Gong Dingzi (龔鼎孶) (1615 – 1673) was a Chinese poet and politician. He was a famous author andClassical Chinese poet. He was also a government official serving under theMingChongzhen Emperor, the short-livedDashun regime of peasant-rebelLi Zicheng, and then theManchu-ledQing dynasty.[1] Along withWu Weiye andQian Qianyi, Gong Dingzi was famous as one of theThree Masters of Jiangdong.[2]
Passing theImperial Civil Service Examinations for theJiangnan Region as a top candidate in 1641, Gong Dingzi was posted to the capital cityBeijing.[3] On his way, he met his future bride,Gu Mei, who was one of the famouscourtesan of theQinhuai River district ofJiankang (modernNanjing).[4]
By 1642, Gong was serving in the government administration in Beijing, where his impeachments of government ministers and criticism of imperial policies angered the Chongzhen Emperor, who had him imprisoned, in horrible circumstances. Released in early Spring, 1644, he was reunited with Gu Mei. Shortly afterwards the capital was first sacked by the peasant army led by Li Zicheng, and then seized by the Manchu forces which poured in through theShanhai Pass and proceeded to establish the Qing dynasty. Throughout this, Gong Dingzi managed to keep up his literary creativity.
Among other works, Gong Dingzi'sWhite Willow Gate (Baimen liu) collection ofci (song lyric) poetry survives.
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