瞿式耜 (起田 稼軒)

CH'Ü Shih-ssŭ 瞿式耜 (T. 起田, H. 稼軒, 耘野), Sept. 6, 1590–1651, Jan. 8, Ming loyalist, was a native of Ch'ang-shu, Kiangsu, a descendant of a noted family of officials and scholars. His grandfather, Ch'ü Ching-ch'un 瞿景淳 (T. 師道, H. 昆湖, d. 1569, a chin-shih of 1544), was in 1567 concurrently vice-president of the Board of Ceremonies, chancellor of the Hanlin Academy, and chief editor for the second transcription of the Yung-lo ta-tien (see under Chu Yün). His father, Ch'ü Ju-yüeh 瞿汝說 (T. 星卿, H. 達觀, 1565–1623, a chin-shih of 1601), was noted for his uprightness and incorruptibility. Ch'ü Shih-ssŭ became a chin-shih in 1616 and was appointed two years later magistrate of Yung-fêng, Kiangsi, where he encouraged classical studies and established a reputation for good administration. In 1621 he was ordered to be transferred to Chiang-ling, Hupeh, but the inhabitants of Yung-fêng insisted on retaining him. Two years later (1623) he returned home to mourn the death of his father, and about this time became interested in Christianity. A distant uncle, Ch'ü Ju-k'uei 瞿汝夔 (referred to in contemporary missionary accounts as Ch'ü T'ai-su 瞿太素), was one of the first followers of Matteo Ricci (see under Hsü Kuang-ch'i) and was baptized in 1605 by P. Jean de Rocha 羅如望 (T. 懷中, 1566–1623) in Nanking under the name Ignatius. A son of Ch'ü Ju-k'uei, named Chü Shih-ku 瞿式穀, baptized as Matthew, invited P. Jules Aleni 艾儒略 (T. 思及, 1582–1649) to Ch'ang-shu in 1623 to found a Christian church in that community. Ch'ü Shih-ssŭ was himself baptized by Aleni under the name Thomas (多默) and wrote a preface to Aleni's religio-psychological study, 性學觕述 Hsing-hsüeh ts'u-shu, 8 chüan (1623).

In 1628 Ch'ü Shih-ssŭ accepted an appointment as junior metropolitan censor, but before long was involved in the conflict that was raging between the Tung-lin party and the courtiers regarding the appointment of a Grand Secretary. The Tung-lin faction supported Ch'ien Ch'ien-i [q.v.] whereas the courtiers favored Chou Yen-ju (see under Chang P'u) and Wên T'i-jên (see under Chêng Man). Owing to the opposition of Chou and Wên, Ch'ien Ch'ien-i, then vice-president of the Board of Ceremonies, was dismissed from office (1628) and Ch'ü Shih-ssŭ, his fellow townsman and devoted disciple, was obliged to go with him. The dispute between these factions continued, for in 1637 an unscrupulous native of Ch'ang-shu, in conspiracy with the opposition in Peking, brought accusations against Ch'ien and Ch'ü which resulted in their imprisonment. But they were released not long thereafter when the situation at court turned against Wên who was forced to give up his post in July–August 1637.

