A Textual Research of Comments on TANG Geng by Ministers of Library in the Four Branches of Literature

In General Category of Library in the Four Branches of Literature, there exist some mistakes concerning the comments on the relationships between TANG Geng and SU Shi and SU Zhe. This arose from the misunderstanding of the relationships among TANG Geng, SU Shi and ZHANG Shang-ying by people in Qing Dynasty including ministers compiling the huge work. People of Qing Dynasty had much blame on the Prime Minister and New Party member of the late Northern Song Dynasty ZHANG Shang-ying who found the talent TANG Geng. Therefore, they assumed TANG had not respected SU. As a matter of fact, though TANG took ZHANG as his teacher, his political standing had its unique attributes and his literary thoughts followed closely those of SU. He was an important writer after SU who lifted the flag of Yuanyou literature. TANG's up-right personality and literary achievements won him the title “Little SU Dong-po”.