Chen Lin (Han dynasty)

Chen Lin (陈琳 ; pronunciation ; c. 204-217?), courtesy name Kongzhang (孔璋), was an official, scholar and poet who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He was one of the "Seven Scholars of Jian'an". He later served as Military Advisor to Cao Cao.

Chen Lin
陳琳
Libationer and Military Adviser
(軍謀祭酒)
(under Cao Cao)
In office
c. 204 (c. 204) – ? (?)
MonarchEmperor Xian of Han
Registrar (主簿)
(under He Jin)
In office
? (?) – c. 189 (c. 189)
MonarchEmperor Ling of Han
Personal details
BornUnknown
Baoying County, Jiangsu
Died217
OccupationOfficial, scholar, poet
Courtesy nameKongzhang (孔璋)
This is a Chinese name; the family name is Chen.

Life

Chen Lin was from Sheyang County (射陽縣), Guangling Commandery (廣陵郡), which is located east of present-day Baoying County, Jiangsu.

He Jin

He started his career during the reign of Emperor Ling (r. 168–189) as a Registrar (主簿) under He Jin, the General-in-Chief.

In 189, He Jin wanted to summon military forces from outside the imperial capital Luoyang to pressure Empress Dowager He into agreeing to exterminate the eunuch faction. Chen Lin strongly objected to this idea and argued that "to act in this manner is no difference from lighting a furnace to burn a strand of hair". He Jin did not listen to him and ended up being assassinated by the eunuch faction, while the warlord Dong Zhuo took advantage of the power vacuum to enter Luoyang and seize control of the central government.

Yuan Shao

Chen Lin escaped from Luoyang and travelled to Ji Province, where he became a secretary of the warlord Yuan Shao, who became the Governor of Ji Province in 191. Chen helped Yuan write official documents. Around 199 or 200, Yuan asked Chen Lin to write a "declaration of war" against his rival, Cao Cao, who then controlled the Han central government and the figurehead Emperor Xian (r. 89–220). The piece of writing, called "Proclamation to Yu Province on Behalf of Yuan Shao" (為袁紹檄豫州), contained a list of Cao Cao's "crimes", insults directed at Cao Cao's ancestors, and calls for the people in Yu Province[lower-alpha 1] to rise up against Cao Cao (among other things). In 200, Cao Cao defeated Yuan Shao at the decisive Battle of Guandu.

Cao Cao

After Yuan Shao's death in 202, internal conflict broke out between his sons Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang over control of their father's territories in northern China. Cui Yan, whom both Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang wanted on their side, refused to help either of them and was thrown into prison. Chen Lin and Yin Kui (陰夔) saved Cui Yan.[1] In 204, during the Battle of Ye between Cao Cao and Yuan Shang, Cao Cao sent a messenger to meet Chen Lin and ask him to surrender, but Chen Lin refused and was taken prisoner after Ye city fell to Cao Cao.

Many people feared for Chen Lin as they thought that Cao Cao would execute him for writing the "Proclamation to Yu Province on Behalf of Yuan Shao". However, Cao Cao not only spared Chen Lin because he appreciated his literary talent, but also recruited him to serve as a Libationer and Military Adviser (軍謀祭酒) under the Minister of Works (司空).[lower-alpha 2] Chen Lin served under Cao Cao since then and helped him write official documents. He died in a great plague which rampaged through China in 217.[2]

Works

Chen Lin is survived by some of his writings, including literary yuefu written in imitation of current folk ballads, and he is considered one of the major exponents of this typical Jian'an poetry style, along with Cao Cao and others.[3] Cao Cao's son and successor, Cao Pi, ranked Chen Lin as what he termed the "Seven Scholars (子 zi) of Jian'an".[lower-alpha 3] The other six members of the "Seven Scholars of Jian'an" were Wang Can, Ruan Yu (阮瑀), Liu Zhen (劉楨), Xu Gan, Ying Chang (應瑒) and Kong Rong. In 218, the year following the plague, Cao Pi wrote a letter to a friend lamenting that Chen Lin and three other members of the "Seven Scholars of Jian'an" had died in the previous year.[4]

Chen Lin's surviving literary works include his literary yuefu poem, translated by Wai-lim Yip as "Water the Horses at a Breach in the Great Wall".[5]

