ABSTRACT
Wu Bozong 吳伯宗, a native of Jiangxi, personal name Wu You 吳祐, was a Ming Dynasty scholar. With the qualification of a Jinshi (i.e. the highest) degree from the civil service examination, he was appointed Vice-Director for the Ministry of Rites and instructed to assist in the revision of the Ming calendar, for which he collaborated with Muslim astronomers. Following a controversy caused by his refusal to tolerate mediocrity and bow to tradition, he was exiled to Anhui Province. He was later recalled and sent as consul to Vietnam. He served at various levels as Instructor and Examining Editor at the Hanlin Academy 翰林院,12 and later as Grand Secretary of the Wuying Hall 武英殿. An accomplished scholar, Wu Bozong wrote on diplomacy and other topics. An offence committed by his brother led to a sentence involving punishment that extended to the entire family, and Wu was demoted. He died in office.
