Wang Xi 王熙

WANG Hsi 王熙 (T. 子雍 and 胥庭, H. 慕齋), Aug. 7, 1628–1703, Mar. 14, official, eldest son of Wang Ch'ung-chien [q.v.], was a native of Wan-p'ing (Peking). Taking his chin-shih in 1647 at the age of nineteen, he was made a bachelor of the Kuo-shih yüan 國史院 to where he was taught the Manchu language. Appointed a corrector two years later, he distinguished himself by mastering both spoken and written Manchu. After successive promotions he was appointed a sub-chancellor of the Hung-wên yüan 弘文院 at a time when his father was holding a similar sub-chancellorship in the Kuo-shih yüan. In 1658, when the Hanlin Academy was re-established along lines that prevailed in the Ming period, Wang Hsi was made its first chancellor. Thereafter he was much in Emperor Shih-tsu's councils, and in 1661 was summoned to draft his last will. The will was destroyed for political reasons (see under Fu-lin) and Wang never revealed its contents. He rose successively to the presidencies of the Censorate in 1666, the Board of Works in 1668, and the Board of War in 1673. Holding the last post when Wu San-kuei [q.v.] rebelled in south China, he persuaded Emperor Shêng-tsu, in 1674, to order the execution of Wu Ying-hsiung, son of the rebel leader, despite the fact that this son was the husband of one of the Emperor's great-aunts (for details see Wu San-kuei). This drastic action put an end to rumors of a threatened uprising in Peking, and stopped the exodus of many of the residents from the city gates. In the same year Wang Hsi was entrusted with the reading of confidential memorials on military matters.

During the latter part of this so-called San-fan Rebellion, which lasted from 1673 to 1681, he stayed at home to mourn the death of his father, which occurred in 1678. Four years later he became a Grand Secretary. After Mingju [q.v.] was stripped of his rank in 1688, Wang Hsi was recognized as the most influential official in the empire. Nevertheless, he was prudent and thoughtful and was liked by all. Only after four refusals was he permitted to retire, in 1701, with the added title of Junior Tutor. In the following year he was given an honorary tablet, or pien 匾, inscribed by the Emperor's own hand with the words, "Long Life and Abiding Virtue" (耆年舊德). He died in 1703 and was canonized as Wên-ching 文靖. His collected essays and poems in 24 chüan, entitled Wang Wên-ching kung wên-chi (also called 寶翰堂集 Pao-han-t'ang chi), were printed in 1707. In contemporary Jesuit accounts, Wang Hsi's name is spelled "Vam Hi".

[Wang Wên-ching kung tzŭ-chuan nien-p'u (自撰年譜); 1/256/5b; 3/4/1a; 4/12/1a; T'oung Pao, 1924, p. 365; Wang Wan, Tun-wêng lei-kao, 33/1a.]

Fang Chao-ying

諡文靖 順天宛平縣人 保和殿大學士兼禮部尚書 少傅兼太子太傅

《清史稿》卷250

王熙，字子雍，順天宛平人。父崇簡，明崇禎十六年進士。順治三年，以順天學政曹溶薦，補選庶吉士，授檢討。累遷禮部尚書，加太子少保。嘗疏請賜卹明季殉難范景文、蔡懋德等二十八人，又議帝王廟罷宋臣潘美、張浚從祀，北岳移祀渾源，皆用其議。十八年，引疾解職。康熙十七年，卒，諡文貞。

熙，順治四年進士，選庶吉士，授檢討。累遷右春坊諭德。召直南苑。譯大學衍義，充日講官，進講稱旨。累擢弘文院學士。時崇簡方任國史院學士，上曰︰「父子同官，古今所罕。以爾誠恪，特加此恩。」十五年，擢禮部侍郎，兼翰林院掌院學士。考滿，加尚書銜。時崇簡為尚書，父子復同官。十八年正月，上大漸，召熙至養心殿撰遺詔，熙伏地飲泣，筆不能下，上諭勉抑哀痛，即御榻前先草第一條以進。尋奏移乾清門撰擬，進呈者三，皆報可。是夕上崩，聖祖嗣位，熙改兼弘文院學士。

康熙五年，遷左都御史。時三藩擁兵踰制，吳三桂尤崛強，擅署官吏，寖驕蹇，萌異志。子應熊，以尚主居京師，多聚姦人，散金錢，交通四方。熙首疏請裁兵減餉，略言：「直省錢糧，半為雲、貴、湖廣兵餉所耗。就雲、貴言，藩下官兵歲需俸餉三百餘萬，本省賦稅不足供什一，勢難經久。臣以為滇、黔已平，綠旗額兵亟宜汰減，即藩下餘丁，亦宜散遣屯種，則勢分而餉亦裕。」復疏言：「閩、廣、江西、湖廣等省官吏，挾貲貿易，與民爭利。或指稱藩下，依勢橫行。宜飭嚴禁。」又言：「近例招民百家送至盛京，得授知縣。不肖姦人，借資為市，貽害地方，宜改給散秩。現任官吏捐輸銀米，博取議敘，名出私槖，實取諸民，宜一切報罷。」上俱從之。

七年夏，旱，金星晝見，詔求直言。熙疏言：「世祖章皇帝精勤圖治，諸曹政務，皆經詳定。數年來有因言官條奏改易者，有因各部院題請更張者，有會議興革者，則例繁多，官吏奉行，任意輕重。請敕部院諸司詳察現行事例，有因變法而滋弊者，悉遵舊制更正。其有從新例便者，亦條晰不得不然之故，裁定畫一。」上命各部院條議，遵舊制，刪繁例，凡數十事。遷工部尚書。

十二年，調兵部。是年冬，三桂反，京師聞變，都城內外一夕火四起，皆應熊黨為之也。明年三月，用熙言誅應熊。尋命熙專管密本。漢臣與聞軍機自熙始。十七年，以父憂去。二十一年，即家拜保和殿大學士，兼禮部尚書。時三藩既平，熙以和平寬大，宣上德意，與民休息。造次奏對，直陳無隱，上每傾聽。太祖實錄成，加太子太傅。三十一年，以疾累疏乞休，溫旨慰留。四十年，詔許致仕，晉少傅。明年上元節，賜宴其家，遣官齎手敕存問。四十二年，卒，上命皇長子直郡王允禔、大學士馬齊臨喪，行拜奠禮，舉哀酹酒，恩禮有加，諡文靖。

熙持大體，有遠慮。平定三藩後，開方略館。一日，上諭閣臣：「當三桂反時，漢官有言不必發兵，七旬有苗格者。」又其時漢官多移妻子回家，顧學士韓菼曰：「汝為朕載之！」菼退而皇恐。熙乃昌言閣中曰：「『有苗格』乃會議時魏象樞語。告者截去首尾，遂失其本意。然如其言，豈非誤國？移家偶然耳，日久何從分別，其移者豈非背主？漢官負此兩大罪，何顏立朝？」翌日入見，執奏如閣中語，上許之。

熙子克善、克勤，皆世祖命名。克善能文，熙不令與試。遇鄉、會典試，熙輒注假，以聖祖方惡漢人師生之習，故尤慎之。二十七年，典會試，蓋特命也。雍正中，入祀賢良祠。