For the next seven years, or until 1644, Ch'ü Shih-ssŭ seems to have lived in retirement at his home. But when the Prince of Fu (see under Chu Yu-sung) was proclaimed emperor at Nanking (June 19, 1644) Ch'ü accepted from him the post of vice-governor of Nanking and on January 25, 1645 was appointed governor of Kwangsi. On April 26 he set out to take up his post in that province. When he reached Wu-chou, Kwangsi (July 26), he learned that Nanking had fallen (June 8) and that the Prince of Fu had been captured. At Wu-chou Ch'ü made the acquaintance of Chu Yu-lang [q.v.] and Chu Yu-ai (see under Chu Yu-lang). On September 25, two months after Ch'ü's arrival at Wu-chou, Chu Hêng-chia 朱亨嘉 (the Prince of Ching-kiang 靖江王), who was a descendant of Ming T'ai-tsu's eldest brother, declared himself emperor at Kuei-lin, Kwangsi, and Ch'ü, because of his strong opposition to this usurpation, was escorted there under heavy guard. With the help of Chiao Lien 焦璉 (T. 瑞亭, 國器, d. Oct. 15, 1651) who in missionary accounts is known as "Luke Chiao Lien", Ch'ü was able to effect the arrest of Chu Hêng-chia and later (March 26, 1646) to send him to Fukien where he was deprived of his title of prince, and his followers were executed. When the Prince of T'ang (see under Chu Yu-chien) ruled for about thirteen months (1645–46) in Fukien under the reign-title Lung-wu, Ch'ü was offered the post of junior vice-president of the Board of War, but declined. This prince, too, was taken captive by the enemy (October 6, 1646) and his effort to restore the Ming regime came to an end. Thereupon Ch'ü and his followers decided to welcome to Chao-ch'ing, Kwangtung (September-October 1646), the Prince of Yung-ming (see under Chu Yu-lang) to carry on the Ming court. On November 20 Chu Yu-lang was declared "administrator of the realm" (監國) at Chao-ch'ing, and Ch'ü Shih-ssŭ was appointed concurrently Grand Secretary and acting president of the Board of Civil Office.

On December 24 Chu Yu-lang was proclaimed emperor with the reign-title Yung-li and Ch'ü was promoted to Grand Secretary of the Wên Yüan Ko 文淵閣留守. But the tenure of the court at Chao-ch'ing was short-lived, for on January 20, 1647, Canton fell to the Manchu forces under Li Ch'êng-tung [q.v.], thus causing Chu Yu-lang and his court to flee through Wu-chou (February 5) to Kuei-lin (February 25). The Manchu forces took Chao-ch'ing on February 20, Wu-chou on March 5, and laid siege to Kuei-lin on April 18. Chu Yu-lang by this time had fled to Ch'üan-chou, Kwangsi, and later to Wu-kang, Hunan. Ch'ü was appointed concurrently president of the Board of Civil Office, president of the Board of War, Grand Secretary of the Wên Yüan Ko, and was placed in charge of the defense of Kuei-lin (留守桂林). In the course of one year (April 18, 1647–April 14, 1648) Kuei-lin was three times attacked or besieged by Manchu forces but without success, owing to Ch'ü's energetic defense of the city. It is said that Ch'ü was aided in this defense by Western cannon (西洋銃) provided through the help of missionaries. In consequence of his valiant efforts Ch'ü was given the title "Earl of Lin-kuei" 臨桂伯 and made Grand Tutor to the Heir Apparent (June 30, 1647). Before the third siege of Kuei-lin (April 14, 1648) Chu Yu-lang returned once more to that city, but set out for Nan-ning, Kwangsi, on March 16, thus beginning his long wanderings which lasted more than fourteen years. But the rebellion of Li Ch'êng-tung and Chin Shêng-huan [q.v.] against the Manchus in the spring of 1648 shifted the center of warfare and gave temporary respite to the Ming cause, thus permitting the recovery of considerable territory. Yet the gains were temporary, for in the late summer of 1649 K'ung Yu-tê [q.v.] pressed down on Kwangsi from Hunan with twenty thousand men, and another Manchu army led by Shang K'o-hsi and Kêng Chi-mao [qq.v.] advanced on Canton through Kiangsi. After a siege of eight months Canton again fell to the Manchus (November 24, 1650) and three days later Kuei-lin was taken. Ch'ü Shih-ssŭ and another official, Chang T'ung-ch'ang 張同敞 (T. 別山), were captured. When the two were led into the presence of K'ung Yu-tê the latter tried in vain to win them over to the Manchu cause. K'ung even proposed to release Ch'ü if he would submit to tonsure as a Buddhist monk and so, in a sense, satisfy the Manchu requirement for shaving the head. But when a letter of rebellious intent which Ch'ü had secretly transmitted to Chiao Lien was discovered, K'ung had both executed. Chin Pao [q.v.] submitted a long memorandum to K'ung requesting permission to take care of the remains of Ch'ü and Chang, but meanwhile a disciple of Ch'ü, named Yang I 楊藝 (T. 碩甫), had the corpses interred.

