Qiu Jun

Timeline

1. 1421–1470Qiongshan · Qionzhou PrefectureBorn in Qiongshan in the nineteenth year of Yongle, he lost his father young and, poor, borrowed books to study hard. He placed first in the Guangdong provincial exam in the ninth year of Zhengtong, became a jinshi in the fifth year of Jingtai, was selected as a shijishi and appointed compiler, contributing to the Huanyu Tongzhi, later promoted to lecturer and taking part in the Veritable Records of Emperor Yingzong. His move from a frontier scholar to a Hanlin post laid the documentary foundation for his later statecraft writings.
2. c. 1470–1487Imperial Academy in the capital · ZhiliIn the Chenghua era he was promoted to Rector of the Imperial Academy, in charge of its teaching, and concurrently Vice Minister of Rites. Noting that Zhen Dexiu's Daxue Yanyi was detailed on investigating things and sincerity but thin on governing the state, he drew broadly on histories and gazetteers to compile the 160-juan Daxue Yanyi Bu, presented in the twenty-third year of Chenghua. Divided into sections such as rectifying the court, strengthening the state's foundations, managing state finances, and strict military preparedness, it is one of the Ming's most important statecraft compendia.
3. 1487–1495Wenyuan Pavilion in the capital · ZhiliAfter Xiaozong ascended, Qiu Jun was promoted to Minister of Rites, directed the Household of the Heir Apparent, and served as deputy editor of the Veritable Records of Emperor Xianzong. When the records were completed in the fourth year of Hongzhi he was made Grand Secretary of Wenyuan Pavilion and joined in deliberating state affairs, setting a precedent for a minister entering the cabinet; in the seventh year he advanced to Minister of Revenue concurrently Grand Secretary of Wuying Hall. He asked that items of the Daxue Yanyi Bu be put into practice, repeatedly petitioned to retire for age and illness without permission, died in office in the eighth year, was posthumously raised to Grand Tutor, and given the name Wenzhuang.