Liu Kunyi 劉坤一

Liu K'un-i 劉坤一 (T. 峴莊), Jan. 21, 1830-1902, Oct. 6, official, was a native of Hsin-ning, Hunan. He began his career as a senior licentiate and entered (1855) the Hunan army as an officer under the command of a relative, Liu Ch'ang-yu [q.v.]. During the next ten years he assisted in quelling the Taiping rebels and bandit groups in Hunan, Kiangsi, Kwangsi and Kwangtung; and as a reward for his services was promoted to the position of governor of Kiangsi (1865-74). In the meantime he devoted much time to administrative affairs-he dismissed corrupt officials, reformed long-standing political evils, reduced taxes, and carried on social relief. In January 1875 he became acting governor-general of Liang-Kiang (Kiangsu, Kiangsi and Anhwei) and served concurrently as superintendent of trade for southern ports. In September 1875 he was transferred to the post of governor-general of Kwangtung and Kwangsi (1875-79). While filling this office he increased the provincial revenue, improved local administration, curbed gambling, and maintained peace and order. On December 27, 1879 he was re-instated in his earlier position as governor-general of Liang-Kiang and remained there until 1881. In addition to his routine duties, he was asked (1880) to submit to the throne suggestions concerning the Empire's diplomatic policy toward Russia in regard to Ili (see under Tsêng Chi-tsê). He strongly recommended preparation for war with Russia, but took a moderate stand toward Japan concerning her ambitions in Korea and the Loochoo Islands. He suggested limiting Chinese opposition to one power while keeping on good terms with the United States and other Western powers in the hope of securing their aid. The negotiations over Ili were peacefully concluded by the signing of the Russo-Chinese treaty at St. Petersburg on February 24, 1881. At this time France invaded Annam; hence on December 29, 1881 Liu again memorialized the throne, urging co-operation with the Annamese in the country's preparation for war with France. His proposals were received with high favor by the emperor.

After several years of retirement, Liu K'un-i was recalled in 1890 to his previous post at Nanking as governor-general of Liang-Kiang which he assumed in the spring of 1891. A few months later anti-missionary riots broke out at Wuhu and other points along the Yangtze, but Liu quickly suppressed them. The anti-missionary movement was closely connected with the secret society, Ko-lao-hui 哥老會 whose members contemplated rebellion with arms to be secured through Charles Welsh Mason 美生 (b. 1866), a British subject who had previously been employed in the Customs at Chinkiang. The arms were seized (1891) before delivery at Chinkiang and the rebellion was frustrated. In 1892 Liu strengthened the fortress at Chinkiang, adding some new cannon. After declaration of the Sino-Japanese war on August 1, 1894 he was made Imperial Commissioner in command of troops at Shanhaikuan, a strategic pass between Chihli and Manchuria. As soon as he heard that negotiations for peace were in progress he repeatedly urged the Court to prolong the war which he believed might end favorably for China. Nevertheless, the Sino-Japanese treaty of peace was eventually signed at Shimonoseki on April 17, 1895, whereupon Liu returned to his post at Nanking.

A few years later Liu K'un-i achieved distinction for remarkable success in keeping South China free from the excesses of the Boxer Movement which in 1900 harassed North China. Violently anti-foreign, the Boxers practiced magical rites which they believed rendered them invulnerable to the bullets of aliens. Late in 1899 and early in 1900 various attacks were made upon missionaries and Chinese converts, and before long the Boxers gained the tacit approval of powerful officials in North China—even of the Empress Dowager herself (see under Hsiao-ch'in). News of the arrival of Western troops excited yet more the suspicion of the Boxers who began to burn foreign buildings and slaughter native Christians. At this critical juncture Liu K'un-i sent (June 14) a telegram to Chang Chih-tung [q.v.], then governor-general of Hupeh and Hunan, suggesting that he and Chang send a joint memorial to the throne begging that steps be taken to suppress the Boxers in order to avert a serious international conflict. Chang examined Liu's draft and after making a few modifications in the wording the memorial was sent jointly by telegraph on June 15. Later both Liu and Chang repeatedly warned the Empress Dowager of the danger of the policy she was pursuing in North China-but without effect. On June 21 the Imperial Government issued an edict ordering the extermination of all foreigners, and government troops were brought in to assist the Boxers in besieging and attacking the Legation Quarter. At the same time high officials of all provinces were ordered to send troops to Peking and to kill all foreigners in their jurisdictions. Fortunately most of the provincial governors disapproved of the order and of the tactics of the Boxers among them Liu K'un-i. Early in June Liu issued stringent orders to arrest all members of the Boxer Society within his jurisdiction and to execute them promptly without further reference to him. On June 20 two Boxers were executed at Nanking. Since the catastrophe which Liu and Chang had foreseen thus took place, these two powerful officials jointly decided to take a neutral attitude with regard to affairs in the North, though they still remained loyal to the Imperial Court. Yüan Shih-k'ai (see under Yüan Chia-san), then governor of Shantung, and other high officials of Central and South China followed them in this step. On June 27 Liu ordered Yü Lien-yüan 余聯沅 (chin-shih of 1877, d. 1901), the intendant of Shanghai, to deliver to the consular body at that port a detailed statement in which Liu and Chang undertook to protect foreign life and property in the Yangtze area. The foreign authorities at Shanghai agreed to protect the concessions with their own forces and to refrain from sending warships up the Yangtze without consultation with the governors-general. A week later (July 3) Liu and Chang expressed their will more precisely in a joint telegram to the Chinese ministers at the various foreign capitals announcing their willingness to assume responsibility for the security of foreign life and property within their respective jurisdictions as well as in the province of Chekiang, so long as the treaty powers refrained from landing troops in the designated area. The example set by Liu and Chang in this matter was followed by the provincial authorities of the other maritime provinces. Thus the Boxer uprising was confined principally to the siege of the Legations and to the two provinces of Chihli and Shansi. Liu's stand greatly simplified the situation. After the signing of the protocol at Peking on September 7, 1901 he urged the Court, which had fled to Sian, to return to Peking. Soon after the Court returned (January 7, 1902) he was rewarded for his services to the country with the designation of Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent.