During their confinement of forty-one days the two unfortunate men wrote a number of poems which were published under the title 浩氣吟 Hao-ch'i yin. Ch'ü's collected works, entitled 瞿忠宣公集 Ch'ü Chung-hsüan kung chi, in 10 chüan, consisting of memorials, poems, and letters, were first published by Li Chao-lo [q.v.] in 1835 and were reprinted in 1887. The Ming court conferred on him the posthumous name, Wên-chung 文忠 and Emperor Kao-tsung, the name Chung-hsüan 忠宣 (1776).

[M.1/280/9a; M.3/260/9a; M.36/7/1a; M.41/17/21b; M.59/28/1a; M.64/辛9/2a; 鹿樵紀聞 Lu ch'iao chi-wên (in 痛史) 卷下/14b; Wang Fu-chih [q.v.], Yung-li shih-lu 2/1a; 行在陽秋 Hsing-tsai yang-ch'iu 上/46b in 明季稗史彙編 Ming-chi pai-shih hui-pien for date of birth of Ch'ü Shih-ssŭ; 明季南略 Ming-chi nan-lüeh 12/7a, 13/1b, 15/3a; 常昭合志稿 Ch'ang-Chao ho chih kao (1904) 25/21a, 25/56b, 44/13b; Kwangsi t'ung-chih (1801) 252/13a; Ssŭ-k'u 子/雜志9; Ch'ü Chung-hsüan kung chi with portrait (1887) in Library of Congress; Fr. Von Jäger, "Die Letzten Tage Des Kü Schï-sï, Sinica VIII (1933) 197–207; P. Pelliot, "Michel Boym", T'oung Pao (1934) 95–151.]

