Page:Eminent Chinese Of The Ch’ing Period - Hummel - 1943 - Vol. 2.pdf/214

 autobiographical nien-p'u. Two collections of miscellaneous notes, entitled to 冬夜箋記 Tung-yeh chien-chi and 談助 T'an-chu, attributed to Wang Ch'ung-chien, appear in the collectanea, 說鈴 Shuo-ling, published (1702–05) by Wu Chên-fang (see under ). But since the first of these two works contains a passage about the destruction of the tomb of in 1701, it is evidently not entirely from Wang's hand.

Wang Ch'ung-chien had six sons. The eldest, Wang Hsi, was a Grand Secretary. The third, Wang Jan 王然 (b. 1647), rose from magistrate to governor of Chekiang (1706–1709, Jan.). The fourth, Wang Chao 王照 (1650–1693), served as salt intendant of Yunnan (1687–92). The fifth, Wang Yen 王燕, held the following posts: prefect of Chin-kiang, Kiangsu (1685–92); provincial judge of Kiangsu (1692–94); financial commissioner of Hupeh (1694–98); and governor of Kweichow (1698–1703). One daughter of Wang Ch'ung-chien married Mi Han-wên (see under ), and another married Sun Tao-lin 孫道林, a son of.

Four generations of this family were represented in the Hanlin Academy. They were, aside from Wang Ch'ung-chien himself: his son, Wang Hsi; his grandson, Wang K'o-hung 王克弘 ; and his great-grandson, Wang Ching-tsêng 王景曾. The last-mentioned rose to be a vice-president of the Board of Ceremonies (1723–25).

[4/9/1a; 27/1/8a; Ch'ing-hsiang t'ang chi (1689 ed.); Nien-p'u of Wang Hsi.]

2em

 WANG Fu-ch'ên 王輔臣, d. Oct. 10, 1681, general, was a native of Tatung, Shansi. It is reported that he came from a family named Li 李 of Honan, and that at the close of the Ming period he attached himself to a band of outlaws. Later he joined the general,, and was adopted by a man named Wang Chin-ch'ao 王進朝, hence the surname by which he is now known. He was tall and of light complexion and was known by the nickname, Ma yao-tzŭ 馬鷂子, "The Eagle Who Preys on Horses". When Chiang Hsiang rebelled against the Manchus in 1648 Wang was a colonel in Chiang's army and became celebrated for his bravery in fighting the besieging army under. In 1649 he surrendered to the Manchus and served under the Plain White Banner. Before long he was made an Imperial Bodyguard. In 1653 he was sent to serve under in fighting the remnant Ming forces in Southwest China. For his exploits he was given the title of a brigade-general and in 1659 was appointed brigade-general in command of the armies in eastern Yunnan. At this time was given civil and military control of Yunnan and Wang, being his subordinate, was on intimate terms with him.

In 1670 Wang Fu-ch'ên was promoted to be provincial commander-in-chief of Shensi with headquarters at P'ing-liang, Kansu. In 1673 Wu San-kuei rebelled in Yunnan and sent a messenger to Wang, calling on him to join the rebellion. Wang delivered the message and the messenger to Peking and, for this manifestation of loyalty, was rewarded by Emperor Shêng-tsu with the rank of a third-class viscount. He was greatly disappointed, however, when an offer to lead his men to Hunan to fight Wu San-kuei was rejected; and when Molo 莫洛 (posthumous name 忠愍, d. 1675) was appointed commander-in-chief of the armies in Shensi and Szechwan. Late in 1674 Molo ordered Wang to accompany him in an advance to Szechwan from Shensi. Molo, it is said, had treated Wang condescendingly. On December 30, 1674, while Molo was camping near Ning-ch'iang, Wang fell on him and killed him. Thus Wang became at one stroke a partisan in Wu's rebellion, and received from Wu 200,000 taels silver, in addition to titles and ranks. In a short time Wang got control of many cities in Kansu and Shensi. Only General in western Kansu, and the Manchu armies at Sian, checked his further advance. In the meantime Emperor Shêng-tsu sent warm letters to Wang, promising him pardon if he would repent immediately. Wang's revolt, of course, had caused a serious setback to Emperor Shêng-tsu's military plans, so that even southern Shensi was lost to Wu's men. Hence the emperor ordered Dongge 洞鄂 (d. 1706, seventh son of ), to command the troops at Sian and to coordinate the attack on Wang Fu-ch'ên. After fighting for more than a year, Wang's territory was reduced to a small area round Ping-liang which then was besieged. In 1676 was made commander-in-chief to press the siege. After several victories Wang was forced to surrender to that general. As Emperor Shêng-tsu was then tempting Wu Sankuei's partisans to surrender, he did not punish Wang, but re-invested him with his former ranks  816