On July 12, 19, and 20, 1902, Liu K'un-i and Chang Chih-tung submitted to the throne three joint memorials advocating a reform movement which would introduce Western sciences into China and would greatly improve the Chinese educational, administrative and military systems (see under Chang Chih-tung). Not long after this Liu died. He was given the honorary title of Grand Tutor and the posthumous name, Chung-ch'êng 忠誠. The hereditary rank of first-class baron (inherited by his son, Liu Nengchi 劉能紀) was also conferred upon him.

For forty years Liu Kun-i was a notably capable official. According to his contemporaries he was honest, far-sighted, and dependable when faced with difficult situations. His memorials, letters, poems, essays and other writings were collected under the title Liu Chung-ch'êng kung i-chi (遺集) 68 chüan, including nine different works written by him (1911, not consulted).

[ 1/419/6b; 2/59/27a, 62/43b; 5/31/1a; Chang Chih-tung [q.v.], Chang Wên-hsiang kung ch'üan-chi; Wang Yen-wei 王彥威, 西巡大事記 Hsi-hsün ta-shih chi (1933); Ch'ên Kung-fu 陳功甫, 義和團運動與辛丑和約 I-ho-t'uan Yün-tung yü hsin-ch'ou ho-yüeh (1930); Chung-kuo chin-pai-nien shih tzŭ-liao (second collection, see under Li Hsiu-ch'êng); Paul H. Clements, The Boxer Rebellion (New York, 1915); Steiger, George Nye, China and the Occident (New Haven, 1927); Morse, H. B., The International Relations of the Chinese Empire, vol. I (London, 1918); Chin-shih jên-wu chih (see under Wêng T'ung-ho, 1934) p. 167; Mason, C. W., The Chinese Confessions of Charles Welsh Mason (1924); Chang Chih-tung [q.v.], Chang Wên-hsiang kung tsou-i 59/5a; I-hsin [q.v.], Ch'ing-chi wai-chiao shih-liao 85/9a; 青鶴 Ch'ing-ho, vol. V, no. 17.]

TÊNG Ssŭ-yü

《清史稿》卷413

劉坤一，字峴莊，湖南新寧人。廩生。咸豐五年，領團練從官軍克茶陵、郴州、桂陽、宜章，敘功以教諭即選。六年，駱秉章遣劉長佑率師援江西，坤一為長佑族叔而年少，師事之，從軍中自領一營。長佑既克萍鄉，令進戰蘆溪、宣風鎮，連破賊，逼袁州，招降賊目李能通。於是降者相繼，守城賊何益發夜啟西門，坤一先入，復袁州。累擢直隸州知州，賜花翎。

七年，克臨江，擢知府。八年，長佑以病歸，坤一代將其軍。偕蕭啟江渡贛江規撫州，克崇仁。啟江在上頓渡為賊所困，往援，大破賊，遂復撫州，連克建昌，擢道員。九年，石達開犯湖南，坤一回援，解永州、新寧之圍，加鹽運使銜。賊竄廣西，從劉長佑追躡，復柳州。長佑擢撫廣西，令坤一駐柳州清餘匪，悉平之，加布政使銜。進攻潯州，十一年七月，拔其城，以按察使記名。石達開回趨川、楚，坤一扼之融縣，掩擊敗之，賊潰走入黔，授廣東按察使。
同治元年，遷廣西布政使。劉長佑赴兩廣總督任，命坤一接統其軍，赴潯州進剿。貴縣匪首黃鼎鳳，在諸匪中最狡悍，屢議剿撫，不能下。二年，坤一破之於登龍橋，遂駐守之。鼎鳳老巢曰平天寨，倚山險樹重柵，守以巨砲，覃墟相距十餘裡，為犄角。坤一陽議撫，撤軍回貴縣，潛師夜襲覃墟，遂圍平天寨，復橫州，鼎鳳勢蹙。三年四月，擒鼎鳳及其黨誅之。潯州平，賜號碩勇巴圖魯。四年，剿平思恩、南寧土匪，復永淳，擢江西巡撫。令席寶田、黃少春會剿粵匪餘黨於閩邊，五年，聚殲於廣東嘉應州，加頭品頂戴。軍事既定，坤一治尚安靜，因整頓丁漕，不便於紳戶。十一年，左都御史胡家玉疏劾之，坤一奏家玉積欠漕糧，又屢貽書干預地方事。詔兩斥之，家玉獲譴，坤一亦坐先不上聞，部議降三級調用，加恩改革職留任，降三品頂戴。尋復之，命署兩江總督。