J. C. Yang

T. Numata

《明史》卷280

瞿式耜，字起田，常熟人。禮部侍郎景淳孫，湖廣參議汝說子也。舉萬曆四十四年進士。授吉安永豐知縣，有惠政。天啟元年調江陵。永豐民乞留，命再任。以憂歸。崇禎元年擢戶科給事中，疏言李國宜留內閣，王永光宜典銓，曹于汴宜秉憲，鄭三俊、畢懋良宜總版曹，李邦華宜主戎政。帝多采其言。俄陳朝政不平，為王之寀請恤，孫慎行訟冤，速楊鎬、王化貞之誅，白楊漣、左光斗結毒之謗，追論故相魏廣微、顧秉謙、馮銓、黃立極之罪。因言奪情建祠之朱童蒙不可寬，積愆久廢之湯賓尹不可用。帝亦納之。又極論來宗道、楊景辰附逆不可居政府，二人旋罷去。御史袁弘勛劾大學士劉鴻訓，逆黨徐大化實主之。川貴總督張鶴鳴先已被廢，其復用由魏忠賢。式耜並疏論。已，頌楊漣、魏大中、周順昌為清中之清，忠中之忠，三人遂賜諡。未幾，陳時務七事，言：「起廢不可不覈，陞遷不可不漸，會推不可不慎。諡典宜嚴，刑章宜飭，論人宜審，附璫者宜區分。」又極論館選奔競之弊，請臨軒親試。末言：「古有左右史，記天子言動。今召對時勤，宜令史官入侍紀錄，昭示朝野。」事多議行。時將定逆案，請盡發紅本，定其情罪輕重。又言宣府巡撫徐良彥不附逆奄，為崔呈秀誣劾遣戍，亟當登用。良彥遂獲起。式耜矯矯立名，所建白多當帝意，然搏擊權豪，大臣多畏其口。十月詔會推閣臣，禮部侍郎錢謙益以同官周延儒方言事蒙眷，慮並推則己絀，謀沮之。式耜，謙益門人也，言於當事者，擯延儒弗推，而列謙益第二。溫體仁遂發難，延儒助之。謙益奪官閒住，式耜坐貶謫。式耜嘗頌貴寧參政胡平表殺賊功，請優擢。其後平表為貴州布政使，坐不謹罷。式耜再貶二秩，遂廢於家。久之，常熟奸民張漢儒希體仁指，訐謙益、式耜貪肆不法。體仁主之，下法司逮治。巡撫張國維、巡按路振飛交章白其冤，不聽。比兩人就獄，則體仁已去位，獄稍解。謙益坐削籍，式耜贖徒。言官疏薦，不納。十七年，福王立於南京。八月起式耜應天府丞。已，擢右僉都御史，代方震孺巡撫廣西。明年夏，甫抵梧州，聞南京破。靖江王亨嘉謀僭號，召式耜。拒不往，而檄思恩參將陳邦傳助防。止狼兵，勿應亨嘉調。亨嘉至梧，劫式耜，幽之桂林，遣人取其敕印。初，式耜議立桂端王子安仁王。及唐王監國，式耜以為倫序不當立，不奉表勸進。至是為亨嘉所幽，乃遣使賀王，因乞援。王喜，而亨嘉為丁魁楚所攻，勢窘，乃釋式耜。式耜與中軍官焦璉召邦傳共執亨嘉，亂遂定。唐王擢式耜兵部右侍郎，協理戎政，以晏日曙來代。式耜不入朝，退居廣東。順治三年九月，大兵破汀州。式耜與魁楚等議立永明王由榔，乃迎王梧州，以十月十日監國肇慶。進式耜吏部右侍郎、東閣大學士，兼掌吏部事。未幾，贛州敗報至，司禮王坤迫王赴梧州。式耜力爭，不得。十一月朔，蘇觀生立唐王聿於廣州。式耜乃與魁楚等定議迎王還肇慶，遣總督林佳鼎禦觀生兵，敗歿。式耜視師峽口。十二月望，大兵破廣州。王坤趣王西走。式耜趨赴王，王已越梧而西。四年正月，大兵破肇慶，逼梧州，巡撫曹曄迎降。王欲走依何騰蛟於湖廣，丁魁楚、呂大器、王化澄皆棄王去，止式耜及吳炳、吳貞毓等從，乃由平樂抵桂林。二月，大兵襲平樂，分兵趨桂林。王將走全州，式耜極陳桂林形勢，請留，不許。自請留守，許之。進文淵閣大學士，兼兵部尚書，賜劍，便宜從事。平樂、潯州相繼破，桂林危甚。總督侍郎朱盛濃走靈川，巡按御史辜延泰走融縣，布政使朱盛、副使楊垂雲、桂林知府王惠卿以下皆遁，惟式耜與通判鄭國藩，縣丞李世榮及都司林應昌、李當瑞、沈煌在焉。王令兵部右侍郎丁元曄代盛濃，御史魯可藻代延泰。未赴而大兵已於三月薄桂林，以騎數十突入文昌門，登城樓瞰式耜公署。