Cao Yuanyong

Cao Yuanyong

Cao Yuanyong (1268-1330), Zi Zhen. His ancestral home was Yanggu Acheng (now Yanggu, Li village, Zhifang Town, Jiaxiang County), and later moved to Wenshang. Yuan Dynasty minister, Qinghe yuan Mingshan, Jinan Zhang yanghao and known as "three Jun".

His father, Cao Zongfu, was the official of Deqing County. In his early years, he moved with his family to Dazhang Village (now Liangbaosi Town, Jiaxiang County). When I was a child, I was fond of reading books. I was especially good at the book of changes and the spring and Autumn Annals. I read every night and I often couldn't sleep. Later, he served as a Confucian scholar in Zhenjiang road. In Dadu, he was appreciated by Yan Fu, the academician of the Imperial Academy, and served as the official of Yushitai. Yanyou six years (1319), for the Taichang etiquette courtyard experience.

Yuan Wenzong died in the second year of Tianli (1330) and presented it to Zhengfeng doctor, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provincial counsellor, garrison, and Dongping Duke. Posthumous title "Literature". There are 40 volumes of poetry anthology, named "transcendence anthology",

Life of the characters

He is fond of reading

Cao Yuan's ancestral home was Acheng, and later moved to Wenshang. Cao Yuan is intelligent and cheerful. He is good at reading and never forgets. He reads every night and often stays up all night. His father was afraid that he would get sick and stopped him, but he covered the window with his clothes and read silently in the room.

Top three

Cao Yuanyong began to be a Confucian scholar in Zhenjiang Road, and after passing the examination, he toured the capital. Yan Fu, who was appointed by the Hanlin Imperial Academy, seldom praised the scholars from all over the world. When he saw Yuanyong, he showed Cao Yuanyong the articles he had written. Cao Yuanyong immediately pointed out the problems. Yan Fu thought that Cao Yuanyong was a genius and recommended him as the editor of the Hanlin Academy of national history. Cao Yuanyong thought that the officials of the National Academy of history were incompetent, so he asked them to be appointed after the test.

Cao Yuanyong didn't learn how to handle official affairs, but he had a clear judgment on some things. The officials of Yushitai asked him for advice instead. He became a member of the right division of Zhongshu Province, and was also called "three Jun" together with Yuan Mingshan of Qinghe and Zhang yanghao of Jinan.

Later, he was appointed to the Hanlin script, and then transferred to the Ministry of rites. At that time, after the death of the Empresses of all dynasties, they were still called by their names without posthumous titles. Cao Yuanyong thought: "if the empress is the mother of the world, how can we directly call her by her name? We should add a beautiful title to carry forward her virtue." He was transferred to the governor of Shangshu province and became a member of yuanwailang. After the abolition of Shangshu Province, he retired to Rencheng and lived there for a long time. Many scholars in Qi and Lu studied from him.

Career experience

In the sixth year of Yanyou's reign (1319), he was given the experience of Taichang ceremonial hall. He suggested that Prince shuodebala personally participate in the sacrificial ceremony and be careful in the ritual music. The etiquette, guard of honor, chariots and horses, clothing and other systems that shuodebala personally presided over were all ruled by him. It turns out that the Nine Emperors of the imperial temple were worshipped in different rooms, but they were all sacrificed in one hall.

After the death of emperor Renzong of the Yuan Dynasty, there was no room in the hall for offering, so he took a room in front of the Wu clan. Emperor yuanyingzong went to Beijing to summon officials to discuss the matter. Cao Yuanyong thought that the main hall should be built before the original hall, with 15 rooms inside. Yuan Yingzong thought it was very good. Cao Yuanyong was granted the imperial system and moved to be a direct bachelor.

In August 1323, Tieshi assassinated yuanyingzong. The traitor Chijin tiemu'er suddenly came to the capital, seized the official seals and called the scholars of the two academies to go north. Yuan Yong did not go alone, and claimed: "this extraordinary change, I would rather die than yield." Soon, the coup ended in failure. People said that Cao Yuanyong had foresight.

