Page:Eminent Chinese Of The Ch’ing Period - Hummel - 1943 - Vol. 1.pdf/423

Rh proceeded southeast toward Tsê-chou, Shansi, plundering as he went.

After the overthrow of the Ming power in the north the Prince of Fu (see under ) set up his court at Nanking, and Kao Chieh, together with, , and were appointed Four Guardian Generals (四鎮). Kao Chieh was assigned to Yangchow, with the title of Earl of Hsing-p'ing (興平伯). But the people of Yangchow, fearing pillage and exploitation at the hands of Kao's army, closed the gates of the city against him, and for more than a month resisted his attack. Outside the walls Kao allowed his troops to plunder the countryside at will. Finally, on the verge of discontinuing the siege, Kao was persuaded by to transfer his headquarters from Yangchow to the nearby city of Kua-chou. There had been a bitter struggle between Kao and Huang Tê-kung over the command of the wealthy city of Yangchow, and this circumstance added to Kao's chagrin in giving it up. But Shih K'o-fa's extraordinary generosity toward Kao, added to the persuasions of Kao's wife who since her elopement had become a loyal helpmeet, finally assuaged his wrath, and he was induced, instead, to launch an expedition in the hope of making the Yellow River the northern boundary of the Ming domain. In February 1645 he was received by Hsü Ting-kuo 許定國(d. 1646, age 71 sui), a brigade-general in Honan. Hsü had incurred Kao's wrath by referring to the latter, in a memorial, as a bandit, and Kao's animosity was augmented by a rumor that Hsü was in collusion with the Ch'ing army. Fearing Kao's revenge, Hsü made a pretense of loyalty; and Kao, relenting toward his former enemy, accepted an invitation to Hsü's residence at Suichou. Here after a banquet Kao was killed as he slept. According to some accounts he was murdered by Hsü in revenge for having cruelly annihilated Hsü's entire family when as bandit chieftain he had plundered Hsü's native place. Kao's death made revival of the Ming cause more hopeless than ever, and is said to have been greatly deplored by Shih K'o-fa. Kao was posthumously given by the southern Ming court the honorary title, Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent.

[M.1/273/19a; M.35/13/6a; M.56/0/1b; M.59/ 21/5b; 明季南略 Ming-chi nan-lüeh 3/9b, 7/7a; 鹿樵紀聞 Lu ch'iao chi-wên 上/13a.]

2em

KAO Chin 高晉, 1707–1779, Feb. 25, specialist in river control, was a member of the Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner. He was the fourth son of eldest brother, Kao Shu-ming 高述明, a brigade-general in Liang-chou, Kansu. Beginning as a student in the Imperial Academy, Kao Chin was appointed magistrate of Ssŭ-shui (1735), and of Hai-yang (1735–39) in Shantung.

After filling such posts as department magistrate of Pin-chou, Shensi (1739–43); prefect of Yü-lin-fu, Shensi (1743); intendant of Yü-Chia Circuit, Shensi (1745); and intendant of Huai-Hsü Circuit, Kiangsu (1746); he was appointed supervisor of the Grand Canal in Shantung (1748) and provincial judge of the same province (1749); as well as lieutenant-governor (1750–55) and then governor (1755–61) of Anhwei. In 1757 he was ordered to participate in the construction of dikes along the old course of the Yellow River at Hsü-chou, Kiangsu. In 1761 he was made director-general of Grand Canal and Yellow River Conservancy in Kiangsu and Anhwei where he was successful in controlling floods that had damaged several districts, and in constructing dikes, floodgates, and small canals connecting lakes with streams and rivers. Thereafter he became senior assistant chamberlain of the Imperial Bodyguard (1762), Grand Tutor of the Heir Apparent (1763), and governor general of Liangkiang (Kiangnan and Kiangsi, 1765), a post he retained until his death. In 1771 he was made Grand Secretary and honorary president of the Board of Ceremonies. In 1776 he memorialized the throne concerning a plan to alter the old route of the Yellow River at Ch'ing-ho, Kiangsu, in order to prevent the river from flowing backward into the Hung-tsê Lake, as frequently occurred. He recommended the construction of a canal running northward from T'ao-chuang and then south to the original bed of the Yellow River at Chou-chia-chuang. The plan was carried out and the new canal (about 6 li in length, completed early in 1777), called T'ao-chuang i-pei hsin-ho 陶莊迤北新河, remained part of the Yellow River until 1852 when the river began to empty north of the Shantung promontory. In 1778 Kao Chin was sent to I-fêng, Honan, to repair the break in the Yellow River. A few months after the work was completed, however, the river again overflowed and he was dismissed, only to be later granted imperial pardon. He died at his work in I-fêng and was canonized as Wên-tuan 文端.

Three sons of Kao Chin attained to high gov- 411