. He was a military household from Shaoxing, Zhejiang (now part of modern Shaoxing) and originally from Lishui County. Shen Lian was a political figure during the
, having passed the imperial examinations as a jinshi.
Biography
In the tenth year of the Jiajing era (1531), he placed 65th in the Zhejiang provincial examination, and in the seventeenth year of Jiajing (1538), he passed the palace examination as a jinshi. He was appointed magistrate of Lixian County but was transferred to Chaping County after offending an imperial censor. After his father's death, he resigned from office to observe mourning. Upon completing the mourning period, he was reassigned to Qingfeng County. He later entered the Jinyiwei (Imperial Bodyguards Command) as a clerk, and his superior Lu Bing was a friend of Yan Song. Shen Lian had an upright character and detested evil; he often sat with crossed legs and laughed arrogantly while drinking. He impeached Yan Song in the "Ten Crimes Memorial" and was punished with caning, then exiled to guard the Juyong Pass.
In the frontier region, Shen Lian continued to mock Yan Song and his son, which greatly angered Yan Song. In the 36th year of Jiajing (1557), Yan Shifan sent the censor Lu Kai and the governor-general of Xuanfu and Datong, Yang Shun, to conspire and eliminate Shen Lian. Coincidentally, White Lotus Sect members such as Yan Hao were arrested and confessed to several suspects, including Shen Lian's name. He was finally executed at the age of 51, along with his two sons, Shen Gun and Shen Bao.
Legacy
In the early years of the Longqing era (1567), the court issued an edict to commend those who dared to speak out. Shen Lian was posthumously promoted to the rank of Deputy Minister of the Guanglu Temple, and one of his sons was appointed to office. In the early years of the Tianqi era (1621), he was given the posthumous name Zhongmin, and a biography is included in the History of Ming.
Works
He wrote "Qingxia Ji" (11 volumes), "Nianpu" (1 volume). Other works include "Qingxia Shanren Ji" (5 volumes) and "Mingjian Ji" (12 volumes).
Family
His great-grandfather was Shen Bocai; his grandfather, Shen Qing; his father, Shen Bi; and his mother, Lady Yu. He had siblings: brothers Zhen, Tang, and E; and younger brothers Hao, Zhong, Yin, and E.
The story "Shen Xiaoxia Meets the Memorial of Departure" in the "Three Words and Two Slaps" describes his subsequent events.
"Guwen Guanzhi" includes Mao Kun's preface to "Qingxia Xiansheng Wenji".
References
• 沈鍊 (Chinese)
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Shen Lian (1497 - 1557), styled Chunfu, and with the courtesy name Qingxia. He was a military household from Shaoxing, Zhejiang (now part of modern Shaoxing) and originally from Lishui County. Shen Lian was a political figure during the Ming Dynasty, having passed the imperial examinations as a jinshi.