Overview
Shen Wenji was an official and General.
IdentityHistorical · Male
Life and dates
Attested activity
Places and affiliations
- Polity Southern Qi 南齊 · Relation Served
Learning and skills
- Skill bo and flicking chess 簺及彈棊 · Level especially skilled
Works and attributed material
Assessments and attributes
- Assessment not learned but speech had literary color; praised for repartee · Mode historian-judgment
References in the histories
No matching passages.
Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 44Volume 44 Biographies 25: Xu Xiaosi, Shen Wenji · 13 passages
平東將軍吳郡太守文季、征虜將軍吳興太守西昌侯鸞，任屬關、河，威懷是寄。
General Who Pacifies the East and Administrator of Wu Wenji, and General Who Punishes the Barbarians and Administrator of Wuxing Marquis Luan of Xichang—their charge was like guarding the passes and rivers; authority and compassion alike were entrusted to them.
輙下禁止彪、琰、洵，思祖、文季視事如故，鸞等結贖論。」
I urgently order the detention of Biao, Yan, and Xun; Sizu and Wenji are to continue in office as before; Luan and the others are to be judged after discussion of commutation."
詔元蔚等免，思祖、鸞、文季原。
An edict dismissed Yuanwei and the others; Sizu, Luan, and Wenji were pardoned.
文季固讓會稽之授，轉都官尚書，加散騎常侍。
Wenji firmly declined the appointment to Kuaiji, was transferred to Minister of Justice, and additionally made Attendant Cavalier.
世祖謂文季曰：「南士無僕射，多歷年所。」
The emperor said to Wenji, "Southerners have had no Vice Director for many years now."
文季對曰：「南風不競，非復一日。」
Wenji replied, "The southern wind does not contend—it has not been so for a single day."
文季雖不學，發言必有辭采，當世稱其應對。
Though Wenji was not a learned man, whenever he spoke his words had literary color; his contemporaries praised his repartee.
豫廢鬱林，高宗欲以文季爲江州，遣左右單景雋宣旨，文季口自陳讓，稱年老不願外出，因問右執法有人未，景雋還具言之。
Taking part in deposing Yulin, Emperor Gao wished to send Wenji to Jiangzhou and dispatched his attendant Dan Jingjun to announce the edict; Wenji personally pleaded to decline, saying he was old and unwilling to serve abroad, and asked whether anyone had yet been appointed Right Director of Law; Jingjun returned and reported all of this in full.
明帝卽位，加領太子詹事，增邑五百戶。
When Emperor Ming took the throne, Wenji was additionally appointed concurrent Grand Tutor to the Heir Apparent, with five hundred added households in his fief.
尚書令王晏嘗戲文季爲吳興僕射。
Director of the Secretariat Wang Yan once teased Wenji as the "Wuxing Vice Director."
文季答曰：「琅邪執法，似不出卿門。」
Wenji replied, "Langye's law enforcement—seems not to come from your own gate."
建武二年，虜寇壽春，豫州刺史豐城公遙昌嬰城固守，數遣輕兵相抄擊，明帝以爲憂，詔文季領兵鎮壽春。
In the second year of the Jianwu era the northern enemy raided Shouchun; the Governor of Yu Province, Prince Yaochang of Fengcheng, held the city firm and repeatedly sent light troops on raiding strikes; Emperor Ming was troubled and ordered Wenji to lead troops to garrison Shouchun.
文季入城，止游兵不聽出，洞開城門，嚴加備守，虜軍尋退，百姓無所傷損。
Wenji entered the city, halted roaming troops and would not let them sally forth, opened the gates wide, and strictly prepared the defense; the enemy army soon withdrew, and the populace suffered no harm.