The son of a distinguished general, he began his career as attache
to the military advisers of the Emperor. These advisers were always drawn
from the literary class, and their duties appear to have been chiefly
administrative and diplomatic. Of his life, the less said the better.
He became involved in a palace intrigue, and only saved himself
by betraying his accomplices. In the end he was banished,
and finally put to death by the Emperor's order. It is necessary, however,
to dissociate the man from his poetry, and Sung Chih-Wen's poetry
often touches a high level of inspiration.