Cao Zhenyong 曹振鏞

TS'AO Chên-yung 曹振鏞 (T. 懌嘉, H. 儷笙), Nov. 8, 1755–1835, Jan. 31, official, was a native of Shê-hsien, Anhwei. His grandfather, Ts'ao Ching-ch'ên 曹景宸 (T. 映青, H. 楓亭, 1707–1776, Feb. 14), was for many years a salt merchant at Yangchow, and as such amassed a tolerable fortune. His father, Ts'ao Wên-ch'ih 曹文埴 (T. 近薇, H. 竹虛, 薺原, 1735–1798), became a chin-shih in 1760 and in the following year a compiler in the Hanlin Academy. After holding the offices of educational commissioner of Kiangsi (1771–74) and of Chekiang (1775–76), and serving as a vice-president on various Boards, Ts'ao Wên-ch'ih was made president of the Board of Revenue (1785). In 1787 he was granted leave to look after his aged mother (née Chu 朱, b. 1707). While in retirement he exchanged poems with Emperor Kao-tsung whom he visited on two occasions—in 1790 to celebrate the Emperor's eightieth birthday, and in 1795 to congratulate the Emperor on his completion of sixty years on the throne. His literary collection, 石鼓硯齋集 Shih-ku-yen chai chi, contains 20 + 1 chüan of writings in prose and 32 + 2 + 8 chüan of verse. He was canonized as Wên-min 文敏.

Ts'ao Chên-yung became a chin-shih in 1781 and a compiler in the Hanlin Academy in 1787. For eleven years he served in various literary offices in Peking and as educational commissioner of Honan (1792–95) and of Kwangtung (1798). From 1798 to 1801 he remained at home to mourn the death of his father, and thereafter served as a sub-chancellor of the Grand Secretariat (1802–04), as provincial commissioner of education of Kiangsi (1804–06), and as president of the Board of Works (1806–09) and of the Board of Revenue (1809–13). In 1813 he was made a Grand Secretary, supervising the Board of Works. After the suppression of the rebellion at Hua-hsien, Honan (see under Na-yen-ch'êng), he was given the title of Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent. In 1814, on his sixtieth birthday (by Chinese calculation), he received the congratulations of Emperor Jên-tsung.

In 1820, after Emperor Hsüan-tsung succeeded to the throne, Ts'ao was made concurrently a Grand Councilor. During the ensuing fourteen years he headed the highest offices of the government—the Grand Secretariat and the Grand Council. He became, in fact, the venerated old man of the Empire, receiving the congratulations of Emperor Hsüan-tsung on his seventieth and eightieth birthdays (1824, 1834) with high honors. In 1821 he was given a home near the Forbidden City; three years later he was honored with the peacock feather for his part in directing the compilation of the Shih-lu of Emperor Jên-tsung (see under Wang Yin-chih). For the recovery of Turkestan in 1828 (see under Ch'ang-ling), he was given the title of Grand Tutor—an honor granted to only a few living men in the Ch'ing period. In 1831 he was decorated with a double-eyed peacock feather, and three years later was permitted to ride in a sedan chair inside the Forbidden City. On receiving the news of his death, Emperor Hsüan-tsung issued a long statement praising him and granting him high posthumous honors. He was celebrated in the Temple of Eminent Statesmen and was given the most coveted posthumous name, Wên-chêng 文正.

In his statement lamenting Ts'ao's death, Emperor Hsuan-tsung praised him as faithful to his trust, and added that although he seemed awkward in speech, he often fearlessly and vehemently gave his views on what should be done and what should not be done. The Emperor resembled Ts'ao in being cautious and frugal, and perhaps for that reason placed so much confidence in him. It is said that owing to Ts'ao's advice, many unnecessary expenses in the government and in the Palaces were abolished. He was not known to seek personal advantage. When T'ao Chu [q.v.] began his reforms in the salt administration in Kiangsu, he feared that the changes might incur opposition from Ts'ao whose family was engaged in the salt business there. He therefore apprised Ts'ao of his plans and asked for his opinion. Ts'ao replied that he had never heard of a premier starving to death and would not complain at personal losses if the desired reforms could be carried out.