Do one's best

In the second year of TAIDING (1325), the imperial court granted Cao Yuanyong the title of Prince zanshan. Later, he became the Minister of rites, the official of Jingyan, and the official of rectifying rites in the grand assembly. When he retired, he ordered him to retreat in order, and there was no case of rushing out. He thought that Taiyi, Yifeng, Jiaofang and other officials should not be included in the regular class, but should form their own. These suggestions were adopted. The prime minister planned to abolish the imperial examination system, but Cao Yuanyong objected: "the country's cultural administration is going to use this system, how can it be abolished?" Some people suggest that the sacrifice to the temple should be reduced from four seasons to winter. Cao Yuanyong said, "the sacrifice to the temple is the sacrifice of four seasons. It's the most important thing in the classic etiquette. How can we abolish benefits because of stinginess?"

In the summer of 1326, there was a solar eclipse, an earthquake and a star change. Sun tiemu'er ordered his officials to discuss the strategy of eliminating natural disasters. Cao Yuanyong proposed that the way to avoid natural disasters is not to talk empty words, but to be practical, that is, to implement the policy of virtue. To be specific, it is to save all expenses that should not be spent, select the wise and able to keep orders for all places, provide for the poor, offer sacrifices to heaven and earth, prohibit Buddhism, stop unnecessary production in order to reduce the burden of the people, and cautiously implement rewards and punishments in order to encourage and punish the people. All these opinions are practical and clear up the political malpractice at that time. He also talked about the method of selecting scholars in the imperial examination. He thought that the impostor should be eliminated and the examination should be carried out strictly, so that people with real talents and practical learning can be appointed. These opinions were affirmed by the imperial court. He was a doctor of Zhongfeng, a scholar of Hanlin and an official of Jingyan, and participated in compiling the records of Renzong and Yingzong dynasties. He also compiled the order of Ji Jia as Tongzhi and translated Zhenguan Zhengyao of Tang Dynasty into Mongolian language. These books became popular after they were compiled. All the imperial edicts and orders were drafted by Yuan Yong. In Wenzong's time, he drafted the imperial edict of leniency, which was praised by yesun tiemu'er and granted gold to weave brocade.

In the second year of Tianli (1329), Cao Yuanyong, on behalf of the emperor, went to the Confucius Temple in Qufu to hold a sacrifice. When he came back, he presented the statue of Confucius and the memorial notes written by him. Yuan Wenzong was very happy. At that time, the Deputy envoy of Taixi Zong's Academy was in short position. Zhongshu shangzao asked Cao Yuanyong to take the post, but yuanwenzong refused, saying: "he is an indispensable one among the academicians of Hanlin academy, so we should appoint him on important matters." When Cao Yuanyong died, the emperor mourned for a long time and told his courtiers, "Cao Yuanyong has done his best. Now that he is dead, he should give five thousand yuan (one thousand Wen) notes." He was also posthumously granted the title of official of Zhengfeng, provincial counsellor of Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, protector of the army, Duke of Dongping county. Jining City taibailou, Qufu Confucius Temple, Zoucheng Meng temple, there are their writing steles.

Historical evaluation

Emperor Wenzong of the Yuan Dynasty: Cao Zizhen was loyal to Xuanli.

Song version: strongly advocated the country's cultural administration, strict examination, reform of recklessness, only talent.

Dai Biaoyuan: it belongs to CI Zhuang and Qu Zhijie, and it is also the core of Zuo ban to analyze Xun and Meng Zhida.

personal works

member of family

Descendants: Cao Wei, Cao Yi

Tomb discovery

In the autumn of 1974, members of Shilin Brigade (now belonging to Tongzhuang commune) of Liangbaosi commune in Jiaxiang County dug a canal in the farmland construction. Two meters to the west of the village, the epitaphs of Cao Yuanyong and his wife Guo were unearthed.

In October 1981, members of the commune discovered carbon deposits at the above-mentioned location and exposed the top of the tomb. In order not to damage the tomb, on May 22, 1982, with the cooperation of Jiaxiang County Office of cultural administration, Jining District of Shandong Province sent people to carry out on-site investigation and emergency cleaning. The tomb is located in the west of Shilin village, Tongzhuang commune, Jiaxiang County, about 5km away from the Beijing Hangzhou canal in the East and 6km away from sangkeji brigade in the south.

Chinese PinYin : Cao Yuan Yong