Yao Mian’s Letters

Abstract

This chapter examines literati correspondence in the late Song Dynasty (960-1279) through a case study of letters to officials by the quirky late Song Dynasty literatus Yao Mian (1216-1262). Yao was a brilliant prose master who was desperate for political recognition. Over the course of his volatile career, he used letters as a means of social interaction, to establish and cultivate relations of patronage, and to convey political information or demands. The chapter explores the subtle differences in tone that reflected Yao Mian’s relationships with inferiors and superiors, and reveals how movement up and down the political ladder influenced his letter-writing. This case study of a single man’s correspondence demonstrates the varied roles of epistolary communication in Song social and political life.