Song Lian, also known as Jing Lian, his ancestors were from Qianxi, Jinhua. It was not until Song Lian's generation that he moved to Pujiang. Song Lian was smart and had a strong memory when he was young. He studied under Wenren Mengji and was proficient in the Five Classics. Later he studied under Wu Lai. Soon, he studied under the Jin sect of Liu Guan and Huang Xu. Both of them highly regarded Song Lian and said that they were inferior to him. During the Zhizheng period of the Yuan Dynasty, Song Lian recommended him to be a Hanlin editor, but he refused to resign because his parents were old, so he went to Longmen Mountain to write books behind closed doors. More than ten years later, Zhu Yuanzhang captured Wuzhou and summoned Song Lian. At that time, Wuzhou had been renamed Ningyue Prefecture, and the prefect Wang Xianzong was ordered to open a county school, so he hired Song Lian and Ye Yi as teachers of the Five Classics. In March of the following year, due to Li Shanchang's recommendation, Song Lian, Liu Ji, Zhang Yi, and Ye Chen were recruited to Yingtian. They were appointed as Jiangnan Confucian scholars and ordered to teach the Taizi Jing, and soon rewritten the Daily Commentary. Song Lian was one year older than Liu Ji. Both of them came from Jiangnan and both had great reputations. Liu Ji was strong and bold, with a spirit of genius, while Song Lian regarded himself as a Confucian. Liu Ji made suggestions in the army, while Song Lian was appreciated by Zhu Yuanzhang for his literary talents and served as an advisor to Zhu Yuanzhang. Taizu once summoned Song Lian to explain the "Chun Qiu Zuo Shi Biography", and Song Lian commented: "The Spring and Autumn Annals are Confucius's book of praising good and criticizing evil. If you can follow it, rewards and punishments will be fair and moderate, and the world will be peaceful!" Taizu Yu Linduan Men, orally interpret Huang Shigong's "Three Strategies". Song Lian said: "With the second "Dian" and the third "Mo" in "Shang Shu", the great scriptures and Dharma needed by the emperor are already available. I hope you can pay attention to them and explain them clearly." Soon, the court discussed merits and rewards, and Song Lian again Said: "De
The world is based on winning the hearts of the people. If the hearts of the people are not solid, even if there is a lot of gold and silk, what is the use?" Taizu thought that everything he said was reasonable. In March, Lian of the Song Dynasty requested to return home to visit relatives, and Taizu and the prince both expressed their condolences and rewards to him. Song Lian wrote a letter to express his gratitude and sent a letter to the prince, encouraging him to be filial and respectful to his friends and to cultivate virtue and career. Taizu was very happy after reading the letter. He immediately summoned the prince and told him the contents of the letter. Taizu also personally sent a letter of praise and reply to Song Lian, and asked the prince to reply to the letter in return.
Song Lian then went into mourning because of his father's death. When the mourning period expired, he was ordered to return to Beijing.
In the second year of Hongwu (1369), Taizu issued an edict to compile the "History of the Yuan Dynasty", and Song Lian was appointed as the chief executive. The book was completed in August of that year, and Song Lian was awarded a bachelor's degree from the Hanlin Academy. In February of the next year, the Confucian scholar Ouyang You and others collected the deeds of the Yuan Dynasty and after the Yuantong Year and returned to Beijing. Taizu still ordered Song Lian and others to continue to revise the "History of the Yuan Dynasty", which was completed after more than six months. Taizu gave him gold and silk. That month, Song Lian was impeached for making mistakes in the previous court and was demoted to editor. In the fourth year, he was promoted to the Imperial Academy. He was convicted of failing to verify Confucius's rites in time and was demoted to the county magistrate of Anyuan. He was soon recalled and appointed as the head of the Ministry of Rites. In the second year, he was promoted to a doctor of praise. At this time, Taizu paid great attention to civil affairs, recruited dozens of Confucian scholars from all over the world, including Zhang Wei, and selected some of the young and talented ones, promoted them to editors, and allowed them to study in the Wenhua Hall in the palace, with Song Lian as their teacher. Song Lian has served as the prince's tutor for more than ten years. Song Lian will use etiquette to persuade the prince's every word and deed, and make him return to the right path. As for matters concerning politics and religion and the rise and fall of previous dynasties, Song Lian will definitely give up and say: "It should be like this, and It shouldn't be like that." Whenever this happened, the crown prince would accept it very seriously and humbly, and would always call Song Lian his master.
