王安國 (書城 春圃)

Wang An-kuo 王安國 (T. 書城 H. 春圃) June 24, 1694-1757, Feb. 25, official and scholar, was a native of Kao-yu, Kiangsu. For many generations his forefathers were scholars and teachers. After obtaining his chin-shih degree with high honors in 1724 he was appointed a compiler in the Hanlin Academy, and in the following year participated in the compilation of the first edition of the Ta-Ch'ing i-t'ung chih (see under Hsü Ch'ien-hsüeh and Yung-yen). In 1732 he was appointed a reviser for the compilation of the first edition (1739) of the Pa-ch'i t'ung-chih (see under Li Fu). In the same year (1732) he was in charge of the provincial examination in Fukien, and in the following year became a tutor in the Imperial Academy. In 1735 he was appointed commissioner of education in western Kwangtung, with the designation Chao-Kao hsüeh-chêng 肇高學政 as distinguished from the office in eastern Kwangtung, known as Kuang-Shao (廣韶) hsüeh-chêng. The division of the province for this purpose was put into effect early in 1730, but in 1751 the earlier practice of having one commissioner for the whole province was resumed.

Upon his return to the capital (1739) Wang An-kuo was made vice-president of the Board of Punishments (1739-40). Late in 1740, while serving as vice-president of the Censorate, he charged Wang Mu (see under Wang Yüan-ch'i) governor of Kwangtung, with having illegally appointed a magistrate; and after Wang Mu's dismissal Wang An-kuo was ordered to fill the place. By virtue of his energetic and efficient administration many old rules and traditions in the province were altered. In 1744 he was appointed president of the Board of War, but did not take the post owing to his father's death (1744) and the customary period of mourning. In 1746 he returned to Peking to take the presidency of the Board of Ceremonies, a post he held until 1755. In 1747 he was named to serve concurrently as one of the directors for the compilation of the third edition of the 大清會典 Ta-Ch'ing hui-tien or "Collected Statutes of the Empire", and the first edition of the 大清通禮 Ta-Ch'ing t'ung-li, or "Collected Rules of Ceremony". The first edition of the Ta-Ch'ing hui-tien, in 162 chüan, was commissioned in 1684 and completed in 1690. The second edition, in 250 chüan, was commissioned in 1724 and completed in 1733. The third edition, in 100 chüan (with tsê-li 則例), or regulations, in 180 chüan), was commissioned in 1747 and completed early in 1767. The fourth edition, in 80 chüan (with shih-li 事例, or precedents, in 920 chüan, and t'u 圖, or illustrations, in 132 chüan), was commissioned in 1801 and completed in 1818 (see under Yü Chêng-hsieh). The fifth edition, in 100 chüan, with shih-li in 1,220 chüan and t'u in 270 chüan, was commissioned in 1886 and completed in 1899. The Library of Congress has all five editions. As for the Ta-Ch'ing t'ung-li, the first edition, in 50 chüan, was commissioned in 1736, completed in 1759 and printed in 1818. An expanded edition in 54 chüan was commissioned in 1819 and completed in 1824.

In 1755 Wang An-kuo was appointed president of the Board of Civil Office, but was permitted to resign, late in 1756, on grounds of ill health. Upon his death he was canonized as Wên-su 文肅. He exemplified in his life a long-standing family tradition of strict morality. He was serious-minded and rigorous in the application of his principles, and led a life of extreme simplicity. Though he held many high positions, he remained to the end a poor man, devoted whole-heartedly to the service of his country. By nature a student deeply interested in the classics, he was unable to complete his studies in this field. His ambitions were fulfilled, however, and that handsomely, by his son, Wang Nien-sun, and his grandson, Wang Yin-chih [qq.v.].

[3/76/32a; 4/29/lla; 9/21/24b; 20/2/00; 肇慶府志 Chao-ch'ing fu-chih (1876) 13/2b; Lo Chen-yü 羅振玉, 高郵王氏遺書 Kao-yu Wang-shih i-shu (1925); Ssŭ-k'u 68/3b, 81/5a, 82/56.]

LI MAN-KUEI

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王安國 ，字春圃，江南高郵人。雍正二年一甲二名進士，授編修，再遷侍講。提督廣東肇高學政，復再遷左僉都御史。乾隆二年，疏請禁官吏居喪詣省會謁大吏，下部議行。復三遷左都御史。五年，兩江總督馬爾泰論廣東巡撫王謩徇縱，命安國往按，即命以左都御史領廣東巡撫。安國曰：「吾奉命勘事而即得其位，古所譏蹊田奪牛者非歟？」疏力辭，上不許。廣東俗奢靡，安國事事整肅，倉有餘粟。故事，自總督以下皆有分，安國獨以非制，止之。九年正月，就遷兵部尚書，尋遭父喪。廣州將軍策楞疏言安國孤介廉潔，歸葬無貲，與護理巡撫託庸等具賻歸之，報聞。

十年，召為兵部尚書，調禮部。安國疏乞終喪，居廬營葬。服闋，乃入朝。十四年六月，安國入對，言諸行省方科試，諸學臣尚有未除積弊。上令具疏陳，安國疏言：「上科鄉試後，頗聞諸學臣因錄科例嚴，轉開僥倖。或於省會書院博督撫之歡，或於所屬義學徇州縣之請，或市恩於朝臣故舊，或縱容子弟家人乘機作弊，致取錄不甚公明。」上召安國詢所論諸學臣姓名，安國舉尹會一、陳其凝、孫人龍、鄧釗等。上以會一、釗已物故，其凝、人龍皆坐事黜，因責安國瞻徇，手詔詰難。二十年，遷吏部尚書。二十一年，疏乞假為父改葬。上以來年當南巡，諭俟期扈行。冬，病作，予假治疾。二十二年春，卒，賜白金五百治喪，諡文肅。

安國初登第，謁大學士朱軾，軾戒之曰：「學人通籍後，惟留得本來面目為難。」安國誦其語終身。至顯仕，衣食器用不改於舊。深研經籍，子念孫，孫引之，承其緒，成一家之學，語在儒林傳。