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Rh wholly unfounded and that Li sometimes had to anchor for long intervals to clear the ships of barnacles that retarded their speed. Moreover, Li's latest report of a victory was found to be correct and in no way exaggerated. The result was that A-lin-pao was severely reprimanded and Li was given back his decorations. This episode is an example of the hardships that Li was subjected to. While fighting desperate pirates, he had also to meet the calumny of prejudiced, jealous and corrupt officials.

Grateful to the emperor for this vindication, Li fought with increased valor and determination. After winning several victories over Ts'ai Ch'ien, he returned to Chekiang, in the middle of 1807, to attend to his duties as head of the provincial military administration. But in due time he was reprimanded by the emperor for relaxing the campaign against the pirates. Furious at this accusation Li at once sailed out of port and on January 11, 1808 overtook Ts'ai Ch'ien off the coast of Kwangtung. His ships were smaller, but greatly exceeded those of the pirate in number. During a fierce attack on Ts'ai's flagship Li was wounded in the neck by gunshot and died the following day. Ts'ai managed once more to escape.

When Emperor Jên-tsung received the report of Li's death he wrote that he was so shocked that he trembled, and so grieved that he could not keep from weeping. Li was given posthumously the hereditary rank of a third class earl with the designation, Chuang-lieh, and the name, Chung-i 忠毅. A special temple to his honor was erected in his native city, and his name was entered in the Temple of the Zealots of the Dynasty in Peking.

After Li's death the task of suppressing the pirates was entrusted to his former lieutenants, Wang Tê-lu 王得祿, Ch'iu Liang-kung 邱良功 , and Hsü Sung-nien 許松年. Early in 1809 Hsü defeated Chu Fên off the Kwangtung coast and a month later that pirate died of wounds. For this exploit Hsu was given the minor hereditary rank of Yün-ch'i-yü. Late in the same year Juan Yüan (who had returned to Chekiang as governor) conceived a new plan for attacking Ts'ai Ch'ien's large flagship. He suggested that the smaller government boats deal only with the auxiliary pirate ships, leaving Ts'ai's flagship to the larger vessels. Following these instructions Wang, in command of the Fukien fleet, and Ch'iu in command of the Chekiang fleet, combined their forces for a determined attack. In September 1809, in a battle off the Chekiang coast near T'ai-chou, they succeeded in crushing the pirate. Separated from the rest of his fleet, Ts'ai fought valiantly in his flagship for two days and managed to sink several government vessels. But on September 27 his ship was finally sunk and he was drowned. For this victory Wang was created a viscount and Ch'iu a baron.

Li Ch'ang-kêng left no male heir, but his adopted son, Li T'ing-yü 李廷鈺, inherited the earldom. Li Ch'ang-kêng is said to have written on military tactics and to have been an able poet. Of the naval heroes of the Ch'ing period, he ranks with, especially as a commander and a strategist. Although when he took his chin-shih degree it was not required of him to be competent in naval matters, he decided to travel north by the sea route in order to acquire more nautical information. His lieutenants, Wang and Ch'iu, were like him natives of T'ung-an, as was also Ts'ai Ch'ien, the pirate.

[1/356/1a; 2/31/11b; 3/369/5a; T'ung-an hsien-chih (1929);, Lei-t'ang-an-chu ti-tzŭ-chi; , Shêng-wu chi 8/36a; 3/187/19a; 3/192/47a; 3/303/40a; 3/308/42a; 3/314/4a.]

2em

 LI Chao-lo 李兆洛, Oct. 23, 1769–1841, Aug. 24, geographer, was a native of Yang-hu, Kiangsu. At five (sui) be entered school with his elder brother, Li K'ang-ling 李康齡. In 1781 he studied under his grandfather, Hsi Pin 奚賓, whose collection of essays, 蕉峰時文稿 Chiao-fêng shih-wên kao, Li Chao-lo edited and printed in 1834. In 1789 he began to study at the Lung-ch'êng Academy 龍城書院 in Ch'ang-chou, Kiangsu, which at that time was under the direction of the well-known scholar. From youth onward Li Chao-lo showed an interest in geographical and historical studies. In 1793 he engaged seriously in the study of geography, reading and making notes on the text of the Tu-shih fang-yü chi-yao (see under ). He began teaching in 1792, and four years later wrote his first work, an outline history of China for children (in lines of four characters) which he entitled 歷代略 Li-tai lüeh. Another of his helps to study was a  448