On the other hand, Ts'ao has been blamed by some writers as having been in part responsible for the weakened state of the empire during the troubled decades following his death. He is said to have minimized the importance of substance in the essays written for the civil examinations, to have overemphasized calligraphy, and to have been too cautious in adhering to precedents of earlier reigns. For these reasons many able men failed to pass the examinations, or if they passed, could not obtain promotion to important offices (see Kung Tzŭ-chên, Ts'ui Shu, Chang Hsüeh-ch'êng), whereas many plodding and unimaginative scholars were elevated to the highest posts. In consequence, the government became chiefly an agency for issuing stereotyped decrees and for perpetuating outworn policies. Many urgent reforms were shelved, and the nation found itself unable to cope with the new mercantile and political forces which later assailed it from the West.

Ts'ao Chên-yung's collected works, entitled 綸閣延暉集 Lun-ko yen-hui chi, were probably not printed. A collection of his poems on events in history was printed under the title, 話雲軒詠史詩 Hua-yün hsüan yung-shih shih, 2 chüan.

[1/369/1a; 1/327/7a; 5/2/17a; 3/95/1a; 行述 Hsing-shu of Ts'ao Wên-ch'ih in Shih-ku-yen chai chi; Chang Hsing-chien 張星鑑, 仰蕭樓文集 Yang-hsiao-lou wên-chi 1/59b; Nien-p'u of P'an Shih-ên [q.v.], p. 78a; Ch'ing-ch'ao yeh-shih ta-kuan (see bibl. under Li Hung-tsao) 7/2–4; Hsüan-tsung Ch'êng Huang-ti shih-lu (see under Min-ning) 258/19b.]

Fang Chao-ying

字儷笙 又字懌嘉 諡文正 安徽歙縣 太傅 武英殿大學士 管理工部事務

《清史稿》卷363

曹振鏞，字儷笙，安徽歙縣人，尚書文埴子。乾隆四十六年進士，選庶吉士，授編修。大考三等，高宗以振鏞大臣子，才可用，特擢侍講。累遷侍讀學士。嘉慶三年，大考二等，遷少詹事。父憂歸，服闋，授通政使。歷內閣學士，工部、吏部侍郎。十一年，擢工部尚書。高宗實錄成，加太子少保。調戶部，兼翰林院掌院學士。十八年，調吏部尚書、協辦大學士。尋拜體仁閣大學士，管理工部，晉太子太保。二十五年，仁宗崩，樞臣撰遺詔，稱高宗誕生於避暑山莊，編修劉鳳誥知其誤，告振鏞，振鏞召對陳之，宣宗怒，譴罷樞臣。尋命振鏞為軍機大臣。宣宗治尚恭儉，振鏞小心謹慎，一守文法，最被倚任。

道光元年，晉太子太傅、武英殿大學士。三年，萬壽節，幸萬壽山玉瀾堂，賜宴十五老臣，振鏞年齒居末，特命與宴繪像。四年，充上書房總師傅。六年，入直南書房。七年，回疆平，晉太子太師。八年，張格爾就擒，晉太傅，賜紫韁，圖形紫光閣，列功臣中。振鏞具疏固辭，詔凡軍機大臣別繪一圖，以遂讓功之心，而彰輔弼之效。御製贊曰：「親政之始，先進正人。密勿之地，心腹之臣。問學淵博，獻替精醇。克勤克慎，首掌絲綸。」親書以賜之。十一年，以萬壽慶典賜雙眼花翎。

十五年，卒，年八十有一。自繕遺疏，附摺至十餘事。上震悼，詔曰：「大學士曹振鏞 ，人品端方。自授軍機大臣以來，靖恭正直，歷久不渝。凡所陳奏，務得大體。前大學士劉統勳、朱珪，於乾隆、嘉慶中蒙皇祖、皇考鑒其品節，賜諡文正。 曹振鏞實心任事，外貌訥然，而獻替不避嫌怨，朕深倚賴而人不知。揆諸諡法，足以當『正』字而無愧。其予諡文正。」入祀賢良祠。擢次子恩濙四品卿。

振鏞歷事三朝，凡為學政者三，典鄉會試者各四。衡文惟遵功令，不取淹博才華之士。殿廷御試，必預校閱，嚴於疵累忌諱，遂成風氣。凡纂修會典、兩朝實錄、河工方略、明鑑、皇朝文穎、全唐文，皆為總裁。駕謁諸陵及秋獮木蘭，每命留京辦事。臨雍視學，命充直講。恩眷之隆，時無與比。數請停罷不急工程，撙節糜費。世以鹽筴起家，及改行淮北票法，舊商受損，振鏞曰：「焉有餓死之宰相家？」卒贊成，世特以稱之。