Zhao Yan’s family
The Zhao family was very popular during the Ming and Qing dynasties for hundreds of years, but fell into decline in the late Qing Dynasty. Zhao Yan's grandfather Zhao Shi and his brother Zhao Yao were both candidates for the same imperial examination, and they had a brother's imperial examination workshop in Yan'an City. Zhao's official name was Danshan. When he was elected magistrate of Wuxiang County, half of Wuxiang County was rocky mountains and half was farmland. The people were poor but powerful. Zhao Shi devoted himself to providing pensions, clearing taxes and servitude, and hung the order for land reclamation in front of the government office to make it known to the people and allow them to live and work in peace and contentment. He also established a literary society and personally taught classes, which made his writing style flourish. Investigate the facts of difficult cases and make impartial decisions. Rich people bribed Zhao Shi with money, but Zhao Shi refused. Zhao Shi was an honest official. When he came back to his hometown, he had only a few luggage, which could hardly guarantee the normal food and lodging expenses during the journey. In his later years, he founded the Five Classics Society and wrote "Danshan Collection".
After Zhao Yan became an official, the Zhao family became even more famous. Zhao Yan's father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were all granted the title of Minister of Yin. The imperial court ordered the construction of Wan Shu You Maofang in Yan'an Fucheng to commend Zhao Yan's achievements. Yan'an Fucheng also built a Gongbaoshang Shufang for Zhao Yan. During the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty, there was still a Zhao Taibao Temple in Yan'an for worship. From the "Epitaph of Zhao Guanglu Zhang" compiled in Yan'an Prefectural Annals, we can see that the Zhao family has many officials, and is closely related to the Yang (Zhao) family who was the Minister of the Ministry of War, the general soldier Xiao (Ruxun) family, and the political participation Ma (Maocai) family. Waiting for all the famous families to get married. Zhao Zhang is the younger brother of Zhao Yan. He once served as the Prime Minister of Guanglu. When he was in his fifties, he resigned and returned to his hometown. He opened a private school to teach and educate. His eldest son, Zhao Guangyin, was appointed as a member of the Ministry of War, and his wife was the granddaughter of Yangji, a great counselor; his second son, Zhao Dayin, was appointed as the commander-in-chief of Gangu and the governor of Gangu; his wife was the grandson of Hanlin scholar Wang Daren and the daughter of the county magistrate Wang Bangbi; his third son, Zhao Tingkuo, was appointed as Han Qiang. Zhenbiao guerrilla, his wife is the niece of Bai Xixiu, the censor of the capital, and the daughter of Jingkui Bai Xicai; the fourth son, Zhao Longyin, is the magistrate of Gushi County, Henan, and his wife is the granddaughter of Juren Wang Ping; the fifth son, Zhao Tingxi, is a Jinshi of Xinchou in Shunzhi and the Tiantai order of Fangshi. His wife is the daughter of Ma Maocai, who participated in politics in Huguang; his sixth son is Zhao Tingying, and he is the tribute supervisor Hou Quan. His first wife is the daughter of the county magistrate Yang Rugui; his second wife is the granddaughter of the Grand Sima and Taibao Yang Zhao, and the daughter of Yang Zhengbi, the Fengyang Taoist minister; the seventh son is Zhao Tingyang, Bagong, his wife is the daughter of Xue Tingmo, a senior official in Henan Province; the eighth son, Zhao Tingjia, was a member of the Ministry of Public Affairs, and his wife is the granddaughter of Ma Rulong, the county magistrate, and the daughter of Ma Maohua, a high school student in Shangzhou. Zhao Zhang's second daughter is the daughter-in-law of Xiao Ruhui, the commander-in-chief, and his third daughter is the wife of Liu Eryi, the magistrate of Guiding County. The epitaph also lists that Zhao Zhang's grandsons and great-grandsons were all related by marriage to official families.
The Zhao family is prosperous and owns a large amount of land. There are thousands of fertile fields around Yan'an City (each field is about three acres), and land for 17 villages was purchased in the upper reaches of the Yanhe River. A large number of long-term workers were hired to farm, run shops, and hire servants to do housework, leading to a luxurious life. During the Tongzhi period of the Qing Dynasty, the society was in turmoil. The Zhao family died and their wealth was scattered. There were very few survivors and almost no heirs. There were descendants living around Yan'an City, Luoju, Huoshijie and other places in the upper reaches of the Yanhe River.