Gūbadai [Irgen Gioro]

Gubadai 顧八代 (T. 文起), d. Jan. 1709, was a Manchu of the Bordered Yellow Banner with the clan-name Irgen Gioro 伊爾根覺羅. In 1659 as a private of the Guards Division 護軍 he followed the army into Yunnan in an expedition against a supporter of the last Ming claimant to the throne. Afterwards he held various minor positions at the capital and studied history and astronomy. When Emperor Shêng-tsu personally examined the bannermen officials in 1675 Gubadai passed with the highest grade, and so was promoted to a reader in the Hanlin Academy. During the Wu San-kuei [q.v.] rebellion Gubadai was sent (1677) to assist a general, Manggitu 莽依圖 (clan-name 兆佳 posthumous name 襄壯, d. 1680), in Kwangtung in the campaign to retake Kwangsi.

After the completion of the campaign Manggitu is said to have drawn up a memorial giving Gubadai all the credit for the victory, but this Gubadai burned, insisting that credit should go to the whole staff. After Manggitu's death (1680) Gubadai was appointed aid to Laita 賚塔 (surname 那穆都魯 ; posthumous name 襄毅, d. Jan. 1685), whom he followed into Yunnan (1681). With this triumphant expedition the Wu San-kuei rebellion was crushed. In 1684 Gubadai was ordered to teach in the palace school for princes, and a year later was appointed to serve concurrently as one of the directors in the office compiling the P'ing-ting san ni fang-lüeh (see under Han T'an). In 1687 he was made junior vice-president, and two years later president, of the Board of Ceremonies.

At this time there was persecution of Christians in Chekiang, fostered in 1691 by the governor, Chang P'êng-ko [q.v.], an ardent Confucianist. Early in 1692 the missionaries in Peking addressed a plea to Emperor Shêng-tsu on behalf of their colleagues in Chekiang. The matter was referred to the Board of Ceremonies. As head of the Board, Gubadai, in compliance with the emperor's wishes, reported that, whereas the missionaries had rendered valuable services as astronomers, as manufacturers of cannon used in the war against Wu San-kuei, and as interpreters in negotiations with Russia (see under Songgotu), and whereas they were law-abiding and peaceful, they should be allowed to conduct their missionary work without hindrance on the part of local officials. The emperor gave his approval to Gubadai's report and the missionaries enjoyed a period of freedom in their work (see under Yang Kuang-hsien).

In 1693 Gubadai, charged with being incompetent, was removed from the Board of Ceremonies and, as holder of a minor hereditary rank, was ordered to continue his services in the palace school for princes. In 1696, when Yin-chên [q.v.], later Emperor Shih-tsung, commanded the soldiers of the Plain Red Banner which accompanied Emperor Shêng-tsu to Mongolia against Galdan [q.v.], Gubadai was appointed to Yin-chên's staff. In 1698 Gubadai retired. When he died in January 1709, his funeral was attended by Yin-chên. In 1726, four years after Yin-chên ascended the throne, he ordered that Gubadai be posthumously restored to his former ranks and canonized as Wên-tuan 文端. In 1730, when the Temple of Eminent Statesmen was established, Gubadai's name was placed in it.

Gubadai's grandson, Ku-tsung 顧琮 (T. 用方, 1685-1755, Jan.), was selected, about the year 1713, to study mathematics and to serve in the Mêng-yang chai (see under Fang Pao). Because of his contribution in compiling some mathematical works (see under Ho Kuo-tsung), Ku-tsung became an official in 1722, and was made a censor early in 1726. Thereafter he served in various capacities, especially as salt censor at Tientsin (1726) and as director-general for conservancy of waterways in Chihli (1733-36, 1737-41), and in Shantung (1748-54). He was famous for his strict observance of the Confucian rules of conduct and for his devotion to the study of the Classics under Fang Pao, Li Fu [qq.v.] and other scholars. He also was a connoisseur of lacquered trays.

[ 1/274/2a; 3/51/34a; 3/170/15a; Favier, A., Peking, 1897, pp. 186-89, with portrait of Gubadai.]

RUFUS O. SUTER

《清史稿》卷268

顧八代，字文起，伊爾根覺羅氏，滿洲鑲黃旗人。父顧納禪，事太宗，從伐明，次大同，攻小石城，先登，賜號「巴圖魯」，予世職牛彔章京。旋授甲喇額真。順治初，從入關，定陝西、湖南、江南、浙江，皆在行間，進三等阿達哈哈番。子顧蘇，襲，進二等。顧八代，其次子也。任俠重義，好讀書，善射。以廕生充護軍。順治十六年，從征雲南有功，授戶部筆帖式。旋以顧蘇及子佛岳相繼卒，無嗣，顧八代襲世職，遷吏部郎中。康熙十四年，聖祖試旗員第一，擢翰林院侍讀學士。吳三桂陷湖南，遣其將掠兩廣。鎮南將軍莽依圖自江西下廣東，駐韶州。十六年，上命顧八代傳諭莽依圖規復廣西，即留軍，從征廣西。巡撫傅弘烈為三桂將吳世琮所敗，莽依圖引兵與相合。顧八代按行諸軍，謂結營散亂，敵至慮不相應。世琮兵至，師復敗，還駐梧州。世琮來追，擊卻之。顧八代策世琮且復至，益誡備。會除夕，世琮以三萬人奄至，又擊敗之。十七年，師進次盤江，與世琮軍遇，莽依圖病甚，以軍事屬顧八代；偕副都統勒貝等渡江，與世琮戰，分兵出敵後，破其左而合擊其右。世琮潰圍出，遣精騎追之，自殺。師進克南寧，叛將馬承廕與三桂軍合，可十萬，拒戰。諸將或難之，顧八代奮入陣，諸將皆力戰，遂破敵。十八年，京察，掌院學士拉薩里、葉方藹以顧八代從征有績效，注上考；大學士索額圖改注「浮躁」，坐奪官。莽依圖疏言顧八代從征三載，竭誠奮勉，運籌決勝，請留軍委署副都統，參贊軍務，上命以原銜從征。十九年，莽依圖卒於軍，顧八代從平南大將軍賚塔下雲南，攻會城。顧八代議當先取銀錠山，俯瞰城內，攻得勢。及勇略將軍趙良棟師至，用顧八代策，先取銀錠山，克會城，雲南平。師還，授侍講學士。二十三年，命直尚書房，累遷禮部侍郎。二十八年，授尚書。三十二年，坐事，上責其不稱職，奪官，留世職，仍直尚書房。三十七年，以病乞休。四十七年，卒。顧八代直尚書房時，世宗從受學；及卒，貧無以斂，世宗親臨奠，為經紀其喪。雍正四年，詔復官，加太傅，予祭葬，諡文端，又以其貧，賜其家白金萬。八年，建賢良祠京師，諭滿洲大臣當入祀者五人，大學士圖海、都統賚塔，次即顧八代，及尚書瑪爾漢、齊蘇勒。子顧儼，襲世職，自參領官至副都統。孫顧琮，自有傳。