式耜急令援將焦璉拒戰。初，永明王為賊執，璉率眾攀城上，破械出之。王病不能行，璉負王以行。王以此德璉，用破靖江王功，命為參將。及是戰守三月，璉功最多，元曄、可藻亦盡力。式耜身立矢石中，與士卒同甘苦。積雨城壞，吏士無人色，式耜督城守自如，故人無叛志。援兵索餉而譁，式耜括庫不足，妻邵捐簪珥佐之。既而璉兵主客不和，譟而去，城幾破者數矣。會陳邦彥等攻廣州，大兵引而東，桂林獲全。璉亦復陽朔及平樂，陳邦傳亦由潯復梧州。王聞捷，封式耜臨桂伯，璉新興伯，元曄等進秩有差。式耜初請王返全州，不聽。已，請還桂林。王已許之，會武岡破，王由靖州走柳州，式耜復請還桂林。十一月，大兵自湖南逼全州，式耜偕騰蛟拒卻。已，梧州復破，王方在象州，欲走南寧。以大臣力爭，乃以十二月還桂林。五年二月，南安侯郝永忠駐桂林，惡城外團練兵，盡破水東十八村，殺戮無算，與式耜搆難。式耜力調劑，永忠乃駐興安。大兵前驅至靈川，永忠戰敗，奔入桂林，請王即夕西走。式耜力爭，不聽。左右皆請速駕，式耜又爭。王曰：「卿不過欲予死社稷爾。」式耜為泣下沾衣。王甫行，永忠即大掠，捶殺太常卿黃太元。式耜家亦被掠，家人矯騰蛟令箭，乃出城。日中，趙印選諸營自靈川至，亦大掠，城內外如洗。永忠走柳州，印選等走永寧。明日，式耜息城中餘燼，安撫遠近。焦璉及諸鎮周金、湯兆佐、胡一青等各率所部至，騰蛟軍亦至。三月，大兵知桂林有變，來襲，抵北門。騰蛟督諸將拒戰，城獲全。時王駐南寧，式耜遣使慰三宮起居。王始知式耜無恙，為泣下。閏三月，廣東李成棟、江西金聲桓皆叛大清，據地歸，式耜請王還桂林。王從成棟請，將赴廣州。式耜慮成棟挾王自專，如劉承胤事，力爭之，乃駐肇慶。十一月，永州、寶慶、衡州並復。式耜以機會可乘，請王還桂林，圖出楚之計，不納。慶國公陳邦傳守潯州，自稱世守廣西，欲如黔國公例。式耜特疏劾之，會中外多爭者，邦傳乃止。廣西巡撫魯可藻自署銜巡撫兩廣，式耜亦疏駁之。式耜身在外，政有闕，必疏諫。嘗曰：「臣與主上患難相隨，休戚與共，不同他臣。一切大政，自得與聞。」王為褒納。而是時成棟子元胤專朝政，知敬式耜，袁彭年、丁時魁、金堡等遂爭相倚附。六年正月，時魁等逐朱天麟，不欲何吾騶為首輔。召式耜入直，以文淵印畀之，式耜終不入也。未幾，騰蛟、聲桓、成棟相繼敗歿，國勢大危。朝士方植黨相角，式耜不能禁。七年正月，南雄破。王懼，走梧州。諸大臣訐時魁等下獄，式耜七疏論救。胡執恭之擅封孫可望也，式耜疏請斬之。皆不納。九月，全州破。開國公趙印選居桂林，衞國公胡一青守榕江，與寧遠伯王永祚皆懼不出兵，大兵遂入嚴關。十月，一青、永祚入桂林分餉，榕江無戍兵，大兵益深入。十一月五日，式耜檄印選出，不肯行，再趣之，則盡室逃。一青及武陵侯楊國棟、綏寧伯蒲纓、寧武伯馬養麟亦逃去。永祚迎降，城中無一兵。式耜端坐府中，家人亦散。部將戚良勛請式耜上馬速走，式耜堅不聽，叱退之。俄總督張同敞至，誓偕死，乃相對飲酒，一老兵侍。召中軍徐高付以敕印，屬馳送王。是夕，兩人秉燭危坐。黎明，數騎至。式耜曰「吾兩人待死久矣」，遂與偕行，至則踞坐於地。諭之降，不聽，幽於民舍。兩人日賦詩倡和，得百餘首。至閏十一月十有七日，將就刑，天大雷電，空中震擊者三，遠近稱異，遂與同敞俱死。同敞，大學士居正曾孫，事見居正傳。時桂林殉難者光祿少卿汪皡投水死。其破平樂也，守將鎮西將軍朱旻如自剄。有周震者，官中書舍人，居全州，慷慨尚氣節。武岡失，全州危，震邀文武將吏盟於神，誓死拒守。條城守事宜，上之留守瞿式耜。式耜即題為御史，監全州軍。無何，郝永忠、盧鼎自全州撤兵還桂林。守全諸將議舉城降，震力爭不可，眾怒殺之，全州遂失。