The Four Trainings of Liaofan: Detailed Explanation

Yuan Liaofan, the author of "Liaofan's Four Trainings", was born in Weitang Town, Jiashan County in the twelfth year of Jiajing's reign in the Ming Dynasty (1533). He was smart and perceptive when he was young and had extraordinary talents. He was one of the three masters in Jiaxing Prefecture at the beginning of Wanli Dynasty. In the 14th year of Wanli (1586), he was awarded Jinshi, and in the 16th year of Wanli (1588), he was awarded the magistrate of Baodi County. He had considerable political achievements and was known as "the most praised good county magistrate of Baodi in the more than 800 years since the founding of the county in Jin Dynasty". In the 20th year of Wanli Dynasty (1592), Japanese pirates invaded North Korea, and he was promoted to the chief of the Staff Department of the Ministry of War. Soon he was transferred to the aid planning of the Korean military camp, where he planned a great victory in Pyongyang and turned the tide of the war in one fell swoop. After returning to his hometown, he wrote books and served as the chief writer of "Jiashan County Chronicle". He died in the summer of 1606 at the age of 74. In the first year of Tianqi (1621), he recalled Yuan Liaofan's achievements in the Eastern Expedition and presented it to Shang Baosi Shaoqing. In the second year of Qianlong's reign in the Qing Dynasty (1737), he was enshrined in the "Six Sages Temple" of Weitang Academy.