After this last failure, he held a series of minor positions in provincial government. The works for which Song is known today all date from 1636 to 1637. The repeated trips to the capital to participate in the metropolitan examination likely provided him with the broad base of knowledge demonstrated in the works.
Following that final failure, he occupied a series of minor roles within provincial government. All of Song's notable works date from 1636 to 1637. The frequent trips to the capital to participate in the metropolitan examination likely provided him with a broad foundation of knowledge, which is evident in his works.