Evaluation
  • Cao Cao has suffered from severe migraine for many years and even had a record of rolling on the ground with pain. One day, Cao Cao suffered from headache, and endured the pain to review Chen Lin's throne. Chen's wonderful writing made Cao Cao lose his mind and even forget his headache. After that, Cao Cao joked about this matter and praised Chen Lin's wonderful pen for curing his headache, which was later extended to the idiom "Wen Yue Toufeng" (文癒頭風).
  • Cao Pi, the author of canon theory, commented: "Today's literati, Lu Guo Kong Rong Wen Ju, Guangling Chen Lin Kongzhang, Shanyang Wang Can Zhong Xuan, Beihai Xu Gan Wei Chang, Chen Liu Ruan Yu Yuan Yu, Ru 'nan Ying Yang De Lian, Dongping Liu Zhen's official business: those who have seven sons will learn without leaving behind, and they will quit without false words. They are salty to win a thousand miles from themselves and keep pace with each other. It's also difficult to take this as a suit. 」[6]
  • Cao Zhi (also known as Prince Chen 陈王): "In the past, Zhong Xuan was alone in Hannan, Kong Zhangying flourished in Heshuo, Wei Chang was good at being famous in the green soil, and his official duties shook algae in the sea corner. De Lian made his fortune in Wei Dynasty, and his first step was to go to Beijing. At this time, everyone claimed to hold the pearl of the spirit snake, and every family claimed to treasure the jade of Jingshan Mountain, so our king set up Skynet to cover it up, and made eight efforts to cover it up. However, this number of children can't be recovered, but Feihan will disappear, and it will take thousands of miles in one stroke. With Kong Zhang's talent, he is not idle in Ci Fu, but he claims to be able to share the same wind with Sima Changqing. If he doesn't paint a tiger instead, he will be a dog. The previous book mocked it, and the anti-work theory praised his writing. I don't lose sight of the husband's clock period. Today, I can't sigh, and I am afraid of future generations. "[7]
  • At that time, Chen Lin's five-character poems were wonderful, and they were called "Five Lin and Seven Gan" (Chen Lin in five-character poems and Xu Gan in seven-character poems). He wrote famous works such as Shui Han Qu.[8]
  • Cang Hong: "Come on, Kong Zhang! The first step is conducive to overseas, and Cang Hong gave his life to Jun Qin. My son is entrusted to the leader, and Zang Hongce is named Chang 'an. The son said that he died and died, and the servant laughed at his life and death without knowing how to smell it. Alas! "[9]
  • Chen Shou: "Emperor Wen of the past and Chen Wang were respected by their sons, and they were good at literary talents. They responded with one voice, and talents and talents came out together, but six people, such as Qi, saw the best names." ("Three Kingdoms, Wei Shu, Wang Weier, Liu Fuchuan, Twenty-first")[10]
  • Wei Zhong: "Kong Zhang is really crude ... If it is one thing or the other, the non-disciples will fry their own paste with fat candles, which is not high, and there are reasons for it. However, the gentleman does not blame one person, but the Zhu lacquer, although it is not dry, is shiny and spectacular. "[11]
  • Liu Xi: "Xi Wen Zhuang Festival, in the Han season, won two people, Kong Wenju and Zang Ziyuan. Cao Zijian and Chen Kongwen are the heroes of Jian 'an, but they are still incomparable. "[12]
  • Yan Zhitui: "When Chen Kongzhang lived in Yuan Cai's book, he called it a jackal. In Wei Dynasty, it was a snake viper. At the time of your life, you can't be self-employed, but it is also a huge problem for literati, and you should take the news calmly. "[13]
  • Wen Tingjun: "I once saw the remains in the history of Qing Dynasty, and I drifted through this grave today. Word guest should know me if he has spirit, and bully is the only one who does not have the right to flow to you. Shilin buried the spring grass, and the bronze finches were desolate against the dusk clouds. Don't blame the wind, and want to learn the sword from the army. "[14]
  • Wu Rong: "Jizhou flies to be proud of heroes, but treats his words as his palace. I'll get the end of the pen. How can Jiuquan meet yuangong? "[15]
  • Wu bang: "among Jian'an philosophers, philology is the deepest. A few or three thousand words, with a very strange rhyme, are especially difficult to know. "[16]
  • Ni Zhijian: "Chen Lin, Ruan Yu, the Emperor Wen called them secretaries to express their talents, and Lin was especially cool. In the prose of the seven sons, Kong Rong can be compared with Wang Can, followed by Chen Lin; The rest are hard to beat." [17]
  • Lu Bi: "Chen Lin's knowledge of things coincides with Wei Wu's. What heroes see is roughly the same, and it is appropriate for Wei Wu to love his talents."[18]
gollark: All cool things are labelled with Greek letters. Do you want me to use the TWO CAPITALIZED RANDOM WORDS-style project codenames instead?
gollark: The project HIGHLY exists.
gollark: I'm busy working on osmarksproject™® 12912-KNEC-κφχ.
gollark: Of course not.
gollark: oh dear.