When Taizu cut the talisman to confer meritorious officials, he summoned Song Lian to discuss how to confer the fifth-class title. Song Lian lived in Dabentang and stayed up all night, citing precedents from the Han and Tang Dynasties, and selected applicable parts to report to the emperor. Later, when heaven repeatedly dropped nectar, Taizu asked if it meant disaster or auspiciousness. Song Lian replied: "The emperor does not receive orders from heaven, but from people. The basis of virtue is not auspiciousness, but benevolence and righteousness." This is why the "Spring and Autumn Annals" only recorded misfortunes, not auspiciousness." Taizu's cousin Zhu Wenzheng was convicted. Song Lian said: "Wenzheng deserves death, but please consider that he is your relative, and send him to a prison. It's better to be far away." When Taizu went to Fangqiu to offer sacrifices, he felt uneasy. Song Lian calmly said: "The best way to nourish your heart is to have few desires. If you can choose good deeds, you can have a peaceful mind and a safe body." After hearing this, Taizu continued. The praise is justified.
Taizu often asked Song Lian about the study of emperors and which books were most worth reading. Song Lian recommended the book "Extensions of the Great Learning", and Taizu ordered the contents of this book to be engraved in large characters on the corridor walls on both sides of the hall. Soon Taizu came to the West Corridor in person, and all the ministers were also present. Taizu picked out a section of Sima Qian's discussion of Huang and Lao's studies in "Yan Yi" and asked Song Lian to analyze it. After Song Lian finished speaking, Taizu said: "Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty indulged in the absurd theory of skills and changed the frugal style of Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty. The people were exhausted, and Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty still used severe punishment to supervise them. If you are a human being, If the Lord can govern the people with benevolence and righteousness, then heresies will not spread, and if the people are governed by schools, chaos will not occur, so punishment is not a priority." Taizu asked again about the fate of the country and the size of its borders in the three generations. , Song Lian answered in detail, and said: "Three generations have governed the world with benevolence and righteousness, so the country can have a long-lasting destiny." Zhu Yuanzhang asked again, "Three generations ago, what books did people read?" Song Lian replied, "In ancient times, there were no books. , and no one specializes in teaching knowledge. The monarch not only governs the people, but also has the responsibility of education. He sets an example, and the people naturally receive education. "Song Lian was once ordered to compose a poem about the eagle, which must be completed within seven steps. In his poem. There is a saying that "since ancient times, people have been forbidden to eat wild animals." Taizu said happily: "This is a very good advice!" Song Lian followed Zhu Yuanzhang and was always loyal. These are all examples.
In July of the sixth year, Song Lian was promoted to a bachelor's degree, responsible for drafting imperial edicts, studying national history, and praising good officials. He was ordered to revise the calendar with Zhan Tong and Le Shaofeng, and compiled the precious instructions with Wu Bozong and others. In September, official ranks and positions were assigned to casual officials. Taizu appointed Song Lian as the doctor of Zhongshun and wanted him to handle political affairs. Song Lian declined and said: "I have no other talents. As long as I can serve the emperor nearby, I will be satisfied." Taizu valued him more and more. In September of the eighth year of Hongwu, Song Lian followed the prince and the four kings of Qin, Jin, Chu, and Jingjiang to Zhongdu to lecture on martial arts. Taizu obtained a volume of the map "Haoliang Ancient Ruins" and sent it to the prince. He also wrote an inscription outside the map and ordered Song Lian to visit and explain it everywhere. The prince showed the map to Song Lian, and Song Lian explained it one by one and persuaded him accordingly, which was very effective in admonishing and admonishing the prince.
Song Lian has a sincere and cautious temperament. He has been an official in the palace for a long time, but he never attacks others for their faults. His residence was named "Wen Shu". If a guest asked about the situation in the palace, Song Lian would point out the word "Wen Shu" to him. One time, Song Lian was drinking with guests at home, and Taizu sent someone to observe secretly. The next day, Taizu asked Song Lian if he had drunk yesterday, which guests he had invited and what they had eaten. Song Lian answered truthfully. Taizu smiled and said: "You are right, you did not deceive me." Taizu summoned Song Lian to ask about the good and evil of the ministers in his free time. Song Lian just listed the ministers who performed well and said: "Kind people make friends with me." , I understand them, but I don’t understand those who are not good!" Ru Taisu, the principal, wrote a letter of more than ten thousand words. Taizu was furious and asked the courtiers for their opinions. Some pointed at Ru Taisu's letter and said, "This is disrespectful, slanderous and illegal." Taizu asked Song Lian, and Song Lian replied, "Ru Taisu is loyal to your majesty. Your majesty has just opened his mouth now, how can you do this?" How about giving him a serious crime?" Soon, Taizu read Ru Taisu's letter and felt that there were many merits, so he summoned all the court officials to question him, and called Song Lian by his first name: "If it weren't for Jing Lian, I was almost wrong to blame the person who wrote the letter." So Taizu praised Song Lian on the spot and said: "I heard that the best is a saint, followed by a wise man. Song Jinglian has served me nineteen times. He has never told a lie or ridiculed the shortcomings of others. He has always been consistent. He is not only a gentleman, but also a wise man." Whenever Song Lian came to see him in his spare time, Taizu would give an order. Set up a seat for tea. Whenever I see Song Lian in the morning, I always order a meal and entertain him. I consult Song Lian repeatedly, often talking about it until midnight. Song Lian did not know how to drink, but Taizu once forced him to drink three glasses of wine, which made him so drunk that he could not walk. Taizu was very happy to see him like this, and wrote a chapter of "The Songs of Chu" himself, and ordered his ministers to write it. "Poem of the Drunken Bachelor". Taizu once again mixed nectar into the soup, scooped it up and gave it to Song Lian to drink, and said: "This soup can cure diseases and prolong life. I am willing to share it with you." He also issued an edict. The prince rewarded Song Lian with a good horse, and then wrote a chapter of "Song of the White Horse" himself, and also ordered his courtiers to compose poems to accompany it. This is how Song Lian was favored.
