Qin Huitian 秦蕙田

Ch'in Hui-t'ien 秦蕙田 (T. 樹峰 H. 味經), Dec. 7, 1702–1764, Oct. 4, official, and scholar, was a native of Chin-k'uei (Wu-hsi), Kiangsu, a descendant in the twenty-sixth generation of the noted Sung poet, Ch'in Kuan 秦觀 (T. 少游, 1049–1100). His grandfather, Ch'in Sung-ling 秦松齡 (T. 漢石, 留仙 H. 對巖, 1637-1714), was a chin-shih of 1655 and a successful competitor in the po-hsüeh hung-tz'ŭ examination of 1679 (see under P'êng Sun-yü). His father, Ch'in Tao-jan 秦道然 (T. 雒生, 1658-1747), was a chin-shih of 1709. Ch'in Hui-t'ien himself was adopted by his uncle, Ch'in I-jan 秦易然. In 1736 he became a chin-shih, taking third highest honors. His father (Ch'in Tao-jan), having been involved in the question of succession to the throne (see under Yin-t'ang), had been imprisoned since 1728. Hence the first act of Ch'in Hui-t'ien after obtaining his degree with honors was to memorialize the throne offering to relinquish the favors he had received, in return for his father's release. The request was granted without relinquishment of his privileges, and his father enjoyed eleven more years of his old age peacefully at home. After filling various posts Ch'in Hui-t'ien was made (1743) sub-chancellor of the Grand Secretariat and two years later (1745) vice-president of the Board of Rites. When he concluded the period of mourning for the death of his father he was reappointed (1748) to his former post. Transferred to the Board of Punishments, he became concurrently (1757) president of the Board of Works and of the Board of Punishments and received also in the following year the honorary title of Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent. In 1760 and again in 1763 he was chief examiner of the metropolitan examination. His request, early in the summer of 1764, to retire on the ground of ill-health was refused, but when he reiterated it in the autumn of the same year, it was granted. He died at Ts'ang-chou while traveling on a boat to his home in South China. He was canonized as Wên-kung 文恭. Ch'in Hui-t'ien's eldest son, Ch'in T'ai-chün 秦泰鈞 (T. 汝夏 H. 靜軒), was a chin-shih of 1754. One of his two daughters married Chi Ch'êng-yü 嵇承豫 (T. 介于 H. 笠軒 1734–1803), a son of Chi Huang (see under Chi Tsêng-yün).

From youth onward Ch'in Hui-t'ien was a student of the rites (禮). In 1724, he and a few friends of his native place began to study and collect notes on the various Classics of rites, and during the years 1747 and 1748 when he was observing the mourning period for the death of his father he began to read and examine the Tu-li t'ung-k'ao (see under Hsü Ch'ien-hsüeh). Inspired thus to resume the study, he began to arrange and improve his old notes with a view to expanding the Tu-li t'ung-k'ao (which dealt only with the rites of mourning 喪禮) and to produce a work covering all the rites, as was once suggested by the philosopher Chu Hsi (see under Hu Wei). After thirty-eight years of labor he finished in 1761 the 五禮通考 Wu-li t'ung-k'ao, or "Comprehensive Study of the Five Rites", in 262 chüan. The "five rites" in question, derived from a classification in the Institutes of Chou (周禮 Chou-li), are: Chi-li 吉禮, rites employed in sacrifice; Chia-li 嘉禮, rites for festive occasions; Pin-li 賓禮, rites proper to host and guest; Chun-li 軍禮, rites for military circles; and Hsiung-li 凶禮, rites for death and misfortune. Under these broad categories are seventy-five subdivisions, and all the data are arranged, as far as possible, chronologically. A section from the Chia-li, entitled 觀象授時 Kuan-hsiang shou-shih, was included in the Huang Ch'ing ching-chieh (see under Juan Yüan). In the preparation of the Wu-li t'ung k'ao Ch'in Hui-t'ien had the assistance of such scholars as Fang Kuan-ch'êng, Lu Chien-tsêng, and Ch'ien Ta-hsin [qq.v.]. The work not only received notice in the Imperial Catalogue but was copied into the Ssŭ-k'u Manuscript Library (see under Chi Yün). Ch'in's literary collection, entitled 味經窩類稿 Wei-ching wo lei-kao, is said to consist primarily of essays on the classics.

