (《薇花堂稿》); *Wenhua sheng ji* (《文華盛記》), also in one juan, is also associated with his name. The collection title also appears as 《藢花堂集》.