14 Facts About Shi Kefa

Shi Kefa, courtesy names Xianzhi and Daolin, was a government official and calligrapher who lived in the late Ming dynasty.

Shi Kefa was born in Xiangfu and claimed ancestry from Daxing County, Shuntian Prefecture.

Shi Kefa served as the Minister of War in Nanjing during the early part of his career.

Shi Kefa took the imperial examination and obtained a jinshi degree in 1628.

Shi Kefa was appointed as an official in Xi'an, before subsequently serving as a yuanwailang and langzhong in the Ministry of Revenue.

Ma Shiying ordered Shi Kefa to set up defenses at the northern border to resist Zuo Liangyu from the east.

Shi Kefa moved back to Yangzhou and continued resisting the Qing invaders there.

The Qing regent Dorgon wrote to Shi Kefa, asking for his surrender, but Shi declined.

Shi Kefa's response, titled Reply to Dorgon's letter, was noted for its neither servile nor overbearing tone, and was circulated among later generations.

Subsequently, Shi Kefa entrusted his subordinate Shi Dewei, whom he had adopted as a godson, with his funeral arrangements, saying that he wished to be buried at Plum Blossom Ridge after his death.

Shi Kefa attempted suicide by slitting his throat but failed.

Shi Kefa then ordered Shi Dewei to kill him but Shi Dewei tearfully refused and did not dare to look up at his godfather.

Shi Kefa was said to have been an individual of great energy and integrity, qualities reflected in his calligraphy, frequently in cursive and semi-cursive style.

Shi Kefa's calligraphy is of the late Ming period style among other Ming literati, with a preference for long compositions in a flourishing manner.