劉綸 (如叔 繩菴)

LIU Lun 劉綸 (T. 如叔, H. 繩庵, 春涵), 1711–1773, Aug. 11, official and writer, was a native of Wu-chin, Kiangsu. While still a licentiate he was recommended to take the second special examination known as po-hsüeh hung-tz'ŭ 博學鴻詞 which took place on November 1, 1736. He passed first among some 180 candidates. Fifteen candidates in all were given the degree—these fifteen being classed into one high group of five and a lower group of ten. Among the other successful competitors of note were Hang Shih-chün, Ch'ên Chao-lun and Ch'i Shao-nan [qq.v.]. Following the examination, Liu Lun was made a compiler of the Hanlin Academy. Within the next few years promotions came to him in rapid succession, and toward the end he was shifted from scholarly to political duties. After 1749 he served in the Boards of Rites, Works, War, and Revenue, and in the Censorate, either as vice-president or as president; and finally in 1771 was made a Grand Secretary—a rank he held until his death at the age of sixty-three (sui). Concurrently he served for many years as a Grand Councilor (1758–65, 1767–73). He was canonized as Wên-ting 文定 and was commemorated in the Temple of Eminent Statesmen.

Liu Lun was noted for his simplicity and frugality, and even after he became president of a Board he continued to live in the same simple style. It is related that once on a very cold winter night when the eminent writer, Wang Ch'ang [q.v.], paid him a visit to discuss an important memorial Liu had nothing to offer him except wine and dates. Liu thus set an example of simplicity which his descendants tried for generations to follow.

Liu Lun was a talented writer of prose and verse and therefore was frequently put in charge of the compilation of official works. The year before his death he edited his own works into a collection, entitled 繩庵內外集 Shêng-an nei-wai chi, in 24 chüan, which was first printed in 1774 by his family.

Liu Lun had three sons: Liu T'u-nan 劉圖南, a chü-jên of 1768, Liu Yüeh-yün 劉躍雲 (T. 服先, H. 青垣, 1737–1808), and Liu Chao-yang 劉召揚 (T. 卣于, 1746–1803). Liu Yüeh-yün, though a chin-shih of 1766 and a man of unimpeachable character and good intentions, seemed to lack a thorough understanding of men and affairs. When he had charge, in 1792, of the provincial examinations in Shantung a rumor gained currency that he favored impecunious and aged candidates to the disadvantage of the talented. The published announcement of successful candidates was therefore derisively spoken of as "The punishing-ruler list" (戒尺榜), meaning that the victors were just poor, rod-using schoolmasters. In 1795 he was severely reprimanded for the poor results of the metropolitan examination of which he was one of the conductors. In 1804 he was promoted to be a junior vice-president of the Board of Works and later to senior vice-president of the Board of War, but he soon resigned. His collected works, entitled 貽拙齋詩文集 I-cho-chai shih-wên chi, were probably never published.

Liu Chao-yang was summoned to take a special examination in 1784 when Emperor Kao-tsung made a tour in South China. Though he surpassed the other candidates, he did not accept an appointment from the Emperor, preferring the life of an unpretentious schoolmaster in Hunan, Shansi, and Shantung. He was a poet but was also interested in classics, history, mathematics and medicine. He left in manuscript a collection of prose and verse comprising 30 chüan. His son, Liu Fêng-lu [q.v.], was a noted scholar.

[1/308/4b%E2%80%935b; 2/20/44a; 3/26/29a; 7/17/11a–12b; 12/21/53b; 23/27/6a; 26/2/3a; 31/1/1a; 33/70/2b; 清稗類鈔 Ch'ing-pai lei-ch'ao, 54/60.]

Fêng Chia-shêng

《清史稿》卷302

劉綸，字眘涵，江蘇武進人。少雋穎，六歲，能綴文，長工為古文辭。乾隆元年，以廩生舉博學鴻詞，試第一，授編修。預修世宗實錄，遷侍講，進太常寺少卿。四遷，擢內閣學士。十二年，扈蹕木蘭，奏秋郊大獵、哨鹿二賦，稱旨。十四年，直南書房，授禮部侍郎，調工部。十五年，命軍機處行走。十六年，土默特貝子哈木噶巴雅斯朗圖不按原議年限驅種地流民，命綸偕侍讀學士麒麟保往勘。六月，疏言：「出口民價典旗地，應遵原議三年、五年限外撤還原主。其領地耕種為佃戶，受雇力作為傭工，皆浮寄謀生，初無佔地意，應許力耕餬口。至領地墾荒，積累辛勤，始得成熟，不同價典，年滿先還原主。所需自種地有贏，仍給種以償前勞。木頭城、三座塔居人稠密，許照常居住。設三座塔巡檢一，資彈壓。」詔從其議。父憂歸。服闋，十八年，除戶部侍郎。十九年，兼順天府尹。故事，順天府公牘，治中、通判不署名。綸請以錢穀屬治中，獄訟屬通判，先署牘呈尹可否之。大軍西征準噶爾，師行，役車供偫，壹切辦治無誤。二十年，準噶爾平，予獎敘。浙江按察使富勒渾劾巡撫鄂樂舜授意布政使同德勒派商銀，命綸如浙江偕兩江總督尹繼善等會訊。二十一年，覆奏鄂樂舜受銀屬實，擬絞候；同德未知情；富勒渾誣劾，擬杖流。上以富勒渾參款已實，不應議罪，責綸等失當。部議奪官，有旨從寬留任，罷直軍機處。二十二年，命仍入直。二十四年六月，奏薊州、寶坻等縣蝻子萌動，州縣官事繁，督捕未能周遍，飭千總、外委同佐雜分捕，參將偕監司巡察勤惰，報可。進左都御史。二十五年，偕侍郎伊祿順赴西安勘將軍嵩阿禮剋兵糧、勒餽送等款，得實，論如律。二十六年，進兵部尚書。二十八年，調戶部，協辦大學士，加太子太保。三十年，母憂歸。甫除喪，詔起吏部尚書，仍協辦大學士。三十六年，授文淵閣大學士，兼工部尚書。三十八年，卒，命皇子臨其喪，贈太子太傅，祀賢良祠，諡文定。