光緒元年，擢兩廣總督。廣東號為富穰，庫儲實空，出入不能相抵。議者請加鹽釐及洋藥稅，坤一以加鹽釐則官引愈滯，但嚴緝私販，以暢銷路；又援成案，籌款收買餘鹽，發商交運，官民交便。藥釐抽收，各地輕重不同，改歸一律，無加稅之名，歲增鉅萬。吏治重在久任，令實缺各歸本任，不輕更調。禁賭以絕盜源，水陸緝捕各營，分定地段以專責成，盜發輒獲。

二年，調授兩江總督。六年，俄羅斯以交還伊犁，藉端要挾。詔籌防務，坤一上疏，略謂：「東三省無久經戰陣之宿將勁旅，急宜綢繆。西北既戒嚴，東南不可復生波折。日本、琉球之事宜早結束，勿使與俄人合以謀我。英、德諸國與俄猜忌日深，應如何結為聲援，以伺俄人之後。凡此皆賴廟謨廣運，神而明之。」九年，法越構釁，邊事戒嚴。坤一疏：「請由廣東、廣西遴派明幹大員統勁旅出關，駐紮諒山等處，以助剿土匪為名，密與越南共籌防禦。並令越南招太原、宣光黑旗賊眾，免為法人誘用。雲南據險設​​奇，以資犄角。法人知我有備，其謀自沮。雲南方擬加重越南貨稅，決不可行。重稅能施之越人，不能施之法人。越人倘因此轉嗾法人入滇通商，得以依託假冒，如沿海奸商故智，不可不慮。越南如果與法別立新約，中國縱不能禁，亦應使其慎重；或即指示機宜，免致再誤。越南​​積弱，若不早為扶持，覆亡立待。滇、粵籓籬盡失，逼處堪虞。與其補救於後，曷若慎防於先。此不可不明目張膽以提挈者也。」疏入，多被採納。

十二年，丁繼母憂。十六年，仍授兩江總督。十七年，命幫辦海軍事務。二十年，皇太后萬壽，賜雙眼花翎。日本犯遼東，九連城、鳳凰城、金州、旅順悉陷，北洋海陸軍皆失利。召坤一至京，命為欽差大臣，督關內外防剿諸軍。坤一謂兵未集，械未備，不能輕試，詔促之出關。時已遣使議和，坤一以兩宮意見未洽為憂，瀕行，語師傅翁同龢曰：「公調和之責，比餘軍事為重也。」二十一年春，前敵宋慶、吳大澂等復屢敗，新募諸軍實不能任戰，日本議和要挾彌甚，下坤一與直隸總督王文韶決和戰之策。坤一以身任軍事，仍主戰而不堅執。未幾和議成，回任。坤一素多病，臥治江南，事持大體。言者論其左右用事，詔誡其不可偏信，振刷精神，以任艱鉅。坤一屢疏陳情乞退，不許。

二十五年，立溥儁為穆宗嗣子，朝野洶洶，謂將有廢立事，坤一致書大學士榮祿曰：「君臣之分久定，中外之口宜防。坤一所以報國在此，所以報公亦在此。」二十六年，值德宗萬壽，加太子太保。拳匪亂起，坤一偕李鴻章、張之洞創議，會東南疆吏與各國領事訂約，互為保護，人心始定。車駕西幸，議者或請遷都西安，坤一復偕各督撫力陳其不可，籥請回鑾。二十七年，偕張之洞會議請變法，以興學為首務，中法之應整頓變通者十二事，西法之應兼採並用者十一事，聯銜分三疏上之。詔下政務處議行，是為實行變法之始。洎回鑾，施恩疆吏，加太子太保。

二十八年，卒，優詔賜卹。嘉其秉性公忠，才猷宏遠，保障東南，厥功尤著，追封一等男爵，贈太傅，賜金治喪，命江寧將軍致祭，特諡忠誠。祀賢良祠，原籍、立功省建專祠。賜其子能紀四品京堂，諸孫並予官。張之洞疏陳坤一居官廉靜寬厚，不求赫赫之名，而身際艱危，維持大局，毅然擔當，從不推諉，其忠定明決，能斷大事，有古名臣風。世以所言為允。