During the Putong era of Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty, a man named Jiang Zong entered the historical stage. Orphaned at seven, he was raised by his maternal grandfather. A bright and diligent child with sharp insight, he devoured his grandfather's vast library of thousands of scrolls, often reading so intently he would not put them down. This solid foundation soon made his poetry and prose exceptional. His uncle, Xiao Mai, the Marquis of Wupingguang, doted on him and once praised, "Your conduct is extraordinary, your spirit outstanding—one day, your fame should surpass even mine, your uncle."
At 18, Jiang Zong wrote a poem on Emperor Wu of Liang's chosen theme, "Expressing My Ambitions," which so impressed the emperor that he deeply praised it. This catapulted Jiang Zong's talent into fame, and leading scholars of the era—such as Liu Zhilin, the Minister of Personnel, and Zhang Zan, the Imperial Secretary—held him in high regard, forming friendships across generations and often studying together.
During the middle years of Jiang Zong's life, the Liang Dynasty was thrown into chaos by the Hou Jing Rebellion, and for the next decade or so, he drifted from place to place seeking refuge, accomplishing little as the political landscape remained unstable.
During the Chen Dynasty, after Emperor Chen Houzhu ascended the throne, the master poet Jiang Zong was elevated to high office. However, by then, Jiang Zong had lost all interest in glory or disgrace. Reflecting on his own rise, he quoted Jin Dynasty Grand Commandant Lu Wan's words: "If I am made a high minister, it shows there is no one left in the realm." This revealed that his appointment was not a matter of personal ambition. So he rejected profit, power, and state affairs, instead drowning himself in a life of drunken revelry.
Emperor Chen Houzhu, a ruler notorious for his debauchery, often had his favored consorts, Noble Consort Zhang and Noble Consort Kong, seated beside him along with six or seven other ladies. He would summon Jiang Zong and several other renowned scholars—Chen Xuan, Kong Fan, and others, collectively known as the "Intimate Companions"—to compose poetry, write music, sing joyously, and drink heartily from dusk till dawn. Jiang Zong excelled at writing five- and seven-character poems, all filled with frivolous and ornate themes, which is why Emperor Chen Houzhu held him in such high regard.
A man of Jiang Zong's extraordinary talent and striking presence ended up sharing the fate of a fallen dynasty alongside Emperor Chen Houzhu, and soon after, the Chen Dynasty was conquered by Emperor Wen of Sui.
Jiang Zong did not wish to leave his name in history, yet he left behind the infamous label of "wanton companion," which he likely never anticipated. In the idiom "Shen Cai Ying Ba," "cai" can also be written as "cai." It means possessing an extraordinary spirit and demeanor that stands out from the ordinary.
Source: *Book of Chen*, "Biography of Jiang Zong"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "神采英拔" came to describe possessing an extraordinary spirit and demeanor that stands out from the ordinary.