Qi Yunshi 祁韻士

Ch'i Yün-shih 祁韻士 (T. 諧庭, 鶴皋 H. 訪山, 筠淥), 1751-1815, May 5, historian, was a native of Shou-yang, Shansi. He became a pa-kung in 1777 and a chü-jên in the autumn of the same year. In the following year he took his chin-shih degree and was selected a member of the Hanlin Academy. Appointed a compiler in the State Historiographer's Office, he participated for eight years in the compilation of the 外藩蒙古回部王公表傳 Wai fan Mêng-ku Hui-pu wang kung piao-chuan, a topographical and historical study of the frontiers of Inner and Outer Mongolia, Sinkiang, and Tibet -- commissioned in 1779. The work has several supplements by later compilers. From information acquired in this task Ch'i Yün-shih compiled a chronological history of the same region, entitled 皇朝藩部要略 Huang-ch'ao Fan-pu yao-lüeh, 18 chüan, with supplementary tables comprising 4 chüan. This latter work, first printed by his son, Ch'i Chün-tsao [q.v.], in 1845, inspired Chang Mu [q.v.] to write his Mêng-ku yu-mu chi. From 1791 to 1804 Ch'i Yün-shih held various posts in the Board of Revenue. A collection of memorials and reports which he drafted on the problem of grain transport in the years 1799-1800, entitled 己庚編 Chi-Kêng pien, 2 chüan, was printed in 1894 in the Chên-ch'i t'ang ts'ung-shu (see under Wang Hsien). In 1801 Ch'i became overseer of the Coinage Office, but owing to a deficit in the accounts was dismissed (1804). He was tried and banished (1805) to Ili where he stayed until 1809, in which year he was pardoned.

During his exile Ch'i Yün-shih had charge of the compilation of a local history of Sinkiang sponsored by Sung-yün [q, v.] governor-general of Ili. This work was later completed by Hsü Sung [q.v.] and received from the emperor the title Hsin-chiang chih lüeh (see under Sung-yün). As a result of his experience in Sinkiang Ch'i Yün-shih left the following works dealing with that region: 西陲總統事略 Hsi-ch'ui tsung t'ung shih-lueh, 12 chüan, which is the original draft of the above-mentioned Hsin-chiang chih lüeh; 西陲要略 Hsi-ch'ui yao-lüeh, 4 chüan;西域釋地 Hsi-yü shih-ti, 1 chüan; and 西陲竹枝詞 Hsi-ch'ui chu-chih tz'ǔ, a collection of 100 poems. The first of the above-mentioned works was printed about 1811 and was later reprinted by his son, Ch'i Chün-tsao, in 1839, together with the 100 poems. The second and the third were included in the Yüeh-ya-t'ang ts'ung-shu (see under Wu Ch'ung-Yüeh), though the second had been printed by Ch'i Chun-tsao in 1846. After Ch'i Yün-shih returned from his exile, he joined Sung-Yün's secretarial staff when the latter was governor-general of Kiangsu, Kiangsi and Anhwei (1810-11). He then taught for two years in the Lan-shan Academy (蘭山書院) at Lanchow, Kansu; and still later at Paoting, Chihli, where he died. Ch'i Yün-shih had six sons, the best known being the fifth and sixth, namely, Ch'i Chün-tsao and Ch'i Su-tsao 祁宿藻 (T. 幼章 1801-1853). The latter, a chin-shih of 1838, died at his post of financial commissioner of Chiang-ning (Nanking) a few days before the fall of that city into the hands of the Taipings. He was canonized as Wên-chieh 文節.

[ 1/490/14b; 2/72/39b; 3/132/3a; Shou-yang hsien chih (1890) 8/15a; 5/57/18b (for Ch'i Su-tsao).]

TU LIEN-CHÊ

《清史稿》卷485

祁韻士，字鶴皋，壽陽人。乾隆四十三年進士，官編修，擢中允，大考改戶部主事。嘉慶初，以郎中監督寶泉局。局庫虧銅案發，戍伊犁。未幾，赦還。卒於保定書院，年六十五。韻士幼喜治史，於疆域山川形勝、古人爵里名氏，靡不記覽。弱冠，館靜樂李氏，李藏書十餘楹，多善本，韻士寢饋其中五年，益賅洽。既入翰林，充國史館纂修。時創立蒙古王公表傳，計內扎薩克四十九旗，外扎薩克喀爾喀等二百餘旗，以至西藏及回部糾紛雜亂，皆無文獻可徵據。乃悉發庫貯紅本，尋其端緒，每於灰塵坌積中忽有所得，如獲異聞。各按部落立傳，要以見諸實錄、紅本者為準；又取皇輿全圖以定地界方向。其王公支派源流，則核以理藩院所存世譜，八年而後成書；又別撰藩部要略，以年月編次。蓋傳仿史記，而要略仿通鑑。李兆洛序之，謂如讀邃皇之書，賭鴻濛開闢之規模矣。及戍伊犁，有所纂述，大興徐松續修之，成新疆事略。韻士又著西域釋地、西陲要略，皆考證古今，簡而能核。外有萬里行程記、己庚編、書史輯要、詩文集。