Qi Biaojia 祁彪佳

Qi Biaojia 祁彪佳 [33172] MS, 275.7051-54. Zhejiang TZ, 133.23b, 140.24b.From Hartwell's ACTIVITY table:1618: passed juren exam.

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Ch'i Piao-chia 祁彪佳 (T. 幼文, 宏吉 H. 世培, 虎子), 1602-1645, July 26, Ming official, was a native of Shan-yin (Shaohsing), Chekiang. His father, Ch'i Ch'êng-yeh 祁承㸁, (T. 爾光 H. 曠翁, chin-shih of 1604), was a well-known bibliophile, who possessed a large collection housed in his library, Tan-shêng t'ang 澹生堂 (see also under Chao I-ch'ing). The catalogue of this library, compiled about 1625, under the title, Tan-shêng t'ang shu-mu (書目), in 14 chüan, was printed in 1892 in the third series of the collectanea, Shaohsing Hsien-chêng i-shu (see under Wang Hui-tsu). Ch'i Piao-chia inherited his father's taste for scholarship and book collecting. He passed the provincial examination at the age of seventeen (sui) and became a chin-shih at twenty-one (1622). He was appointed police magistrate of Hsing-hua-fu, Fukien, and in 1631 was promoted to a censor. His bold criticism of corruption and inefficiency in all branches of government service displeased the emperor but a constructive memorial on imperial policy secured him a post in Kiangsu where he suppressed several rebellions, one organized under the name of Christianity. He retired to care for his aged mother and remained at home for nine years, meanwhile pursuing his studies with Liu Tsung-chou [q.v.]. After his mother died Ch'i resumed official life and was reappointed a censor. While on his way to Nanking to take charge of examinations there he learned of the fall of Peking (1644) and took an active part in the inauguration of the regency of the Prince of Lu (see under Chu I-hai) and became his loyal supporter. At this time Kao Chieh [q.v.] was tyrannizing Yangchow and the whole southern Kiangsu region was disquieted. Ch'i Piao-chia pacified the people and restored order. He was made governor of Soochow and Sungkiang, continuing his service to the Mings by quelling uprisings and opposing the restoration of a drastic penal system which would further antagonize the people. By his intrepidity and sincerity he induced Kao Chieh to remain loyal to the Ming cause. However, his outspoken criticism made him unpopular with Ma Shih-ying [q.v.] and with the latter's corrupt associates. He therefore went into retirement in the Yün-mên Monastery (雲門寺) near his native place.

When the Manchus advanced to Hangchow they sent gifts to Ch'i Piao-chia to induce him to serve them, but he declined; he repaired to his country home, Yü-Yüan 寓園, where he drowned himself in a shallow pool. The Prince of T'ang (see under Chu Yu-chien) conferred on him the posthumous name, Chung-min 忠敏. In 1776 the Ch'ing Court conferred on him the posthumous name, Chung-hui 忠惠 and entered his name for veneration in the Temple of Martyrs 忠義祠. His wife, Shang Ching-lan 商景蘭 was a woman of high character and literary ability. His nephew, Ch'i Hung-sun 祁鴻孫 (T. 奕遠), served the Ming cause as a general; his eldest son, Ch'i Li-sun 祁理孫 (T. 奕慶) and his second son, Ch'i Pan-sun 祁班孫 (T. 奕喜), were captured by the Manchus. The former was ransomed but died, it is said, of grief for the fate of his brother. The latter was exiled to Liaotung but escaped and returned to Kiangsu and became a monk in the Ma-an Monastery (馬鞍寺) at Ch'ang-chou. His identity became known only when he died in 1673.

[ M.1/275/15b; M.35/14/1a; M.59/15/9b, 60/11a; Shan-yin-hsien chih (1683) 29/24b, (1803) 14/69b; Yeh Ch'ang-ch'ih (see under P'an Tsu-yin), Ts'ang-shu chi-shih shih 3/50a; (daughters) 21/1/4a; T'oung Pao, 1924, p. 193.]

