Yuan · Official

Min Ben 閔本

Mǐn Běn

Attested AD 1368

Passages: 6
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Min Ben was an official.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Zongxian	宗先	Zongxian

Life and dates

Death

Suicide by hanging
Directly stated · History of Yuan 196, passage 41

Attested activity

AD 1368 至正二十八年
Dated from the passage context · History of Yuan 196, passages 37, 89

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Zhenzhen (真真)
elder daughter 長女
Directly stated · History of Yuan 196, passage 42
Spouse of Lady Cheng (程氏)
wife 妻
Directly stated · History of Yuan 196, passage 37
Parent of Nünu (女女)
younger daughter 次女
Directly stated · History of Yuan 196, passage 42

Kinship Role daughters · Count 2
Directly stated · History of Yuan 196, passage 42

Career and standing

attendant academician of the Hall of Gathered Worthies 集賢侍講學士
Appointed
Directly stated · History of Yuan 196, passage 36
clerk in the Ministry of Rites 禮部令史
Appointed
Directly stated · History of Yuan 196, passage 33
Minister of Personnel 吏部尚書
Appointed
Directly stated · History of Yuan 196, passage 35
Supporter of the Court 中奉大夫
Recipient of rank of Supporter of the Court
Directly stated · History of Yuan 196, passage 40

Places and affiliations

Yuan 元
Relation Served
Directly stated · History of Yuan 196, passage 40
At Henei 河內
Directly stated · History of Yuan 196, passage 31

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · Quote true
Directly stated · History of Yuan 196, passages 37-38

Events and relationships

Relation Recruited by · Person Buhua (不花)
Directly stated · History of Yuan 196, passage 33

Assessments and attributes

suffered from an eye ailment
Physical description · 有目疾
Directly stated · History of Yuan 196, passage 36

References in the histories

History of Yuan, Chapter 196Volume 196 Biographies 83: Loyal and Righteous Acts 4 · 6 passages

閔本，字宗先，河內人。 Min Ben, whose style name was Zongxian, was from Henei.

早歲得推擇為禮部令史，御史大夫不花奇本之才，辟以為掾，平反冤獄，甚有聲。 In his early years he was selected as a clerk in the Ministry of Rites. Censor-in-chief Buhua admired his talent and recruited him as an aide; he reversed wrongful convictions and won wide renown.

本素貧，且有目疾，嘗上章乞謝事，不允，詔授集賢侍講學士。 Ben had always been poor and also suffered from an eye ailment. He once submitted a memorial asking to retire, but permission was denied; instead he was appointed attendant academician of the Hall of Gathered Worthies.

大明兵薄京師，本謂其妻程氏曰：「國事至此，吾知之久矣。 When Ming forces pressed close to the capital, Ben said to his wife Lady Cheng, "The affairs of state have come to this—I have known it would for a long time.

本乃朝服，與程氏北向再拜，大書於屋壁曰：「元中奉大夫、集賢侍講學士閔本死。」 Ben then put on court dress, and together with Lady Cheng bowed twice facing north. He wrote in large characters on the wall: "Min Ben, Yuan recipient of the rank of Supporter of the Court and attendant academician of the Hall of Gathered Worthies, is dead."

二女：長真真，次女女，見本死，呼天號泣，亦自縊於其傍。 His two daughters—the elder Zhenzhen and the younger Nünu—seeing him dead, cried out to heaven and wept, and hanged themselves beside him as well.