Du Zhengxuan, courtesy name Shenhui, his family hailed from Jingzhao. His eighth generation ancestor, Du Man, served as a Langzhong official in Shizhao County and later settled in Yecheng. From Du Man to Du Zhengxuan, several generations of their family were known for their literary talents. Du Zhengxuan was exceptionally intelligent, knowledgeable, and well-versed in various subjects. His brothers, all under twenty years old, became well-known in the Sanhe region for their exceptional writing and oratory skills. During the reign of Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty, he passed the imperial examination and took part in the military strategy exam at the Ministry of Personnel. Du Zhengxuan answered questions as quickly as lightning and wrote articles both swiftly and excellently. At that time, Yang Su, the Supervisor of the Left, a talented but arrogant man, was not pleased with Du Zhengxuan's debating skills. Later on, when the Kingdom of Linyi presented a white parrot as a tribute, Yang Su urgently summoned Du Zhengxuan, sending messengers one after the other to hurry him along. Upon Du Zhengxuan's arrival, Yang Su immediately asked him to write a poem. Even though he was rushed, Du Zhengxuan quickly completed the task. Yang Su was amazed to see that the piece needed no edits and could be used directly. He then asked Du Zhengxuan to write over ten different types of articles, all of which were completed quickly, with beautiful language and a clear structure. Yang Su exclaimed, "This is a true talent; I can't compete with him!" As a result, Yang Su recommended Du Zhengxuan to be an army officer for Prince Jin, and later promoted him to the position of Yuzhang Wang's secretary, where he eventually died. His younger brother was named Du Zhengzang.
Du Zhengzang, courtesy name Weishan, was especially studious and skilled in writing. He passed the provincial examination before turning twenty and was appointed as a military aide in Chenzhou, later becoming a county magistrate. During the reign of Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty, his knowledge was already profound, and he passed the provincial examination as well. He and his brothers all excelled in writing and were summoned to the capital to meet the emperor, bringing pride to their family. He wrote over a hundred pieces of inscriptions, elegies, epistles, praises, poems, and essays. He also wrote a book called "The Principles of Writing," which greatly helped later scholars and was regarded as the standard of writing at the time. Even countries overseas, like Goguryeo and Baekje, studied this book, calling it the "New Book of the Du Family."
Du Jingzhao, also talented and knowledgeable, excelled in writing and served as a scribe in the office of the Prince of Qin. After the Prince of Qin passed away, he visited the old residence of the Prince of Qin and wrote a five-character poem that was well-respected at the time. He also wrote an essay titled "On Brothers," which contained profound insights.
Yin Shi from Hejian was talented and well-versed in writing from a young age. During the reign of Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty, he held the position of a scribe in the Prince of Han's office, and the Prince of Han greatly valued him. After the Prince of Han's defeat, Yin Shi tragically committed suicide. His relatives Yin Zhengqing and Yin Yanqing were also highly talented and renowned.
Liu Shanjing from Hejian was knowledgeable and especially skilled in writing. He held various official positions, including Assistant Secretary of Works and Attendant to the Crown Prince. He wrote "In Praise of Virtue" in thirty volumes, "Genealogy of the Various Lius" in thirty volumes, and "Returning to the Four Tones" in one volume, which circulated widely.
Zu Junyan from Fanyang was the son of Zu Xiaozheng, a prominent official in the Qi Dynasty. Though he was short and had a stutter, he was highly talented. Towards the end of the Sui Dynasty, he served as a scribe in Dongping Commandery (equivalent to a county government). After Zhai Rang attacked Dongping Commandery, it later fell under Li Mi's control. Zu Junyan was highly esteemed by Li Mi, who appointed him as a scribe in charge of drafting all military documents. After Li Mi's defeat, Zu Junyan was killed by Wang Shichong.
Kong Deshao, a native of Kuaiji, was very talented and rose to the position of county magistrate of Jingcheng. After Dou Jiande declared himself king, he appointed him as the Minister of Personnel, responsible for drafting various documents. Following Dou Jiande's defeat, Kong Deshao was beheaded.
Liu Bin, hailing from Nanyang, was quite talented in writing and served as the Assistant to the Magistrate of Xindu County. Dou Jiande appointed him as a secretary in the Ministry of Personnel. After Dou Jiande's failure, he was appointed as the Minister of Personnel by Liu Ta. Later, he fled with Liu Ta to the Turks, and his whereabouts remain unknown.
Historical records note that the Emperor Wen of Wei once remarked, "Most literati throughout history do not pay attention to minor details, and few can establish themselves based on their reputation." This statement holds true! People like Wang Zhou, Yu Chao, Cui Niao, and Zu Xiaoyi, some are conceited and disregard worldly matters; some have good knowledge but bad luck, ending up in lowly positions, feeling disheartened and embittered, with wavering ambitions, looking down on all, including officials and nobles. Therefore, those with idiosyncratic temperaments are often overlooked. Those who bear grudges and offend others are not just Zhao Yi from Hanyang and Ni Heng from Pingyuan. Consequently, most of them meet tragic fates, seldom achieving a favorable conclusion. Nevertheless, their knowledge is vast and their writing is exquisite, like a rare blossom in Denglin or a precious jade from Mount Kun. Amidst a wealth of talent, only a select few were truly exceptional. Among them were the Zhengxuan brothers, both exceptionally talented and truly remarkable siblings!
