Page:Eminent Chinese Of The Ch’ing Period - Hummel - 1943 - Vol. 1.pdf/598

 on the 12th and the captured rebels were executed a few days later.

For a time the rebels at Hua-hsien were more successful. Their sympathizers in Shantung took the cities of Ting-t'ao and Ts'ao-hsien, and those in Chihli besieged several cities. The government forces remained aloof and made no efforts to suppress them. At this juncture Na-yen-ch'êng was made governor-general of Chihli, Imperial Commissioner, and commander of the forces in Chihli, Shantung, and Honan. When he arrived at Wei-hui, late in October, and laid plans for the campaign other armies had by then recovered the cities in Shantung and pursued the rebels of Shantung and Chihli into Honan. While concentrating his forces, Na-yen-ch'êng, was severely rebuked by the emperor for not advancing quickly on Hua-hsien. He did advance on November 9, took Tao-k'ou ten days later, and laid siege to Hua-hsien. Early in December Li Wên-ch'êng abandoned Hua-hsien and occupied a fort in the nearby mountains. But on December 12 his fort was taken by General after several days of severe fighting. Li and his men were burned to death. On January 1, 1814 Hua-hsien fell to the onslaught of Na-yen-ch'êng, and thousands of insurgents lost their lives. Na-yen-ch'êng was rewarded with the hereditary rank of a third class viscount. After supervising the withdrawal of troops and the rehabilitation of the affected area, he assumed his duties as governor-general of Chihli, and issued strict orders forbidding the people to join the offending religious societies. His memorial on the subject was cited in 1900 by the more enlightened officials who opposed affiliation with the Boxers (see under ).

In 1816 Na-yen-ch'êng was accused, among other charges, of having misused relief funds when he was in Sian several years earlier. He was imprisoned and sentenced to die, but as he readily paid his fine he was ordered to remain at home and serve his aged mother. That same year his mother died and he was pardoned but was ordered to stay at home, close his door, and meditate on his misdemeanors. Early in 1817 his rank of viscount was given to his eldest son, Jung-an 容安.

In 1818 Na-yen-ch'êng was recalled to service and was made a sub-expositor. After several promotions he was appointed superintendent of the Granaries in Peking (1819). Under the new Emperor, Hsüan-tsung, he was made president of the Board of Civil Appointments (1820) and a year later was transferred to the Board of Punishments. In 1822 he was, for the third time, appointed governor-general of Shensi and Kansu. His chief task this time was to settle certain troubles among the Tibetans and Mongols in Kokonor. Prior to this, in 1822, the Tibetans south of the Yellow River had raided the Mongols north of the River and were driven back by an expeditionary force (see under ). Na-yen-ch'êng was entrusted with power to arrange a settlement of the dispute. He apprehended and executed the leaders of the Tibetan revolt, made it more difficult for the Tibetans to receive arms, and rehabilitated the routed Mongols north of the river. Larger garrisons were stationed along the river, and a census was conducted to check the movements of the Tibetans. His documents about the Kokonor affair from September 1822 to April 1823 were brought together and printed under the title 平番奏議 P'ing-Fan tsou-i, 4 chüan (reprinted in 1853).

In 1825 Na-yen-ch'êng was again transferred to Chihli as governor-general. During the war for the suppression of the Muslim rebellion (see under ), he was sometimes consulted by Emperor Hsüan-tsung, owing to his knowledge of affairs in Turkestan. Late in 1827, after Ch'ang-ling's victory over the Muslim and Khokandian invaders, Na-yen-ch'êng was made Imperial Commissioner to supervise the rehabilitation of the war area. For more than a year in Turkestan he managed the withdrawal of the armies, built city walls and forts at important points, abolished corrupt practices among officials, and deported Khokandian immigrants who traded illegally or helped the invaders. He strictly prohibited trade with Khokand on the ground that the region harbored robbers and rebels. His actions were commended by the Emperor and he was rewarded with the title of Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent. His portrait was also hung in the Tzŭ-kuang ko (see under ).

Na-yen-ch'êng returned to his post in Chihli in 1829, but his troubles had not yet come to an end. In the following year there again was unrest in Turkestan, and his son, Jung-an, was blamed for not immediately attacking the insurgents. While the son was being punished Na-yen-ch'êng himself was reproached for having brought on the revolt by treating the Khokandians too harshly. He was degraded and 586