In the ninth year, Song Lian was promoted to bachelor, and he was responsible for drafting imperial edicts and also praised good officials. The next year, Song Lian took up an official position. Taizu gave him the "Imperial Collection of Works" and silk silk. He asked Song Lian how old he was. Song Lian replied: "Eight in sixty." Taizu said: "If you use this silk If you keep it for thirty-two years, you can use it to make clothes for you when you are one hundred years old." Song Lian nodded and thanked him. Another year later, Song Lian came to visit him. In the thirteenth year of Hongwu, Song Lian's eldest grandson Song Shen was convicted of the Hu Weiyong case. Taizu wanted to put Song Lian to death. Because the queen and the prince tried their best to save him, he was resettled in Maozhou. Song Lian has a handsome appearance and a beautiful beard. His eyes are short-sighted but very bright. He can write a few words on a grain of millet. From childhood to old age, he has never been away from books for a day, and he knows everything about learning. Song Lian's writing style is honest and elegant, comparable to that of ancient authors. During the reign of the dynasty, Song Lian was entrusted with the responsibility for the ancestral temples in the suburbs, the ceremonies for the gods of the mountains and rivers, the court banquets, the rules and regulations of clothing, the tributes from the four descendants, the reward ceremony for labor, as well as the inscriptions and stone inscriptions of the great ministers. . Song Lian was repeatedly promoted as the first among the founding civil servants. Scholars and officials came to ask for poems and articles one after another. Even envoys from foreign countries who came to pay tribute knew Song Lian's reputation and asked Mr. Song many times about his daily life and physical health. Korea, Annan, and Japan even paid double the price for Song Lian's collected works. Scholars from all over the world call Song Lian "Tai Shi Gong" instead of his surname. Although Song Lian served Zhu Yuanzhang as a white-haired old man, his achievements and titles were not as good as those of Liu Ji. However, Song Lian made most of the rites and music of the generation.
The next year, Song Lian passed away in Kui, at the age of seventy-two. Governor Ye Yicong buried him at the foot of Lotus Mountain. King Xian of Shu admired Song Lian's name and moved Song Lian's tomb to the east of Huayang City. In the ninth year of Hongzhi (1496), Ma Jun, the governor of Sichuan, wrote: "Song Lian was a great scholar, whose works can be learned from others. He also assisted in the emperor's career and made outstanding achievements. However, he died in a distant garrison. It has been a long time. His tomb They have all been ruined, and I begged the emperor to show his sympathy and review." So, Xiaozong took the matter to the Ministry of Rites for discussion, restored Song Lian's original official position, and held sacrifices at the place where he was buried every spring and autumn. During the Zhengde period, he was given the posthumous title Wenxian.
Among Song Lian’s sons, the second son Song Wang Sui is the most famous. Song Wang Sui, also known as Zhongheng, was good at composing poems, especially calligraphy. In the ninth year of Hongwu (1376), because of Song Lian, he was called to be Zhongheng. Song Shen, the son of Song Lian's elder brother, who was from Shushe, was also a member of the etiquette class. Taizu tested Song Wang Sui and Song Shen many times, educated and admonished them, and said to Song Lian with a smile: "You educate the prince and the kings for me, and I will also teach your descendants." "Okay." Song Lian had difficulty walking, so Taizu always asked Song Wang Sui and Song Shen to help him. Song Lian's family, including father, grandson, grandson, and son, both served as officials in the inner court. Everyone thought it was a very honorable thing. Song Shen was convicted, and the king of Song was implicated. Both of them were executed, and their families were all moved to Maozhou. After Emperor Jianwen came to the throne, he recalled Song Lian's old learning of Xingzong, so he summoned Song Yi, the son of Song Wang Sui, to serve as an official in the Hanlin Academy. In the tenth year of Yongle (1412), Song Lian's grandson was implicated and convicted because he was a foreign relative of the traitor Zheng Gongzhi. Emperor Yongle issued an edict to pardon him