蕭子顯 (景陽)

Xiao Zixian 蕭子顯 (487–535, alt. 489–537, 487–537), zi Jingyang 景陽 (alt. Jingchang 景暢). Qi and Liang period writer.

Xiao Zixian's ancestral home was Nan Lanling 南蘭陵 (the Danyang 丹陽 area northwest of modern Changzhou, Jiangsu). He was the eighth son of Xiao Ni 蕭嶷 (444–492), Prince Wenxian 文獻 of Yuzhang, who was the second son of Xiao Daocheng 蕭道成 (427–482), the founder of the Southern Qi dynasty. Xiao Ni considered Xiao Zixian the most talented of his sons. In 493, Zixian received the noble title of Marquis of Ningdu 寧都 county. After the founding of the Liang in 502, he was demoted from marquis to viscount. During the early Liang he served in a number of minor posts including member of the section for outer troops on the staff of the Anxi General, administrator in the Ministry of Education, and administrative supervisor for the defender-in-chief.

Already in his youth Xiao Zixian displayed unusual literary talent. In his early twenties he composed a long poem, “Xong xu fu” 鴻序賦, which although no longer extant must have been an autobiographical piece similar to the “You tong fu” 幽通賦 (Fu on communicating with the hidden) by Ban Gu 班固 (32–92). This piece earned high praise from Shen Yue 沈約 (441–531). During this time Xiao Zixian examined all of the different histories of the Later Han and compiled his own Hou Han shu in 100 juan. This was lost before the Tang. Shortly thereafter he compiled a history of the Southern Qi which is now included in the standard histories.

From ca. 510 to 519, Xiao Zixian held the positions first of secretary on the staff of the crown prince Xiao Tong 蕭統 (501–531), and then magistrate of Jiankang 建康 (modern Nanjing). In 517, he began to participate in the feasts hosted by Emperor Wu (r. 502–549) on the ninth day of the ninth month in the imperial palace. The emperor always charged Xiao Zixiang with composing a poem for the occasion. Upon completion of the poem, he praised him as “a man of talent.”

Ca. 520 to 524, Xiao Zixian served as companion to Xiao Lun 蕭綸 (519– 551), prince of Shaoling 邵陵. He was Emperor Wu's sixth son. During this time Xiao Lun had charge of Southern Xuzhou 南徐州 (administrative seat Jingkou 京口, modern Zhenjiang, Jiangsu). Xiao Lun was irascible and engaged in various inappropriate and even illegal activities. Upon learning of his son's behavior Emperor Wu ordered him removed from his post. As a member of the prince's staff, Xiao Zixian was recalled to the capital. In his autobiography that he wrote at this time, Xiao says that “I returned in shame to the capital.” The shame he may have felt was his failure to admonish Xiao Lun.

Ca. 524 to 529, Xiao Zixian held a series of posts in the capital area, first as aide to the governor of Danyang 丹陽 (the capital district), director of the Secretariat, and chamberlain in the Court of the Imperial Clan. He also was assigned as an administrator in Linchuan 臨川 (modern Jiangxi). In 530, he returned to the imperial court as palace attendant. In 531 he was given the concurrent post of professor in the national university. In this capacity he presented a petition to the court recommending that one instructor and ten students be appointed for the study of the Xiao jing. He also requested to compile a collection of Emperor Wu's writings. He also wrote the Putong beifa ji 普通北伐記 (Notes on the northern expedition of the Putong period). This now lost work was an account of the Liang military campaigns against the Northern Wei during the period 520 to 527. In 532, Xiao Zixian was promoted to chancellor of the national university and also given the title of palace attendant. During this time he gave lectures in which he explained Emperor Wu's interpretations of the Five Classics.

On 4 April 533 Emperor Wu went to the Tongtai si 同泰寺 where he led a discussion for seven days of the Jinzi Mohe bore jing 金字摩訶般若經 (Maha prajñaparamita sūtra in golden characters). Xiao Zixian wrote a preface for the record of the lectures. In November of that same year he was promoted to minister of the Ministry of Personnel. In 535 (or according to some accounts 537), he was sent out as governor of Wuxing 吳興 (administrative seat Wucheng 烏程, modern Huzhou 湖州, Zhejiang) where he soon died at the age of forty-nine (according to some sources, fifty-one).

Xiao Zixian was arrogant and imperious, and boasted that he was on a peer with Song Yu 宋玉 (fl. ca. 319–298 b.c.e.) and Jia Yi 賈誼 (ca. 200–168 b.c.e.). For this reason many literati and officials detested him. However, he was quite skillful in ingratiating himself with the Liang court, including Emperor Wu himself. When Emperor Wu proposed to compile the Tong shi 通史 (Comprehensive history), which would make all other histories obsolete, Xiao Zixian flattered him by saying that his work was equal to that of Confucius himself. Remarks of this kind earned Xiao Zixian great favor from Emperor Wu and other members of the imperial family.

