Zeng Gong

Zeng Gong (Chinese: 曾鞏; pinyin: Zēng Gǒng; 1019–1083), courtesy name Zigu (子固), was a Chinese essayist, historian, poet, and politician of the Song dynasty. He was a key supporter and writer in the Classical Prose Movement and is regarded by later scholars as one of the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song. Zeng was the most notable protégé of Ouyang Xiu, the intellectual and literary leader in the Classic Prose Movement.¹²

Family and early life

Zeng Gong was born in Nanfeng, Jianchang (modern Fuzhou, Jiangxi) to a scholarly family.³ He was a quick learner, read extensively, and was capable of analytical writings at age of twelve. By adulthood, he was widely recognized by his contemporaries. Ouyang Xiu, one of the intellectual leaders of the era, marveled at his essays.⁴

In 1037, at the age of eighteen, he moved to Yushan county (玉山縣, in modern Shangrao, Jiangxi) to accompany his father Zeng Yizhan (曾易占), who had been appointed magistrate there. Whilst in Yushan, he travelled extensively in its hinterlands and wrote a piece of travelogue titled You Xinzhou Yushan Xiaoyan Ji (遊信州玉山小岩記). The essay was divided into five sections. The first describes the geography of Yushan, followed by sections on the caves, rocks etc. Zeng's youthful descriptions show his vivid imagination and literary talent. In his twenties, Zeng Gong traveled throughout China, befriending the would be reformer Wang Anshi and later recommending him to Ouyang Xiu.

Official career

In 1057, Zeng Gong achieved a degree in jinshi together with fellow candidates and , and was appointed to a military post in the provinces. The next year, he was recalled to the capital and served in the Department of History - collecting and drafting documents. From 1069, he was appointed successively as the magistrate of Qizhou (齊州), Xiangzhou (襄州), Hongzhou, , Mingzhou (明州) and .