Page:Eminent Chinese Of The Ch’ing Period - Hummel - 1943 - Vol. 1.pdf/221

Rh suicide (March 27, 1875)—seventy-four days after her husband's death. Some assert that she died in consequence of a long fast, others that she swallowed some 'metal'. Whatever the method, her action was clearly a protest against indignities suffered at the hands of Hsiao-ch'in.

As for Ch'ung-ch'i, he continued to serve at Court. In 1878 he was acting military governor of Kirin, and later military lieutenant-governor of Jehol (1879–81), military governor of Shêng-ching (1881–January 1884), and president of the Board of Revenue (1884–85) and of the Board of Civil Appointments (1885–86). He retired in 1886, apparently in consequence of a paralytic stroke. Four years later, he pleaded that since his recovery was doubtful his dukedom and other posts should be taken from him. The dukedom was allowed to go to his son, Pao-ch'u 葆初. Early in 1900, when Empress Hsiao-ch'in and Tsai-i (see under ) planned to dethrone Emperor Tê-tsung, a son of Tsai-i, named P'u-chün (see under ), was appointed heir-apparent. Presumably P'u-chün was to inherit the throne as the adopted son of Emperor Mu-tsung and Ch'ung-ch'i's daughter. Hence Ch'ung-ch'i was called from retirement and made tutor to P'u-chün. Ch'ung-ch'i is reported to have been one of the chief plotters to assist Tsai-i in the attempt to dispose of Emperor Te-tsung by any means, fair or foul. When the plot was delayed, owing to hints of opposition from some foreign Ministers in Peking, the Court became visibly more anti-foreign. Ch'ung-ch'i, as one of this group, took part in the Boxer attack on the Catholic church, Pei-t'ang 北堂, in Peking. When the Allied troops entered Peking, he (now president of the Board of Revenue) and, fled to Paoting. Ch'ung-ch'i hanged himself there on August 26, 1900. The Court, then on its way to Shansi, learned of his death and ordered that he be given the posthumous name, Wên-chieh 文節.

Ch'ung-ch'i's son, Pao-ch'u, and many other members of his family committed suicide in Peking shortly after the Allies entered the city.

[1/474/1a; 2/58/24a; 6/33/18b; 2/52/1a; 樞垣紀略 Shu-yüan chi-lüeh; Hsi-hsün ta-shih chi (see under ); Fêng Shu 馮恕, 庚子辛亥忠烈像贊 Kêng-tzŭ hsin-hai chung-lieh hsiang-tsan; Chin-shih jên-wu chih (see under ); Pao Wên-ching kung chi (see under ) 10/16a.]

2em

 CH'UNG-hou 崇厚, Oct., 1826–1893, Apr., official, member of the Wanyen 完顏 clan and of the Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner, was the second son of and the younger brother of. After taking his chü-jên degree in 1849, he became, by purchase, department magistrate of Chiehchou, Kansu, a post he assumed early in 1851. Because his brother, Ch'ung-shih, contributed 10,000 taels to the government for military expenses in 1852, Ch'ung-hou was promoted to be a prefect in Honan. But after an audience with the emperor in 1853 he was made, owing to the disturbances of the time, a brigade-general to assist in the army of Shêng-pao (see under ) which was then combating the Taiping rebels. He served as intendant of the Tungchow-Yungping Circuit (1855–56); as intendant in charge of the conservation of the Yung-ting River (1856–57); and as intendant of the Ch'ing-yüan and Ho-chien Circuit (1857–58)—all three of these activities being in the province of Chihli. In 1858 he was ordered to assist in coast defense at Tientsin. After a promotion to salt controller of Ch'ang-lu, Chihli, in 1859, he was recommended by in 1860 for the post of superintendent of trade for the three ports of Tientsin, Chefoo and Newchuang with residence at Tientsin. This post was established in 1861 and continued until 1870, Ch'ung-hou filling it throughout this period. Thereafter these responsibilities devolved on the governor-general of Chihli, who concurrently held the title of superintendent of trade for the northern ports. During the period (1861–70) when Ch'ung-hou was in office at Tientsin, treaties and trade regulations were made with several nations under his direction—among them being treaties with Denmark, Holland and Spain in 1863, with Belgium in 1865, with Italy in 1866, and with Austria in 1869.

In the summer of 1870 there occurred the unfortunate incident known as the Tientsin Massacre. After the Anglo-French campaign in North China in 1858–60 Tientsin was opened as a port of trade, and Catholic missionaries under French protection built there a church and an orphanage conducted by Sisters of Charity. A rumor gained currency that missionaries extracted human hearts and eyes for magical purposes. In the spring of 1870 the city was plagued with some cases of kidnapping and at the same time several children in the orphanage died of infectious diseases. Feeling against the in- 209