陈基生平事迹考

A Study on Chen Ji's Life and Career

陈基是元末重要文人,但其生平历来缺乏详细考辨,一般都沿袭尤义《陈基传》中的说法。实际上《陈基传》所漏事迹颇多,又多有不确之处。从现存材料可知,陈基的一生可分为五个阶段:年少求学,三游大都,吴中授馆,出仕张士诚和入明余生。陈基曾三次北上游谒、早就寓吴结交名士、授馆期间与出使江浙的朝臣往来、在张士诚接受元廷招安前就已投靠、在从征淮安过程中方提升左右司郎中等,这些事迹均可补充和纠正《陈基传》的缺谬。

Chen Ji was a very important writer of the late Yuan Dynasty,but little is known about his life and career.Conventionally,the Biography of Chen Ji written by You Yi has been taken as the standard narrative on Chen Ji.Yet this biography is too simplistic in that it has important omissions and contains a number of imprecise records.Based on an analysis of historical materials,we know that Chen Ji＇s life and career span five distinct stages：school life,three visits to the capital,as a teacher in Suzhou,serving Zhang Shicheng,and his remaining life in the Ming dynasty.Among other things,Chen Ji was in association with quite a number of celebrities even during his school-teacher days;he actually surrendered before Zhang Shicheng succumbed to the Yuan court;he was promoted to Zouyou Silangzhong during the expedition of Huai＇an.These may serve as important supplement and corrections to the Biography of Chen Ji.