EARL SWISHER

《明史》卷275

祁彪佳，字弘吉，浙江山陰人。祖父世清白吏。彪佳生而英特，丰姿絕人。弱冠，第天啟二年進士，授興化府推官。始至，吏民易其年少。及治事，剖決精明，皆大畏服。外艱歸。崇禎四年起御史。疏陳賞罰之要，言：「黔功因一級疑，稽三年之敍，且恩及督撫總帥帷幄大臣，而陷敵衝鋒之士不預，何以勵行間。山東之變，六城連陷，未嘗議及一官，欺蒙之習不可不破。」帝即命議行。又言：「九列之長，詰責時聞，四朝遺老或蒙重譴。諸臣怵嚴威，競迎合以保名位。臣所慮於大臣者此也。方伯或一二考，臺員或十餘載，竟不得遷除，監司守令多貶秩停俸。臣子精神才具無餘地，展布曷由。急功赴名之心不勝其掩罪匿瑕。臣所慮於小臣者此也。國家聞鼙鼓思將帥，苟得其人，推轂築壇，禮亦宜之。若必依序循資，冒濫之竇雖可清，獎拔之術或未盡。臣所慮於武臣者此也。撫按則使中官監視會同，隙開水火，其患顯；潛通交結，其患深。臣所慮於內臣者此也。」忤旨譙責。尋上合籌天下全局疏，以策關、寧，制登海為二大要。分析中州、秦、晉之流賊，江右、楚、粵之山賊，浙、閩、東粵之海賊，滇、黔、楚、蜀之土賊為四大勢。極控制駕馭之宜，而歸其要於戢行伍以節餉，實衛所以銷兵。復陳民間十四大苦：曰里甲，曰虛糧，曰行戶，曰搜贓，曰欽提，曰隔提，曰訐訟，曰窩訪，曰私稅，曰私鑄，曰解運，曰馬戶，曰鹽丁，曰難民。帝善其言，下之所司。出按蘇、松諸府，廉積猾四人杖殺之。宜興民發首輔周延儒祖墓，又焚翰林陳于鼎、于泰廬，亦發其祖墓。彪佳捕治如法，而於延儒無所徇，延儒憾之。回道考覈，降俸，尋以侍養歸。家居九年，母服終，召掌河南道事。十六年佐大計，問遺莫敢及門。刷卷南畿，乞休，不允，便道還家。北都變聞，謁福王於南京。王監國，或請登極。彪佳請發喪，服滿議其儀，從之。高傑兵擾揚州，民奔避江南，奸民乘機剽敓，命彪佳往宣諭，斬倡亂者數人，一方遂安。遷大理寺丞，旋擢右僉都御史，巡撫江南。蘇州諸生檄討其鄉官從賊者，奸民和之。少詹事項煜及大理寺正錢位坤、通政司參議宋學顯、禮部員外郎湯有慶之家皆被焚劫。常熟又焚給事中時敏家，燬其三代四棺。彪佳請議從逆諸臣罪，而治焚掠之徒以加等，從之。詔設廠衛緝事官。彪佳上言：「洪武初，官民有犯，或收繫錦衣衛，高皇帝見非法凌虐，焚其刑具，送囚刑部。是祖制原無詔獄也。後乃以羅織為事，雖曰朝廷爪牙，實為權奸鷹狗。舉朝盡知其枉，而法司無敢雪。慘酷等來、周，平反無徐、杜。此詔獄之弊也。洪武十五年改儀鑾司為錦衣衛，耑掌直駕侍衛等事，未嘗令緝事也。永樂間設立東廠，始開告密門。兇人投為厮役，赤手鉅萬。飛誣及於善良，招承出於私拷，怨憤滿乎京畿。欲絕苞苴，而苞苴彌盛；欲清奸宄，而奸宄益多。此緝事之弊也。古者刑不上大夫。逆瑾用事，始去衣受杖。本無可殺之罪，乃蒙必死之刑。朝廷受愎諫之名，天下反歸忠直之譽。此廷杖之弊也。」疏奏，乃命五城御史體訪，而緝事官不設。督輔部將劉肇基、陳可立、張應夢、于永綬駐京口，浙江入衛都司黃之奎亦部水陸兵三四千戍其地。之奎御軍嚴。四將兵恣橫，刃傷民，浙兵縛而投之江，遂有隙。已而守備李大開統浙兵斫鎮兵馬，鎮兵與相擊，射殺大開。亂兵大焚掠，死者四百人。彪佳至，永綬等遁去。彪佳劾治四將罪，賙卹被難家，民大悅。高傑駐瓜洲，跋扈甚，彪佳剋期往會。至期，風大作，傑意彪佳必無來。彪佳攜數卒衝風渡，傑大駭異，盡撤兵衛，會彪佳於大觀樓。彪佳披肝膈，勉以忠義，共獎王室。傑感歎曰：「傑閱人多矣，如公，傑甘為死！公一日在吳，傑一日遵公約矣。」共飯而別。

羣小疾彪佳，競詆諆，以沮登極、立潞王為言，彪佳竟移疾去。明年五月，南都失守。六月，杭州繼失，彪佳即絕粒。至閏月四日，紿家人先寢，端坐池中而死，年四十有四。唐王贈少保、兵部尚書，諡忠敏。贊曰：張慎言、徐石麒等皆北都舊臣，剛方練達，所建白悉有裨時政。令其受事熙朝，從容展布，庶幾乎列卿之良也。而遭時不造，內外交訌，動輒齟齬，雖老成何能設施幹濟哉！左懋第仗節全貞，蹈死不悔，於奉使之義，亦無愧焉。