Yuán Shuōyǒu 袁說友 (1140–1204)
Zì Qǐyán 起巖. Hào Dōngtáng 東塘. Native of Jiànān 建安 (modern Jiànōu, Fújiàn); family resettled at Húzhōu 湖州 (Zhèjiāng). Lifedates 1140–1204, CBDB id 14881.
Jìnshì of Lóngxīng 1 (1163). Career: extensive; yánglì zhōngwài (extended-experience in court and provinces) for thirty years. As Sìchuān ānfǔshǐ (Pacification Commissioner of Sìchuān) in the 1180s, commanded his subordinates Chéng Yùsūn 程遇孫 et al. to compile Shǔ-region poetry-and-prose from Western Hàn through Chúnxī into the Chéngdū wénlèi in 50 juǎn — one of the principal Southern-Sòng regional literary anthologies. Under Níngzōng in the Jiātài era (1201–1204), held office to Tóngzhī Shūmìyuàn and Cānzhī zhèngshì. No Sòngshǐ biography (the Sìkù editors find this incomprehensible).
His policy memorials are particularly noted: the Lùn shǒuHuái yí yòng wǔchén (Defending the Huái should use military officials) and the Shǔjiàng dāng lǜ qí biàn (On the Sìchuān Generals — anticipate their treason) — the latter precisely anticipated the 1206 Wú Xī rebellion in Sìchuān, which broke out two years after Yuán’s death.
His prose-genealogy is in the Yuányòu surviving-tradition — he composed colophons on Sīmǎ Guāng, Hán Qí, Ōuyáng Xiū, Sū Shùnqīn, Sū Shì, Huáng Tíngjiān, Cài Xiāng, and Mǐ Fú. His ancient-style poetry is placed by the Sìkù editors at the level of Fàn Chéngdà 范成大 and Lù Yóu 陸游 — among the Sìdàjiā tier — making this an unusually high senior-poet evaluation.
Surviving in Kanripo:
- KR4d0245 Dōngtáng jí (20 juǎn, WYG; reconstructed from the Yǒnglè dàdiǎn — 7 poetry + 13 prose + partial jiāzhuàn).
- Chéngdū wénlèi 成都文類 (50 juǎn; commissioned anthology, separately listed in Jíbù zǒngjí).