Page:Eminent Chinese Of The Ch’ing Period - Hummel - 1943 - Vol. 2.pdf/256

 his contemporary,, he bitterly opposed his philosophical presuppositions on the ground that they violated the views set forth by Chu Hsi.

Among Wêng's many disciples may be mentioned the following:, , , , , , Hsieh Ch'i-k'un (see under ), Yeh Chih-shên (see under ), Fêng Min-ch'ang 馮敏昌 , and Wu Sung-liang (see under ). Among his sons only the fourth, Wêng Shu-p'ei 翁樹培, became a chin-shih (1787) and a member of the Hanlin Academy. It is reported that when Wêng Fang-kang died his family found it necessary to dispose of his large collection of antiques and rare books in order to defray the expenses of his funeral.

[Wêng-shih chia-shih lüeh-chi; 2/68/39a; 3/91/16a; 10/23/1a; 20/3/00 with portrait; 26/2/4b; 29/5/ 11b; Shun-t'ien fu-chih (1886) 102/22b; Ai-jih yinlu shu-hua pu-lu (see bibl. under ), p. 16a, hsü-lu 6/14a, pieh-lu 2/31b; T'ien-chih ou-wên (see bibl. under ) 7/15b; Ch'ang-ch'u chai sui-pi (see under ) 3/7b, hsü-pi 7/12a; Suzuki Torao, 支那詩論史 Shina Shironshi (1925, Kyoto), pp. 200–202.]

2em

 WÊNG Hsin-ts'un 翁心存, June 15, 1791–1862, Dec. 27, official, was a native of Ch'ang-shu, Kiangsu. His father, Wêng Hsien-fêng 翁咸封, served as director of schools of the department of Hai-chou in northern Kiangsu for eleven or twelve years, beginning in 1798. While Wêng Hsin-ts'un was living with his father in Hai-chou he was taught prose composition by the department magistrate, T'ang Chung-mien (see under ). In 1822 he became a chin-shih, was selected a bachelor of the Hanlin Academy and a year later was made a compiler. During the next twenty-eight years he held various literary posts, serving meanwhile as commissioner of education of Kwangtung (1825–29), of Kiangsi (1832–34), and of Fengtien (1835–36), and as a tutor in the Palace School for Princes (1829–32, 1837–38, 1849–59). Early in 1850 he was made a vice-president of the Board of Works, and a few months later was transferred to the Board of Revenue. Early in 1852 he was promoted to be president of the Board of Works.

In 1853, as the Taiping Rebellion extended to Nanking and North China, and after the government had spent twenty-five million taels in three years to check it, Wêng memorialized the throne on measures to put a stop to corrupt practices of the generals, and to raise more funds. He also recommended as competent to command the government troops. In the meantime Wêng was concurrently made governor of the Metropolitan Area of Peking to prepare the defenses of that region against the northern thrust of the Taipings. The government, lacking metal for coins, began to issue paper notes, but Wêng objected to the use of these notes for the payment of troops and in consequence was impeached. Meanwhile he was accused of shielding guilty subordinates, and early in 1854 was cashiered. Nevertheless, after a few months he was recalled to service and was named a vice-president, first of the Board of Civil Appointments and then of the Board of Revenue. Early in 1855 he became president of the Board of Civil Appointments. Late in 1856 he was transferred to the Board of Revenue, acting concurrently as an Associate Grand Secretary. In 1858, when he was raised to a Grand Secretary, he was still ordered to supervise the Board of Revenue. At this time the revenue had decreased considerably while the expense of suppressing the Taiping Rebellion rose sharply. Wêng was opposed to unorthodox measures for raising funds, such as taxing the illegal sale of opium or issuing coins of value below par. In fact, he was opposed to many of the policies of and in 1859 was forced to resign. Several times his opponents, led by Tsai-yüan (see under ) and Su-shun, sought to incriminate him by finding fault with his administration of the Board of Revenue, but their efforts failed.

When Emperor Mu-tsung ascended the throne in 1861, Su-shun's party fell. Wêng was recalled from retirement and was again named a Grand Secretary. In 1862 he became one of four tutors to the youthful emperor (see under ), but he died in that same year. He was posthumously given the title of Grand Guardian and the name Wên-tuan 文端. in His memory was celebrated in the Temple of Eminent Statesmen and five of his grandsons were raised in their official ranks. Wêng Hsin-ts'un had three sons, all of whom achieved distinction. Of these the youngest,, was for many years in charge of the Board of Revenue; and the eldest, Wêng Tung-shu 翁同書 (T. 祖庚 H. 藥房, 858