Lin Pi (733-802 AD) was styled Maoze and Maoyan, and was also known as Shidao. He was the second son of Lin Wanchong, the governor of Gaoping in the Tang Dynasty, and the ancestor of the Lin family of the Nine Pastures. He was from Putian County.
Era: Tang Dynasty
Ethnic Group: Han
Place of Birth: Putian County
Date of Birth: 733
Date of Death: 802
Major Achievements: Governor of Muzhou
Major Works: “Autumn Air is Still Cool” and “No Ghosts”
Real Name: Lin Pi

Character Relationship: Lin Zao (son)

Lin Zao

Lin Zao (765-840), the second son of Lin Pi, styled Weiqian, nicknamed Suinu, was from Putian, Fujian. In the seventh year of Zhenyuan in the Tang Dynasty (791), he took the exam for “Ode to the Return of Pearls to Hepu”. His words were so brilliant that he was appreciated by the chief examiner Du Huangshang, who believed that he was “assisted by God” and finally won the title of Jinshi.

He served as proofreader, judge, supervisory censor, governor of Rongzhou, and imperial censor, and finally served as deputy envoy of Lingnan Jiedushi.

Lin Zao and his brother Lin Yun were both famous for their good calligraphy and became famous calligraphers and writers during the Zhenyuan period of Emperor Dezong of Tang Dynasty. Lin Zao’s calligraphy learned from Yan Zhenqing, especially running script, and he inherited Zhiyong’s style. His brushwork was sparse and ancient, and his meaning was profound and ancient. His calligraphy works were mixed in the Wei and Jin calligraphy art forest; it was difficult to distinguish the true from the false.

In the eleventh year of the Tianbao period of the Tang Dynasty (752 AD), he was promoted to the magistrate of Jiangle, the governor of Zhangzhou, the Sima of Lizhou (now Lixian County, Hunan), and the governor of Kangzhou (now Deqing, Guangdong). He was demoted to Cao Yuan of Linting County (now Changting, Fujian), and changed to the magistrate of Linjiang (now Zhongxian County, Sichuan). Later, he was appointed as the governor of Linting. The people of Linting worshipped ghosts, so he wrote “On the Non-Ghost” to enlighten the people. At the end of his career, he was appointed as the Crown Prince and the Deputy Governor of Suzhou (now Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province), and was granted the title of Purple Gold Fish Bag and the title of Senior Pillar State. After his death, he was given the title of Governor of Muzhou (now Jiande City, Zhejiang Province). Lin Pi had nine sons, all of whom served as governors of prefectures, and were known as the “Nine Governors Lin Family”.

Statue of Lin Pi
Nine branches of the Nine Governors in the Tang Dynasty
Lin Wei, the eldest branch of the Nine Governors, Governor of Duanzhou
Lin Zao, the second branch of the Nine Governors, Governor of Jiangling
Lin Zhu, the third branch of the Nine Governors, Governor of Hengzhou
Lin Jian, the fourth branch of the Nine Governors, Governor of Shaozhou
Lin Ye, the fifth branch of the Nine Governors, Governor of Tongzhou
Lin Yun, the sixth branch of the Nine Governors, Governor of Shaozhou
Lin Meng, the seventh branch of the Nine Governors, Governor of Xunzhou
Lin Mai, the eighth branch of the Nine Governors, Governor of Leizhou
Lin Zhu, the ninth branch of the Nine Governors, Governor of Futang