The Record of Hongwu's Sagely Governance is an important official historical work from the early Ming dynasty. It was compiled in 1375, the eighth year of the Hongwu reign, by Song Lian (1310-1381), a Hanlin academician under the Hongwu Emperor, and his colleagues, in response to an imperial command. It is a factual record of the "sagely governance" implemented by the Ming founder, Zhu Yuanzhang. The work was both the only officially commissioned record of sagely governance produced by the Ming court at the time and a key source regarded as the first contemporary history of the Ming dynasty. Arranged chronologically, it systematically documents major political institutions, rites and regulations, government policies, and military and political reforms during the Hongwu reign. It is an important historical source for understanding the workings of early Ming government and the formation of its institutions.
Song Lian, courtesy name Jinglian and literary name Qianxi, was from Pujiang, Zhejiang. In the late Yuan dynasty, he lived in seclusion on Dongming Mountain. In the early Ming, he served as Educational Intendant for Confucian Schools in Jiangnan and as a Hanlin Academician-Expositor, among other posts. He was one of the most influential scholars of history and literature of his time. In addition to helping compile this book, he also contributed to Ming historiography and the compilation of historical works, earning an eminent position in the Ming court's historical circles. His approach to history balanced factual accuracy with clear organization, making The Record of Hongwu's Sagely Governance a political history that combines official records with the account of a court historian.
The Record of Hongwu's Sagely Governance covers all aspects of policy implementation during the Hongwu reign, including, but not limited to, ritual systems, military and political institutions, taxes and military affairs, court ceremonies, state sacrifices, and social governance. It reflects Zhu Yuanzhang's governing philosophy while recording details of how early Ming institutions took shape. Historians regard it as a primary source for understanding the political structure of the Hongwu era and the practice of "sagely governance." It is of great value to research on the political institutions, officialdom, and social changes of the early Ming dynasty.
