Wang Xuling 王頊齡

WANG Hsü-ling 王頊齡 (T. 顓士, H. 瑁湖, 松喬老人), 1642–1725, official, was a native of Hua-t'ing, Kiangsu. His father, Wang Kuang-hsin 王廣心 (T. 農山, 伊人, d. 1691), was a chin-shih of 1648 who served as a censor. Wang Hsü-ling, the eldest of three sons, became a chin-shih in 1676. Three years later he passed the special examination known as po-hsüeh hung-tz'ŭ (see under P'êng Sun-yü) and was named a compiler of the Hanlin Academy, taking part in the compilation of the official history of the Ming Dynasty. He later served for more than a year as commissioner of education in Szechwan. In 1689, when he was serving in the capacity of an expositor in the Grand Secretariat, he was charged with bribery and cashiered (see under Kuo Hsiu and Wang Hung-hsü); but within a month he was specially pardoned and ordered to remain at his post. Thereafter he held the following offices: vice-director of the Imperial Clan Court (1700–03); a vice-president of the Board of Ceremonies (1703–12), and of the Board of Civil Office (1712–13); president of the Board of Works (1713–18); and a Grand Secretary (1718–25).

Wang Hsü-ling enjoyed the favor of both Emperors Shêng-tsu and Shih-tsung. The former honored him by twice (1705, 1707) visiting his garden, Hsiu-chia yüan 秀甲園, at Sungkiang, Kiangsu. Emperor Shih-tsung conferred various honors on him because of his services and in deference to his advanced age. After he died in office, aged eighty-four (sui), he was canonized as Wên-kung 文恭. His collected works are entitled 世恩堂集 Shih-ên t'ang chi, 32 chüan.

Wang Hsü-ling had five sons, of whom the eldest, Wang T'u-ping 王圖炳 (T. 麟照, H. 澂川, chin-shih of 1712, Hanlin compiler), served as a vice-president of the Board of Ceremonies (1730–31). A grandson of Wang Hsü-ling, named Wang Tsu-kêng 王祖庚 (d. 1765), became a chin-shih in 1727 and served as prefect of Ning-kuo-fu, Anhwei (1764–65). Three great-grandsons of Wang Hsü-ling became members of the Hanlin Academy: Wang Chia-tsêng 王嘉曾 (T. 漢儀, H. 寧叔, 史亭, chin-shih of 1766), Wang Shao-tsêng 王紹曾 (T. 衣聞, H. 蒪鄉, chin-shih of 1757, prefect of Ningpo), and Wang Hsien-tsêng 王顯曾 (T. 周謨, H. 文園, chin-shih of 1760, a censor).

Wang Hsü-ling had two younger brothers, Wang Chiu-ling 王九齡 (T. 子武, H. 薛澱, chin-shih of 1682, d. Jan. 1710), and Wang Hung-hsü [q.v.]. These two, like himself, were also members of the Hanlin Academy, and attained high offices. Wang Chiu-ling served as a vice-president of the Board of Civil Office (1704–08), and as president of the Censorate (Jan. 1708–10). His collected works, in 5 chüan, were entitled 艾納山房集 Ai-na shan-fang chi. He had a studio known as Yung-ssŭ t'ang 永思堂.

[1/273/9a; 3/12/21a; 3/58/25b; Lou-hsien chih (1786); Tz'ŭ-lin chi-lüeh (see under Shên T'ing-fang); Sungkiang fu-chih (1884) 72/42b.]

Tu Lien-chê

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王頊齡，字顓士，江南華亭人。父廣心，字農山。有文名。順治六年進士，官御史，巡視京、通二倉，釐剔漕弊，姦猾屏跡。

頊齡，康熙十五年進士，授太常寺博士。十八年，舉博學鴻儒，召試一等，授編修，纂修明史，充日講起居注官。二十一年上元節，聖祖御乾清宮賜廷臣宴，仿柏梁體賦詩，頊齡與焉。遷侍講，督四川學政。累遷侍講學士。二十八年，左都御史郭琇疏劾少詹事高士奇與頊齡弟鴻緒植黨營私，並詆頊齡與士奇結婚媾，交關為奸利。頊齡、士奇、鴻緒並休致，尋命頊齡留任如故。轉侍讀學士，以父憂歸，服闋，起故官。累擢禮部侍郎。四十三年，上南巡，幸頊齡所居秀甲園，賜御書榜。四十六年，上南巡閱河，再幸其第。尋調吏部，充經筵講官。擢工部尚書，典會試。五十五年，拜武英殿大學士。

雍正元年，詔開恩榜，頊齡重與鹿鳴宴，加太子太傅。以老，累疏乞休，上以頊齡先朝舊臣，勤勞歲久，諳習典章，輒與慰留。三年，痰作，命御醫治疾，賜參餌。尋卒，年八十四，上為輟朝一日，令朝臣出其門下者素服持喪、各部院漢官會祭，贈太傅，諡文恭。