Who is Lin Zifang of Yang Wanli?

Lin Zifang is Yang Wanli's superior and good friend. Yang Wanli once wrote "See Lin Zifang at Dawn in Jingci Temple". By describing the beautiful scenery of the West Lake in June, I expressed my attachment to my good friend Lin Zifang in a tortuous way. The last two sentences of this poem are intertextual, and their meanings are intertwined, which makes this poem vivid and concise.

Lin Zifang, a native of Putian, left little historical materials. After being promoted to Jinshi, he served as the secretary of Zhige (a civil servant responsible for drafting imperial edicts for the emperor). At that time, Yang Wanli was the subordinate supervisor of the secretary, the attendant of the prince, and Lin Zifang's superior and good friend. They often get together to talk about the proposition of strengthening the country and resisting gold, and also learn poetry together. They share the same interests and regard each other as bosom friends.

Yang Wanli worked as a secretary for fourteen years, and Xichun was sent abroad for fifteen years. The relationship between Yang Wanli and Lin Zifang's superior and subordinate colleagues was in these two years, and "seeing Lin Zifang from Jingci Temple" should be during this period. Lin Zifang was appointed as the magistrate of Fuzhou, and Yang Wanli saw him off, leaving a masterpiece "Seeing Lin Zifang at Jingci Temple" that has been passed down through the ages, which shows the deep intersection between the two.