Page:Eminent Chinese Of The Ch’ing Period - Hummel - 1943 - Vol. 1.pdf/453

Rh affair. The following year Emperor Shih-tsung summoned him to Peking, honored him with gifts, and appointed him acting prefect of Canton—a place of strategic importance where Europeans were coming and going and where Lan was eager to do what he could to carry out his duties. But he died one month after entering office.

Among Lan's more important writings are the 平臺記 P'ing Tai chi, "Annals of the Pacification of Formosa," 11 chüan, published in 1723. It is an eye-witness account of the victorious campaign against Chu I-kuei, and a compendium of instructions for the control of Formosa. In his instructions on how to govern Formosa he advised agricultural exploitation, preparation against a possible invasion by the Japanese and the Dutch, the restriction of the aborigines to a special area, the building of schools, training in forestry, and diminution of taxes. His 女學 Nü-hsüeh, "Women's Culture," 6 chüan, has prefaces dated 1712, 1717, and 1718. It is divided into four sections: Virtue, Speech, Bearing, and Work, following the schematism of the Han historian, Pan Chao 班昭, in her 女誡 Nü-chieh. Under each of these headings he gathered extracts from classical, literary, and historical works to illustrate the excellencies of famous women of the past. He contended that girls as well as boys should be educated in order the better to fulfill their function in society.

Dissatisfied with the Sung Dynastic History (Sung-shih) because of its confused treatment of geography, he resolved to "try his brush" (shih-pi) at writing history. The result was his 修史試筆 Hsiu-shih shih-pi, in 2 chüan, whose preface is dated 1728. It is a collection of 36 biographies, beginning with Fang Hsüan-ling 房玄齡 and Tu Ju-hui 杜如晦, and ending with Wang P'o 王朴. The 棉陽學準 Mien-yang hsüeh-chun, 5 chüan, the preface of which is dated 1729, was written to educate students in Ch'ao-yang while Lan was acting magistrate of that district. It discusses such topics as rules for the intercourse of colleagues, rites to be observed in the class-room before the lecturer, rites to be observed in commemoration of various important dates in the life of Confucius, the source and the history of philosophy (道學), and the meaning of the Great Monad (太極). It also contains a list of the names of 56 of Lan's disciples. A collection of Lan's shorter writings up to the year 1726, entitled 鹿洲初集 Lu chou ch'u-chi, 20 chüan, was compiled by his friend, K'uang Min-pên 曠敏本. A more complete collection of Lan's works, entitled Lu-chou ch'üan chi (全集), 42 chüan, was printed in 1865. In place of the P'ing T'ai chi this compilation contains an abridged edition known as P'ing T'ai chi-lüeh (紀略). In 1879 the collection was reprinted under the editorship of a descendant, Lan Ch'ien 藍謙, who added five of Lan Ting-yüan's memorials.

[1/483/4b; 1/290/4a; 3/227/49a; Ssŭ-k'u, 63/6a, 64/7b, 98/4b-5b; 173/11a.]

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 LANG T'ing-chi 郎廷極, May 16, 1663–1715, Feb. 25, official and scholar, was the descendant of a native of Liaotung. A son of Lang Yung-ch'ing 郎永清, governor of Shantung in 1686–87, he came of a family which had had some military reputation in the Ming dynasty, but which later served the early Manchu emperors and belonged to the Chinese Bordered Yellow Banner. In 1681, at the age of nineteen (sui), he began his official career as sub-prefect of Chiang-ning, Kiangsu. After being promoted for distinguished service through various offices in the provinces of Yunnan, Shantung, Fukien, and Chekiang, he was appointed governor of Kiangsi on June 17, 1705, remaining at this post until late in 1712.

His long term as governor of Kiangsi and his intelligent interest in the local potteries at Ching-tê-chên enabled him to produce certain ceramic wares which came to be known as Lang-yao 郎窰 "made in the furnace of Lang." They are of various colors, two of which are usually regarded as characteristic of his craftsmanship, one the well-known sang de boeuf, the other an "apple green," frequently with a crackle. His name is rightfully attached to these wares and not that of as reported, with qualifications, in nearly all Western treatises on Chinese porcelain. Since the Lang wares were primarily imitations in every detail of the best products of the Hsüan-tê (1426–1436) and Ch'êng-hua (1465–1488) reign-periods, they were often mistaken for the earlier wares.

In 1712 Lang was made director-general of grain transport. He died at this post three years later, and had conferred on him the post- 441