Yu Song

Yu Song (fl.234 - 280), courtesy name Shilong, was an official of the Jin dynasty of China. He previously served in the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period. He wrote the Qiong Tian Lun (穹天論), an essay on astronomy.[1]

For the Chinese judoka, see Yu Song (judoka).
In this Chinese name, the family name is Yu.
Yu Song
虞聳
Chancellor of Hejian (河間相)
In office
after 280 (after 280) – ? (?)
MonarchEmperor Wu of Jin
Administrator of Hejian (河間太守)
In office
? (?)–? (?)
Administrator of Xiangdong (湘東)
In office
? (?)–? (?)
Minister of Justice (廷尉)
In office
? (?)–? (?)
Colonel of Striding Cavalry (越騎校尉)
In office
? (?)–? (?)
Personal details
BornUnknown
DiedUnknown
Parent
OccupationOfficial
Courtesy nameShilong (世龍)

Life

Yu Song was the sixth son of Yu Fan,[2] an official who served under Sun Quan, the founding emperor of Eastern Wu, and under Sun Quan's predecessor, Sun Ce. His ancestral home was in Yuyao County (餘姚縣), Kuaiji Commandery,[3] which is in present-day Yuyao, Zhejiang. He was known for being honest, unpretentious and courteous.[4] While he was in Wu, he assumed the following appointments: Colonel of Striding Cavalry (越騎校尉), Minister of Justice (廷尉), and Administrator (太守) of Xiangdong (湘東) and Hejian (河間) commanderies.[5]

In 280, after Wu was conquered by the Jin dynasty, he went on to serve in the Jin government and was appointed as the Chancellor (相) of Hejian Principality (河間國). Sima Yong, the Prince of Hejian (河間王), had heard of Yu Song before and he treated him respectfully. Whenever he met and interviewed potential candidates to join the civil service, he did so in plain and simple buildings instead of in his office. Wang Qi (王岐), who was a friend of Yu Song's fifth brother Yu Zhong, tried to make things difficult for Yu Song by saying that elegant people possessed great talent. In response to Wang Qi's remark, Yu Song wrote to his nephew Yu Cha (虞察), "Those who recruit others to serve in the government had never ventured as far as into the countryside or society to search for talents. The ones who succeed are those they favour, while the ones who fail are those they do not favour. This is exactly what I always lament about."[6]

Yu Song also strongly disapproved of lavish spending on funerals. When his eighth brother Yu Bing died, he offered only a lamb and some food and wine as sacrifices at his brother's funeral. His family and relatives followed this practice.[7]

Family

Yu Song had 10 brothers.[8] Among them, the notable ones were his fourth brother Yu Si, fifth brother Yu Zhong, and eighth brother Yu Bing.

See also

References
  1. (虞喜族祖河間相聳又立穹天論雲：「 ... 」) Jin Shu vol. 11.
  2. (會稽典錄曰：聳字世龍，翻第六子也。) Kuaiji Dianlu annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 57.
  3. (虞翻字仲翔，會稽餘姚人也， ...) Sanguozhi vol. 57.
  4. (清虛無欲，進退以禮，在吳歷清官， ...) Kuaiji Dianlu annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 57.
  5. (翻有十一子， ... 聳，越騎校尉，累遷廷尉，湘東、河間太守； ...) Sanguozhi vol. 57.
  6. (... 入晉，除河間相，王素聞聳名，厚敬禮之。聳抽引人物，務在幽隱孤陋之中。時王岐難聳，以高士所達，必合秀異，聳書與族子察曰：「世之取士，曾不招未齒於丘園，索良才於總猥，所譽依已成，所毀依已敗，此吾所以歎息也。」) Kuaiji Dianlu annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 57.
  7. (聳疾俗喪祭無度，弟昺卒，祭以少牢，酒飯而已，當時族黨並遵行之。) Kuaiji Dianlu annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 57.
  8. (翻有十一子， ...) Sanguozhi vol. 57.
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