Xu Yuanwen 徐元文

HSÜ Yüan-wên 徐元文 (T. 公肅, H. 立齋), Nov. 18, 1634–1691, Aug. 20, official, younger brother of Hsü Ch'ien-hsüeh [q. v.], was a native of K'un-shan, Kiangsu. In 1659 he was the highest ranking chin-shih, known as chuang-yüan, and was given the rank of compiler of the first class in the Hanlin Academy. Two years later he was involved in a taxation case in Kiangsu (see under Yeh Fang-ai), and was degraded to the post of registrar of the Imperial Equipage Department. He was not declared innocent until 1665. Having served as a compiler in the Historiographical Bureau, and as director of the provincial examination in Shensi (1669), he was appointed (1670) libationer in the Imperial Academy where he served for four years. Under his supervision the Academy was well organized and scholarship was much improved. In 1674 he became sub-chancellor of the Grand Secretariat and assistant director-general in charge of the compilation of the "veritable records" of Emperor T'ai-tsung (see under Abahai). In 1675 he became chancellor of the Hanlin Academy and in the following year had charge of the compilation of the Hsiao-ching yen-i (see under Fu-lin and Yeh Fang-ai). Upon the death of his mother in 1676 he returned to his native place to observe the period of mourning. Summoned in 1679 to the capital, he participated in the compilation of the Ming Dynastic History (Ming-shih), and in the following year was made president of the Censorate. He was courageous in the performance of his duties as censor, and during his tenure of three years rebuked a number of high officials in the provinces, among them Yao Ch'i-shêng [q.v.] then governor-general of Fukien. In 1683 two candidates whom Hsü recommended for the post of provincial judge in Hupeh were shown to be incapable and failed to receive imperial approval. Accordingly Hsü was degraded in official rank, but was ordered to continue his work on the Ming-shih. In 1688 he was again president of the Censorate, succeeding his brother, Hsü Ch'ien-hsüeh. Early in 1689 he was appointed president of the Board of Punishments, and then of the Board of Revenue, and finally was made a Grand Secretary. He served concurrently as chancellor of the Hanlin Academy, having charge of the compilation of the P'ing-ting San-ni fang-lüeh (see under Han T'an) and the Ta Ch'ing i-t'ung chih (see under Hsü Ch'ien-hsüeh).

Hsü Yüan-wên and his brothers, Hsü Ch'ien-hsüeh and Hsü Ping-i (see under Hsü Ch'ien-hsüeh), became involved in factional strife. In 1689 Hsüeh Ch'ien-hsüeh, having instigated the attack which drove Mingju [q.v.] from office, was in turn forced by the latter's remaining adherents, to retire. These adherents soon succeeded, also, in overthrowing Hsü Yüan-wên. In 1690 a nephew of Mingju, Fu-la-t'a 傅拉塔 (d. 1694), then governor-general at Nanking (1688–94), accused Hsü Yüan-wên and his brothers, on fifteen counts, of extortionary and over-bearing conduct. He accused Hsü Yüan-wên of accepting bribes from Hung Chih-chieh 洪之傑, governor of Kiangsu (1688–90), when Hsü became Grand Secretary, and accused his sons and nephews of being in league with Hung Chih-chieh to threaten and oppress the people. The Emperor, inclined to treat him leniently, did not press the case in court, but suggested that he retire from office, which he did in the autumn of 1690. He died the following year.

Like his brother, Hsü Ch'ien-hsüeh, Hsü Yüan-wên was interested in scholarship and in book-collecting. His energies as a scholar were directed chiefly to the afore-mentioned official compilations. There is a collection of his minor writings entitled 含經堂集 Han-ching t'ang chi, 30 chüan.

Hsü Yüan-wên had two sons: Hsü Shu-shêng 徐樹聲 (T. 實均, H. 容齋), a chü-jên of 1684; and Hsü Shu-pên 徐樹本 (T. 道積, H. 忍齋), chin-shih of 1697, and a compiler in the Hanlin Academy.

[1/256/12a; 3/8/1a; 4/12/22b; 23/6/1a; 崑新兩縣續修合志 K'un-Hsin liang-hsien hsü-hsiu ho-chih (1880) 13/20a, 24/26a, 31/8b, 50/7a; Hsieh Kuo-chen 謝國楨, 明清之際黨社運動考 Ming-Ch'ing chih-chi tang-shê yün-tung kao; 文獻叢編 Wên-hsien ts'ung-pien, nos. 4, 5; Li Kuang-ti [q. v.], Jung-ts'un yü-lu, hsü-chi.]

