Page:Eminent Chinese Of The Ch’ing Period - Hummel - 1943 - Vol. 1.pdf/381

Rh between a deserter from the Manchu camp and Hung Jên-kan who reveals the political, religious and social life of the Taipings. In addition some of Hung's poems, hymns and specimens of his calligraphy—in particular his writing of the big character Fu 福 for Happiness—are collected in the work, T'ai-p'ing T'ien-kuo tsa-chi (see under ).

[1/426/4a, 481/1a; 5/38/1a; I-ching 逸經 no. 2, p. 67, no. 9, p. 440 and no. 22, p. 1248; Hamberg, Theodore, The Vision of Hung-Siu-Tshuen and Origin of the Kwang-si Insurrection (Hongkong, 1854); Brine, Commander Lindesay, The Taiping Rebellion in China, pp. 236–42, 287–99 (London 1862); Lin-Le [A. F. Lindley], Ti-Ping Tien-Kwoh, vol. I, pp. 222–27 (London 1866); T'ai-p'ing T'ien-kuo chao-yü; Hsiao I-shan, T'ai-p'ing T'ien-kuo ts'ung-shu; Tso Shun-shêng, Chung-kuo chin-pai nien-shih tzŭ-liao, first collection and second collection (see under ); Ling Shan-ch'ing, T'ai-p'ing T'ien-kuo yeh-shih (for Chinese characters and dates of these publications see bibliography under );, Chiao-p'ing Yüeh-fei fang-lüeh, chüan 394–97; Pao-kung nien-p'u.]

2em

 HUNG-kuang. Reign title of.

 HUNG-li 弘歷, Sept. 25, 1711–1799, Feb. 7, was the fourth emperor of the Ch'ing dynasty, who ruled under the reign-title Ch'ien-lung 乾隆 (1736–1796). As the fourth son of Emperor Shih-tsung (see under ), Hung-li was born in the palace known as Yung Ch'in-wang fu 雍親王府 when his father was a prince. This palace has been used since 1722 as the lamasery called Yung-ho kung 雍和宮. His mother, Empress Hsiao-shêng 孝聖憲皇后, (Jan. 1, 1693–1777), was a great-granddaughter of of the Niuhuru clan. As a child Hung-li is said to have won the good will of his grandfather, Emperor Shêng-tsu (see under ), who appointed the eminent scholar, Fumin 福敏, as his tutor in language and literature. According to one anecdote, Hung-li went, at the age of twelve (sui), with his grandfather on a hunting trip, and when attacked by a bear calmly sat his pony until the beast was killed. In this and other ways Emperor Shêng-tsu is reported to have been impressed by his grandson, and to have left the throne to Yin-chên in order that Hung-li might succeed to it. In any event, soon after Yin-chên became emperor he made a secret will naming Hung-li as his successor. In the meantime Hung-li was tutored in national affairs and in 1733 was made a prince of the first degree with the designation Pao (寶親王). On October 7, 1735, the day before Yin-chên died, Hung-li was declared the heir-apparent. He was enthroned on October 18 when he was twenty-five sui and began his long and illustrious reign of more than sixty years.

Politically the reign of Hung-li may be divided into three periods, according to his choice of ministers. In the early years he was assisted by several experienced statesmen, notably and. It was a period of peace and prosperity in which the gains made by his father toward centralization of power in the throne were consumatedconsummated [sic], and the princes of the imperial clan remained docile and submissive (see under ). After the death of O-êr-t'ai (1745) and the retirement of Chang T'ing-yü (1749), Hung-li was left with a free hand. During the ensuing thirty years (1750–80), his chief ministers were his brother-in-law,, and later,. It seems that Fu-hêng rarely disagreed with the emperor and that Yü never dared to do so. The ministers were chiefly occupied in writing eulogies or in compiling official publications. The Court began the luxurious trend which soon spread throughout the empire. Hung-li was unfortunate in the choice of his last chief minister, who, though intelligent, was unscrupulous. As Hung-li grew older Ho-shên used his vast power for personal gain. Corruption, which usually accompanies a luxurious Court, went to extremes; and though after the death of Hung-li the power of Ho-shên came to an end, the foundations of government were permanently undermined, and Hung-li's successors were unable to repair them.

In his military ventures Hung-li was very successful. He loved the show of force and always tried to keep up the military spirit of his people. By 1792, in an essay entitled 十全記 Shih ch'üan chi—whence his hao, Shih-ch'üan lao-jên (老人)—he could enumerate ten great victories of his reign. He boasted of conquering the Sungars in two campaigns (1755, 1756–57, see under ); of pacifying the Mohammedans of Turkestan (1758–59, see under ); of annihilating the Chin-ch'uan rebels in two wars (1747–49, see under ; 1771–76, see under ); of putting down a rebellion 369