Page:Eminent Chinese Of The Ch’ing Period - Hummel - 1943 - Vol. 1.pdf/174

Rh Fu brought to the attention of the emperor the name of a subordinate, Ch'ên Huang 陳潢, who had helped him draft most of his plans. Ch'ên Huang was granted an audience with the emperor and was later (1687) given a minor rank and made an assistant in river control. Late in 1684 Chin recommended the construction of fifteen water gates on the Yellow River from Tang-shan to Ch'ing-ho to control the lower reaches of that stream. His plan was adopted early in the following year.

Although Emperor Shêng-tsu was satisfied with the conservancy work on the river he was distressed by the extent of the damage in the flooded area of the lake region in central Kiangsu. On January 21, 1685, was placed in charge of the drainage of these areas, under the general supervision of Chin Fu. Yü favored the plan of deepening the beds of the streams to enable the water to flow to the sea; but Chin Fu, believing these areas to be below sea-level, recommended the construction of water gates at Kao-yu and Shao-po 邵伯, near Chiang-tu (Yangchow), and by means of dikes diverting the water to the sea by way of Hsing-hua. In order that both plans might be presented to the throne, Chin and Yü were summoned (November 19, 1685) to the capital. Upon their arrival in Peking about a month later they found that opinions at court were likewise divided. A commission headed by Samḥa 薩穆哈 (clan name 吳雅氏 d. 1704), and including, was appointed to ascertain the wishes of the people in the districts concerned. The commission made its report early in 1686, advising that both plans be dropped as impracticable. But on June 11, 1686 T'ang Pin, returning from the governorship of Kiangsu, had an audience with the emperor in which he described the seriousness of the flood in central Kiangsu and at the same time expressed a preference for Yü Ch'êng-lung's plan which Samḥa had opposed when he was head of the commission. Samha was in consequence dismissed and Sun Tsai-fêng (see under ) was ordered to supervise the deepening of the rivers according to Yü's plan. Later Sun asserted that in order to carry out the project it was necessary to shut off the water gates on the Grand Canal south of Huai-an—a plan Chin at first strongly opposed but later assented to after attending an audience with the emperor early in 1687. But when Chin returned to his post he again made an intensive study of the problem, and with the help of Ch'ên Huang drafted a new plan for the release of the waters in central Kiangsu. This involved the construction of a new dike parallel to the one on the eastern shore of Lake Hung-tsê in order to divert the flood waters northward to Ch'ing-k'ou and southward to the Yangtze. His proposal was, however, again opposed by Yü Ch'êng-lung. Nevertheless, late in 1687, a commission headed by Fo-lun 佛倫 (clan name 舒穆祿氏, d. 1701) was appointed to study Chin's proposal. When the commission returned from its survey, early in 1688, the majority of its members reported in favor of Chin's plan, but action was delayed by the death of the Empress Dowager (, q.v.) on January 27, 1688. About a month later (February 24, 1688) submitted a memorial denouncing Chin and Ch'ên Huang for inefficiency and for frustrating Yü's plan of deepening the river beds. Chin was further accused of forming a clique with and other high officials for corruption and mutual protection. In order to settle the dispute, once for all, a conference was called to meet in Peking on April 8 and 9, 1688, together with all those involved in the case, including Chin Fu, Yü Ch'êng-lung, Fo-lun, Sun Tsai-fêng, and Kuo Hsiu. On April 12 it was decided that Chin's new proposal be dropped and that Chin and Sun Tsai-fêng be dismissed. Ch'ên Huang was also deprived of his rank and was ordered to be imprisoned in Peking, but before the sentence could be carried out he fell ill and died.

In the meantime the Chung-ho 中河, a new canal constructed under the supervision of Chin Fu, was completed. Extending about 300 li parallel to the Yellow River north of Ch'ing-ho, it mitigated the danger to grain transport in that section of the Yellow River. The people were so benefited by the canal that Chin Fu's work was heralded as equal to that of Sung Li 宋禮 and Ch'ên Hsüan 陳瑄, in the Ming period. Two imperial commissions were appointed to inspect the new canal, both of which reported that it facilitated grain transport and that the improvements made were excellent. Those who had opposed Chin's plan, including Yü Ch'êng-lung, were reprimanded; and Wang Hsin-ming 王新命, Chin's successor, was ordered to follow closely Chin's system.

In the course of his second tour to South China 162