Li Man-kuei

《清史稿》卷250

徐元文，字公肅，江南崑山人。初冒姓陸，通籍後復姓。少沉潛好學，與兄乾學、弟秉義有聲於時，稱為「三徐」。 元文舉順治十六年進士第一，世祖召見乾清門，還啟皇太后曰：「今歲得一佳狀元。」賜冠帶、蟒服，授翰林院修撰。從幸南苑，賜乘御馬。嘗奉命撰孚齋說，孚齋，世祖讀書所也，上覽之稱善，命刊行。康熙初，江南逋賦獄起，元文名麗籍中，坐謫鑾儀衛經歷，事白，復原官。丁父憂，居喪行古禮。起補國史院修撰，累遷國子監祭酒，充經筵講官。

元文閒雅方重，音吐宏暢，進講輒稱旨。元文疏請「敕直省學臣間歲一舉優生，鄉試仍復副榜額，俱送監肄業」。並著為令。復請永停納粟，章下所司。居國學四年，端士習，正文體，條教大飭。其後上語閣臣：「徐元文為祭酒，規條嚴肅。滿洲子弟不率教者，輒加撻責，咸敬憚之，後人不能及也。」十三年，遷內閣學士，改翰林院掌院學士，充日講起居注官，教習庶吉士。

先是熊賜履在講筵，累稱說孔、孟、程、朱之道，上欲博覽前代得失之由，命詞臣以通鑑與四書參講。元文因取朱子綱目，擇其事之繫主德、裨治道者，採取先儒之說，參以臆斷，演繹發揮，按期進講。尋以母憂歸。十八年，特召監修明史，疏請徵求遺書，薦李清、黃宗羲、曹溶、汪懋麟、黃虞稷、姜宸英、萬言等，徵入史館，不至者，錄所著書以上。尋補內閣學士。時有議遣大臣巡方者，元文言於閣中曰：「巡方向遣御史，以有臺長約束，故僨事者鮮。若遣大臣，或妄作威福，誰能禁之？」因入告，事得寢。

明年，擢左都御史。會師下雲南，吳三桂 之徒多率眾歸附，耗餉不貲。元文疏言：「三桂 遺孽，旦夕伏誅。凡脅從之眾，恩許自新。若仍留本土，既非永久之規；移調他方，亦多遷徙之費。統以別將，則猜疑未化，終涉危嫌；攝之歸旗，則放恣既久，猝難約束。請以武職及入伍者，與綠旗一體錄用。餘俱分遣為民，以裕餉需。至耿精忠 、尚之信 、孫延齡舊隸將弁，尤宜解散，勿仍藩旗名目。」又請「革三藩虐政，在粵者五：曰鹽埠，曰渡稅，曰總店，曰市舶，曰魚課；在閩者四：曰鹽稅，曰報船，曰冒擾驛夫，曰牙行渡稅；在滇者四：曰勛莊，曰圈田，曰礦廠，曰冗兵。」疏入，俱下所司議行。

初，御史劉安國請察隱占田畝，州縣利有升敘，多捏報累民。元文力言其弊，謂名為加稅，實耗糧戶。請飭督撫檢舉，復條列近時督撫四弊。時部例捐納官到任三年後稱職者，具題升轉；不稱職者，罷之。既，復令捐銀者免其具題，又生員得捐納歲貢。元文言捐納事例，係一時權宜，請於收復滇南之日，降詔停止，言甚剴切。

雲南平，告廟肆赦，廷臣多稱頌功德。元文獨言：「聖人作易，於泰、豐、既濟諸卦，垂戒尤切。景運方新，願皇上倍切咨儆。兼諭大小臣工，洗心滌慮，毗贊大業。勿狃目前之淺圖，務培國家之元氣。振紀綱以崇大體，核名實以課吏材，崇清議以定國是，厲廉恥以正人心，端教化以圖治本，抑營競以儆官邪，敦節儉以厚風俗，正名分以絕姦萌，並當今急務。」上俞之。

時方嚴窩逃之禁，杭州將軍馬哈達以民間多匿逃人，請自句攝，勿移有司。元文曰：「是重擾民也。無已，當令督撫會同將軍行之。」京師姦人，多掠平民賣旗下，官吏豫印空契給之，屢發覺，元文疏請禁止。又八旗家人投水、自經，報部者歲及千人，疏請嚴定處分。上俱從之。京察計典罷官者，謀入貲捐復，元文力持不可，遂罷議。先後疏劾福建總督姚啟聖縱恣譎詐，杭州副都統高國相縱兵虐民，兩淮巡鹽御史堪泰徇庇貪官，御史蕭鳴鳳居喪蔑禮，俱讞鞫得實，惟啟聖 辨釋。二十二年，以會推湖北按察使，坐所舉不實，鐫三秩調用。尋命專領史局。二十七年，復代其兄乾學為左都御史，遷刑部尚書，調戶部。二十八年，拜文華殿大學士，兼掌翰林院事。

上南巡，幸蘇州，以江南浮糧太重，有旨詢戶部。元文考宋、元以來舊額官田、民田始末及前明歷代詔書以聞。元文在內閣，上復諭及之，元文頓首曰：「聖明及此，三吳之福也。」因下九卿議，有力尼之者，事遂寢。

元文兄乾學，豪放，頗招權利，坐論罷；而元文謹禮法，門庭肅然。二十九年，兩江總督傅拉塔劾乾學子姪交結巡撫洪之傑，招權競利，詞連元文，上置不問，予元文休致回籍。舟過臨清，關吏大索，僅圖書數千卷，光祿饌金三百而已。家居一年卒。乾學自有傳。