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 various classics—into twenty-one categories which by further study he later raised to twentytwo. His method was apparently more detailed than that of and  who had divided ancient rhymes into ten and seventeen classes respectively. In this work are also recorded the results of his studies on the four tones (particularly the ju-shêng 入聲) in which he made significant discoveries. The work was not printed until 1925 when it was published by Lo Chên-yü in the 高郵王氏遺書 Kao-yu Wang-shih i-shu, 8 ts'ê 册, together with other writings by members of the Wang family. Certain unpublished manuscripts of Wang Niensun on the subject of rhymes, once owned by Lo Chên-yü, are now preserved in the National Library of Peiping. A list of some of the titles appears in the Bulletin of the National Library of Peiping, vol. 4, no. 1, (Jan.–Feb. 1930). The following two fragments of Wang Nien-sun's studies are also found in the Kao-yu Wang-shih i-shu: 釋大 Shih-ta, 8 chüan, an etymological study of the character for "large" (ta 大) with its related meanings, and with examples drawn from various texts of antiquity; and 方言疏證補 Fang-yen shu-chêng pi, 1 chüan, written in 1787. In it he attempts to amplify Tai Chên's comments on the Fang-yên (see under ), but he scarcely completed one chüan. Other minor studies by Wang Nien-sun in phonetics and etymology appear in various ts'ung-shu.

Wang Nien-sun had two sons: the afore-mentioned Wang Yin-chih, and Wang Ching-chih 王敬之. The latter was a hsiu-ts'ai and the author, among others, of two collections of verse, entitled: 三十六湖漁唱 San-shih-liu hu yü ch'ang, 3 ts'ê; and 小言集 Hsiao-yen chi, 6 ts'ê.

[3/212/48a; 13/5/24a; 20/3/00; Liang Ch'i-ch'ao, Chung-kuo chin san-pai-nien hsüeh-shu shih (see bible under ), pp. 328–74; Hu Shih wên-ts'un (see bible under ), series 3 (1930) pp. 320–38; Lu Tsung-ta, "Notes on Two Manuscripts of Wang Nien-sun Preserved in the Peking National University" (in Chinese), Kuo-hsüeh chi-k'an (Journal of Sinological Studies), vol. 3, no. 1 (1932) pp. 163–74, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 129–74; Pan-li Ssŭ-k'u ch'üan-shu tang-an (see bibl. under ), passim; Nien-p'u by Liu P'an-sui in Nü shih-ta hsüeh-shu chi-k'an (Women's Normal University Quarterly, Peking), vol. 1, no. 3 (1930); Nien-p'u by Min Êr-ch'ang (1931).]

2em

 WANG Shan 王掞, Feb. 3, 1645–1728, official, the eighth son of , was a native of T'ai-ts'ang, Kiangsu. Taking his chin-shih in 1670, he was selected a bachelor of the Hanlin Academy and later was given the rank of compiler. He served for a term as commissioner of education of Chekiang (1684–87) and several times as examiner in provincial examinations. After several promotions he was appointed junior vice-president of the Board of Revenue (1694) and thereafter held the following posts: a vice-president of the Board of Revenue (1698–99), and of the Board of Civil Offices (1699–1704); president of the Board of Punishments (1704–08), of the Board of Works (1708–10), of the Board of War (1710) and of the Board of Ceremonies (1711–12); and Grand Secretary (1712–23).

In 1712, a few months after Wang Shan became Grand Secretary, he witnessed the imprisonment of, the one-time Heir Apparent to the throne. Five years later he memorialized Emperor Shêng-tsu on the importance of designating a successor to Yin-jêng. The Emperor was displeased, but did not make an issue of the matter. Later in the same year (1717) eight censors jointly memorialized the throne to the same effect. The Emperor, suspecting them of having formed a coalition with Wang Shan at their head, reprimanded them. In 1721, in a memorial congratulating the Emperor on the sixtieth year of his reign, Wang Shan, still undaunted, entreated the Emperor to appoint an Heir Apparent. Soon afterwards eleven censors importuned the Emperor on the same subject, three of whom had done so four years previously. The Emperor, now highly incensed, accused Wang of definitely creating a faction to effect the release and restoration of Yin-jêng as Heir Apparent, in the hope that when the latter became Emperor he would elevate them all to positions of power and responsibility. Ten of the censors were banished, Wang was imprisoned forthwith, but was soon released. Had it not been for his age, he would have been banished to Sining to assist the armies that were fighting the Eleuths. His son, Wang I-ch'ing 王奕清, was however sent in his stead. Another son, Wang I-hung 五奕鴻, voluntarily resigned his post as intendant of a circuit in Hunan to accompany and console his brother. In 1722 Wang Shan was pardoned and reinstated as Grand Secretary, but he displeased 830