Ch'in Ying 秦瀛 (T. 淩滄, 小峴 H. 遂庵, 1743–1821), a great-great-grandson of Ch'in Sung-ling and grandnephew of Ch'in Hui-t'ien, was a chü-jên of 1774. He served as provincial judge of Chekiang (1797, 1800), of Hunan (180002), and of Kwangtung (1804-05); as governor of the Peking Metropolitan Area (1806-07); and as a vice-president of the Board of Punishments (1807-08, 1810). A famous writer of prose and poetry, Ch'in Ying left several works, including a biographical account of the successful candidates of the first po-hsüeh hung-tz'ŭ examination, entitled 己未詞科錄 Chi-wei tz'ǔ-k'o lu, 12 chüan, printed in 1807. He was also the chief compiler of a gazetteer of his neighborhood, entitled Wu-hsi Chin-k'uei hsien-chih (縣志), 40 chüan, printed in 1813. His son, Ch'in Hsiang-yeh 秦緗業 (T. 應華 H. 澹如, 1813–1883), was the chief compiler of the 1881 edition of the same gazetteer.

The Ch'in family owned a celebrated garden, Chi-ch'ang yüan 寄暢園, situated in the hills of Wu-hsi known as Hui-shan, 惠山. This garden was first built early in the sixteenth century, and was used as a hsing-kung 行宮, or "travelling palace", by Emperors Shêng-tsu and Kao-tsung on their tours to the south.

[ 1/310/5b; 3/81/19a; 7/17/12b; Wu-hsi Chin k'uei hsien chih (1881) 21/32a; 3/118/17a (for Ch'in Sung-ling); 3/135/36a (for Ch'in Tao-jan).]

TU LIEN-CHÊ

《清史稿》卷304

秦蕙田，字樹峯，江南金匱人。祖松齡，順治十二年進士，官左春坊左諭德。本生父道然，康熙四十八年進士，官禮部給事中，與貝子允禟善，為其府總管。允禟得罪，逮下獄，蕙田往來省視。世宗貸道然死，而獄未解。乾隆元年一甲三名進士，授編修，南書房行走。乃上疏言：「臣本生父道然身罹重罪，蒙恩曲宥；以追銀未完，繫獄九年，年已八十，衰朽不堪。本年五六月間，浸染暑濕，瘧癘時作，奄奄一息，幾至瘐斃。情關骨肉，痛楚難忍。臣雖備官禁近，還顧臣父，老病拘幽，既無完解之期，更無生存之望，方寸昏迷，不能自主。誠不忍昧心竊祿，內慚名教。伏惟皇上矜慎庶獄，一線可原，概予寬釋。當此聖明孝治天下，惟有乞恩，丐臣父八十垂死之年，得以終老牖下。臣願奪職效奔走以贖父罪。」高宗命宥道然，並免所追銀。

蕙田累遷禮部侍郎，丁本生父憂，服將闋，命仍起禮部侍郎。二十二年，遷工部尚書，署刑部尚書。二十三年，調刑部尚書，仍兼領工部，加太子太保。疏請諸行省流丐遞籍編甲收管，上諭曰：「蕙田所奏甚是，為清獄訟、弭盜賊之良法。但此輩輾轉流徙，城市村落，所在皆有。必一一收捕傳送，令原籍保甲監察，事理繁瑣，不若就所在地察禁。當令有司遇流丐強悍不法，即時捕治。」二十九年，以病乞休，上不允。再請，上命南還謁醫，不必解任。九月，卒於途，諡文恭。明年，上南巡，幸無錫，賦詩猶及蕙田。

蕙田通經能文章，尤精於三禮，撰五禮通考，首採經史，次及諸家傳說儒先所未能決者，疏通證明，使後儒有所折衷。以樂律附吉禮，以天文曆法、方輿疆理附嘉禮。博大閎遠，條貫賅備。又好治易及音韻、律呂、算數之學，皆有著述。

子泰鈞，乾隆十九年進士，翰林院編修。