According to Xiao Zixian's biography in the Liang shu and Nan shi he had a collection of his writings in twenty juan. This was lost before the Tang. Yan Kejun includes only two of his prose writings in Quan shanggu Sandai Qin Han Sanguo Liuchao wen. Lu Qinli has collected twenty of his poems in Xian Qin Han Wei Jin Nanbeichao shi.

Xiao Zixian is best known as the compiler of the Nan Qi shu. His disquisition to the chapter on literature is an important source for early medieval literary thought. One of his original ideas is that writers should strive for freshness and novelty. He also postulated three categories of writing. The first, which derived from Xie Lingyun 謝靈運 (385–433), is written in an ornate and flowery style, but suffers from circumlocution, “slowness,” and lack of passion. The second, which he traces to the poems by Fu Xuan 傅玄 (217–278) on the five classics and the “Baiyi” 百一 poems of Ying Qu 應璩 (190–252), is written in a learned style with copious allusions. He faults such works for allowing bookish display to interfere with clear expression. The third style, which he attributes to Bao Zhao 鮑照 (ca. 414–466), contains startling language and novel expressions, but often to excess. Xiao Zixian preferred writing that was spontaneous, easy to understand, and not overly ornate.

Bibliography

Works

• “Wenxue zhuan lun” 文學傳論 (Disquistion on the chapter on literature)

DRK

《梁書 卷35》

子顯字景陽，子恪第八弟也。幼聰慧，文獻王異之，愛過諸子。七歲，封寧都縣侯。永元末，以王子例拜給事中。天監初，降爵爲子。累遷安西外兵，仁威記室參軍，司徒主簿，太尉錄事。

子顯偉容貌，身長八尺。好學，工屬文。嘗著《鴻序賦》，尚書令沈約見而稱曰：「可謂得明道之高致，蓋《幽通》之流也。」又采衆家《後漢》，考正同異，爲一家之書。又啟撰《齊史》，書成，表奏之，詔付秘閣。累遷太子中舍人，建康令，邵陵王友，丹陽尹丞，中書郎，守宗正卿。出爲臨川內史，還除黃門郎。中大通二年，遷長兼侍中。高祖雅愛子顯才，又嘉其容止吐納，每御筵侍坐，偏顧訪焉。嘗從容謂子顯曰：「我造《通史》，此書若成，衆史可廢。」子顯對曰：「仲尼贊《易》道，黜《八索》，述職方，除《九丘》，聖制符同，復在茲日。」時以爲名對。三年，以本官領國子博士。高祖所制經義，未列學官，子顯在職，表置助教一人，生十人。又啟撰高祖集，並《普通北伐記》。其年遷國子祭酒，又加侍中，於學遞述高祖《五經義》。五年，遷吏部尚書，侍中如故。

子顯性凝簡，頗負其才氣。及掌選，見九流賓客，不與交言，但舉扇一撝而已，衣冠竊恨之。然太宗素重其爲人，在東宮時，每引與促宴。子顯嘗起更衣，太宗謂坐客曰：「嘗聞異人間出，今日始知是蕭尚書。」其見重如此。大同三年，出爲仁威將軍、吳興太守，至郡未幾，卒，時年四十九。詔曰：「仁威將軍、吳興太守子顯，神韻峻舉，宗中佳器。分竹未久，奄到喪殞，惻愴於懷。可贈侍中、中書令。今便舉哀。」及葬請諡，手詔「恃才傲物，宜諡曰驕」。

子顯嘗爲《自序》，其略云：「余爲邵陵王友，忝還京師，遠思前比，卽楚之唐、宋，梁之嚴、鄒。追尋平生，頗好辭藻，雖在名無成，求心已足。若乃登高自極，臨水送歸，風動春朝，月明秋夜，早雁初鷪，開花落葉，有來斯應，每不能已也。前世賈、傅、崔、馬、邯鄲、繆、路之徒，並以文章顯，所以屢上歌頌，自比古人。天監十六年，始預九日朝宴，稠人廣坐，獨受旨云：『今雲物甚美，卿得不斐然賦詩。』詩旣成，又降帝旨曰：『可謂才子。』餘退謂人曰：『一顧之恩，非望而至。遂方賈誼何如哉？未易當也。』每有製作，特寡思功，須其自來，不以力構。少來所爲詩賦，則《鴻序》一作，體兼衆制，文備多方，頗爲好事所傳，故虛聲易遠。」

子顯所著《後漢書》一百卷，《齊書》六十卷，《普通北伐記》五卷，《貴儉傳》三十卷，文集二十卷。

二子序、愷，並少知名。