Page:Eminent Chinese Of The Ch’ing Period - Hummel - 1943 - Vol. 1.pdf/586

 MIEN-ning. See under.

 MIN-ning 旻寧 (original ming Mien-ning 綿寧), Sept. 16, 1782–1850, Feb. 25, was the sixth emperor of the Ch'ing dynasty, who ruled for thirty years under the reign-title, Tao-kuang 道光 (1821–51). He was the second son of Emperor Jên-tsung (see under ) and his mother was Empress Hsiao-shu (孝淑睿皇后, née Kitala 喜他臘氏, d. 1797). Min-ning was born when his grandfather, Emperor Kao-tsung, was still on the throne. It is reported that in 1791 he went with his grandfather on a hunting excursion and pleased the aged monarch by felling a deer with his bow and arrow. He showed inclination to study, and in 1799 was secretly chosen by his father as heir to the throne. In 1813, as in previous years, he accompanied his father to Jehol to spend the summer months there, but returned to Peking early in October while his father remained at Jehol. At this time a group of villagers near the capital—members of a sect called T'ien-li chiao (see under ) plotted a rebellion and on October 8, 1813, actually stormed the Palaces in Peking. The sect exercised great influence in Honan, Shantung, and Chihli and had among its adherents certain bannermen, officials, and eunuchs. On the above-named day these rebels, assisted by eunuchs, made their way into the Palace grounds. Minning, then studying inside the Palace, courageously went to the rescue and killed two attackers with a fowling-piece. The uprising was finally crushed by imperial troops brought in by and other princes. Emperor Jên-tsung, who was then on his way back to the capital, received the reports on October 9 and two days later, in an edict rewarding those who took part in putting down the revolt, made Min-ning a prince of the first degree with the designation Chih (智親王).

On September 2, 1820 Emperor Jên-tsung died at Jehol of a sudden illness. Min-ning, then at his father's bed-side, was at once proclaimed heir-apparent and on October 3, 1820 ascended the throne. His name, hitherto written Mien-ning (see above) was now changed to Min-ning. The first years of his rule were passed in tranquility. Realizing, however, the depleted state of the national finances, he early embarked on a policy of frugality which he continued throughout his reign. He reduced the expenses in the Palace and is reported himself to have worn old and patched garments. He terminated the practice of his ancestors in spending their summers at Jehol, being content to reside in Peking or at the Yüan-ming Yüan (see under ).

At first Min-ning attempted to continue the conquest of the Northwest which had been initiated by his predecessors. He put down with determination, and with only slight regard for expense, a rebellion (1825–28) of Muslims in Turkestan (see under ). Though irritated by sporadic invasions of Khokandians who aided the Muslims, he refrained from pursuing the war farther west and bribed Khokand to accept peace. Perhaps he became disgusted with empty military victories which cost much and brought no returns. After some display of military power in connection with the capture of the rebel leader, Jehangir (see under ), Min-ning turned his attention to internal affairs. He admonished the officials in charge of Yellow River conservancy to economize, but even the routine repairs on the dikes cost annually millions of taels, and much of this went into the hands of corrupt officials. Yet the offenders could not be removed without danger of increasing the flood disasters. On the other hand, continuance of those officials merely postponed the final catastrophe of 1855 when the Yellow River swept north of the Shantung promontory. Minning foresaw these flood disasters but was unable to decide upon a plan that would avert them and at the same time would not be too costly. One fact that confused the situation was the necessity for supplying water to the Grand Canal in order to facilitate the transport of tribute rice from the south. In 1825 an attempt was made to use the sea route, but was discontinued, probably because of imminent unrest among the hundreds of thousands of people who depended on the Grand Canal for a livelihood. Min-ning had been trained to cope with such matters only by emulating examples of earlier times and could command neither the technique nor the courage to embark on policies that would dispossess many people and would cost large sums. Moreover, his treasury had been too heavily drained by the war in Turkestan to stand such strains. In order to increase revenues he tried to reform the monopoly on salt and in this he was partially successful (see under ).

Except in the salt administration, Min-ning attempted no financial reforms. In 1835 the Board of Revenue reported for the first time a population above four hundred million. But with no increase in national income, such a population could survive only with lower stand- 574