See also

Notes
  1. Yu Province, where the imperial capital Xu (許; present-day Xuchang, Henan), was under Cao Cao's control at the time.
  2. Cao Cao held the position of Minister of Works from 196 to 208.
  3. "Jian'an" was the era name of Emperor Xian's reign from 196 to 220.

References
  1. (及紹卒，二子交爭，爭欲得琰。琰稱疾固辭，由是獲罪，幽於囹圄，賴陰夔、陳琳營救得免。) Sanguozhi vol. 12.
  2. Watson (1971), p. 55.
  3. Watson (1971), p. 56.
  4. Watson (1971), pp. 48-49.
  5. Yip (1997), pp. 104-105.
  6. 典論作者曹丕評曰：「今之文人，魯國孔融文舉，廣陵陳琳孔璋，山陽王粲仲宣，北海徐幹偉長，陳留阮瑀元瑜，汝南應瑒德璉，東平劉楨公幹：斯七子者，於學無所遺，於辭無所假，咸以自騁驥騄於千里，仰齊足而並馳。以此相服，亦良難矣。」
  7. 曹植：“昔仲宣独步于汉南，孔璋鹰扬于河朔，伟长擅名于青土，公干振藻于海隅，德琏发迹于大魏，足下高视于上京。当此之时，人人自谓握灵蛇之珠，家家自谓包荆山之玉，吾王于是设天网以该之，顿八纮以掩之，今尽集兹国矣。然此数子犹复不能飞翰绝迹，一举千里。以孔璋之才，不闲于辞赋，而多自谓能与司马长卿同风，譬画虎不成反为狗也，前书嘲之，反作论盛道仆赞其文。夫钟期不失听，于今称之，吾亦不能妄叹者，畏后世之嗤余也。”
  8. 陳琳的五言詩妙絕當時，有「五琳七幹」（五言詩有陳琳、七言詩有徐幹）之稱。名篇如《水寒曲》等。
  9. 臧洪：“行矣孔璋！足下侥利于境外，臧洪授命于君亲；吾子托身于盟主，臧洪策名于长安。子谓余身死而名灭，仆亦笑子生死而无闻焉，悲哉！”
  10. 陈寿：“昔文帝、陈王以公子之尊，博好文采，同声相应，才士并出，惟粲等六人最见名目。”（《三国志·魏书·王卫二刘傅传第二十一》）
  11. 韦仲：“孔璋实自粗疏……如是彼为，非徒以脂烛自煎糜也，其不高蹈，盖有由矣。然君子不责备于一人，譬之朱漆，虽无桢干，其为光泽亦壮观也。”
  12. 刘熙：“遒文壮节，于汉季得两人焉，孔文举、臧子源是也。曹子建、陈孔璋文为建安之杰，然尚非其伦比。”
  13. 颜之推：“陈孔璋居袁裁书，则呼操为豺狼；在魏制檄，则目绍为蛇虺。在时君所命，不得自专，然亦文人之巨患也，当务从容消息之。”
  14. 温庭筠：“曾于青史见遗文，今日飘蓬过此坟。词客有灵应识我，霸才无主始怜君。石麟埋没藏春草，铜雀荒凉对暮云。莫怪临风倍惆怅，欲将书剑学从军。”
  15. 吴融：“冀州飞檄傲英雄，却把文辞事邺宫。纵道笔端由我得，九泉何面见袁公。”
  16. 吴棫：“在建安诸子中字学最深。几三千言，用韵极奇古，尤为难知。”
  17. 倪志涧：“陈琳、阮瑀，文帝称其为书记表章之隽，展其翩翩之才，而琳尤健爽。七子之散文，孔融可以比肩王粲，而陈琳次之；其余则难以伯仲矣。”
  18. 卢弼：“陈琳料事之明，与魏武不谋而合，英雄所见，大略相同，宜魏武之爱其才也。”

Further reading
  • Chen, Shou (3rd century). Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi).
  • Pei, Songzhi (5th century). Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi zhu).
  • Watson, Burton (1971). Chinese Lyricism: Shih Poetry from the Second to the Twelfth Century. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-03464-4.
  • Yip, Wai-lim (1997). Chinese Poetry: An Anthology of Major Modes and Genres'. Durham and London: Duke University Press. ISBN 0-8223-1946-2.
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