Ming · Official and Statesman

Jian Yi 蹇義

c. AD 1363 - AD 1435

Passages
37
Chapters
1
Histories
1

Overview

Jian Yi was an official and Statesman.

PeriodMing
IdentityHistorical · Male

Other names

TypeEnglishChinesePinyin
Personal name Jian Rong 蹇容 Jian Rong
Courtesy name Yizhi 宜之 Yizhi
Posthumous name Zhongding 忠定 Zhongding

Life and dates

Death

Age

Attested activity

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Career and standing

Show 7 more source-backed claims

Places and affiliations

Learning and skills

  • Earned
    AD 1385 洪武十八年 · Credential Presented Scholar 進士
    Directly stated · mingshi:149:s0003a

Works and attributed material

Events and relationships

Show 1 more source-backed claim

Assessments and attributes

Source notes

References in the histories

37 passages

History of Ming, Chapter 149Volume 149 Biographies 37: Jian Yi, Xia Yuanji · 37 passages
Open chapter
蹇義，字宜之，巴人，初名容。洪武十八年進士。授中書舍人，奏事稱旨。帝問：「汝蹇叔後乎？」容頓首不敢對。帝嘉其誠篤，為更名義，手書賜之。滿三載當遷，特命滿九載，曰：「朕且用義。」由是朝夕侍左右，小心敬慎，未嘗忤色。惠帝既即位，推太祖意，超擢吏部右侍郎。是時齊泰、黃子澄當國，外興大師，內改制度，義無所建明。國子博士王紳遺書責之，義不能答。 Jian Yi, style Yizhi, was from Ba and was originally named Rong. He became a jinshi in Hongwu 18 and was appointed Secretariat Drafter, where his memorials pleased the emperor. The emperor asked, "Are you a descendant of Jian Shu?" Rong kowtowed and did not dare reply. Admiring his sincerity, the emperor changed his name to Yi and bestowed the written name in his own hand. After Yi had completed three years and was due for promotion, the emperor specifically ordered him to serve the full nine years, saying, "I am about to make use of Yi." From then on Yi attended the emperor morning and evening, cautious and reverent, never offending him. When Emperor Hui came to the throne, he inferred Taizu's intention and exceptionally promoted Yi to right vice minister of the Ministry of Personnel. At that time Qi Tai and Huang Zicheng controlled the government, raising major armies outside and altering institutions within, but Yi offered no constructive proposals. Wang Shen, a doctor of the Directorate of Education, sent him a letter of reproach, and Yi could not answer.