Thursday 11 December 2008

Pictures of Lord Chen Wen Long (水部尚書陳文龍)





Chen Wen Long (陳文龍), actual name known as Chen Zi Long (陳子龍). The name Wen Long was given to him by Song Emperor after Zi Long got the first position in the Imperial Examination.

Chen Wen Long, born in AD1232 (Southern Song Dynasty Period 生于南宋時期) on the 16th Day of Lunar 2 Month (農曆二月十六日). Hometown in China Hokkien Province, Fu Zhou City, Pu Tian Area, Yu Hu Village (中國福建莆田玉湖村人).

Since young, with the Upright Teaching from his father, Chen Wen Long had learnt about the importance of Loyalty and Forgiving. And with his knowledge of the Good Teachings, Chen Wen Long was being selected as the First Position in the Imperial Examination.

After Chen Wen Long got the appointment, he was being bestowed with another higher Position of Jian Cha Yu Shi (監察御史) aka Officer of Recording the Tasks and Behavior of all other Officers in the Imperial Court.

Due to his Position and Task, one year after he was being bestowed, Chen Wen Long was being framed by one of the Evil Officer known as Jia Shi Dao (賈似道) and was being sent to Fu Zhou (撫州) by the Song Emperor.

Soon after Chen Wen Long being sent to Fu Zhou, the Yuan Armies invaded Song Empire and within a short period, the whole Song Empire entered a chaotic situation.

After one of the close-related-Officers of the Song Emperor surrendered to the Yuan Armies (元軍), the Song Emperor regretted of sending Chen Wen Long off after listening to Jia Shi Dao’s unrealistic comments, and so, while General Zhang Shi Jie (張世杰) & Lu Xiu Fu (陸秀夫) requested to form a new batch of Battling Force, Song Emperor asked Zhang Shi Jie & Lu Xiu Fu to summon Chen Wen Long back.

AD1276, Chen Wen Long was being summoned back and immediately after he returned to the Battling Force of Song Empire, Chen Wen Long was being appointed to fight in the first round and with his trained Battling Skill, he returned with Victory.

Upon defeated by the Song Empire, Yuan Armies started to recruit more manpower, within weeks, Yuan Armies’ strength was added. In order not to get captured by the Yuan Armies, Zhang Shi Jie & Lu Xiu Fu had to protect the Song Emperor to another area and Chen Wen Long was being ordered to stay guard at Fu Zhou City (福州市).

Soon after the Yuan Armies arrived at Fu Zhou, the Yuan Armies surround Fu Zhou City for quite a long period. With the long period of surrounding, the food supply in Fu Zhou City ran-out and so, the Armies that were in Fu Zhou City had to suffer from hunger. In order to keep the Unity of the Armies going, Chen Wen Long wrote a Couplet and hung it up on the City Gate.

The Couplet goes like this:

生為宋朝臣。死為宋朝鬼。
Born as an Officer of Song Imperial and Die as a Soul of Song Empire

After Chen Wen Long raised the Couplet onto the City Gate, his subordinates were moved and more respect was given to Chen Wen Long. This applies to the Yuan Armies too.

Soon, the Yuan Armies broke into Fu Zhou City, Chen Wen Long and his family was captured by the Yuan Armies. Upon the captured, Chen Wen Long was forced to surrender to the Yuan Empire, with his Loyalty, Chen Wen Long rejected.

Due to his stubborn-ness, the Yuan Commander suggested to send Chen Wen Long and his family back to the Yuan Imperial Court for the Yuan Emperor to persuade him surrendered.

On the way to the Yuan Empire, the sending troop pass-by the Temple of General Yue Fei (岳飛 after Yue Fei being executed, the commoners built a Temple for him). Just at the moment where Chen Wen Long reached the main entrance of the Temple, Chen Wen Long requested to pay a respect to Yue Fei in the Temple and the Yuan Armies accepted his request.

Upon entering into the Temple, Chen Wen Long wrote a Poem on the Wall of the Temple hinting that he would be going on hunger till he died (as not to surrender to the Yuan Empire). After knowing the Strong-will of Chen Wen Long, his family followed will.

AD1277, on the 12th Day of Lunar 12 Month (農曆十二月十二日), before Chen Wen Long and his family arrived at the territory of Yuan Empire, Chen Wen Long pass-away of hunger. And at that time, he was only 46 years old.

Soon, this piece of tragic news was being sent to the Song Emperor. Upon getting the news, Song Emperor bestowed Chen Wen Long with the title of Zhong Su Gong (忠肅公).

After years of Battling, Yuan Empire took over the ruling of China. During the Yuan Period, a few Temples dedicating to Chen Wen Long were built to memory the Credits and Merits of him.

AD1368, after Ming Emperor Zhu Yuan Zhang (明朝太祖朱元璋) ascended the throne, Emperor Zhu bestowed Chen Wen Long with an Official title of Shui Bu Shang Shu (水部尚書) aka Lord Officer of the Waterly Department.

After the bestowing of the title, Ming Empire started to honour Chen Wen Long as the Deity of Waterly Realm, whenever the Imperial Court sent someone out to sea, the person or the group were needed to pay respect to Lord Chen Wen Long before they set off.

4 comments:

  1. 水部尚書陳文龍寶誥
    Shui Bu Shang Shu Chen Wen Long Bao Gao (Praise Mantra)

    至心皈命禮。
    Zhi Xin Gui Ming Li

    守志永不移。丹衷天地知。
    Shou Zhi Yong Bu Yi. Dan Zhong Tian Di Zhi

    城頭旗不倒。報國效精忠。
    Cheng Tou Qi Bu Dao. Bao Guo Xiao Jing Zhong

    英靈昭千古。大節篤忠貞。
    Ying Ling Zhao Qian Gu. Da Jie Du Zhong Zhen

    自古誰無死。丹心照汗青。
    Zi Gu Shui Wu Si. Dan Xin Zhao Han Qing

    三忠赤子膽。一代民族魂。
    San Zhong Chi Zi Dan. Yi Dai Min Zu Hun

    勁節漢虜膽。英名光宋史。
    Jing Jie Han Lu Dan. Ying Ming Guang Song Shi

    宋時敕封忠肅公。
    Song Shi Chi Feng Zhong Su Gong

    明封水部陳尚書。
    Ming Feng Shui Bu Chen Shang Shu

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Jave,

    is there any temple in s'pore that worship 水部尚書?

    ReplyDelete
  3. No, in Singapore we do not have any Temple that is associated with him. But in some of those Tan Clans' Associations, some descendants of him still got the Tablets dedicating to him.

    ReplyDelete
  4. New Pics added (chenwenlong_new06052009_01.jpg - chenwenlong_new06052009_03.jpg)

    ReplyDelete

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