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Overview The translated histories identify Wu Mingxuan as an astronomer and official. This record brings together 10 passages from 1 chapter across 1 history, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.
Names Type English Chinese Pinyin
Personal
Wu Mingxuan
吳明烜
Wu Mingxuan
Alternate
Mingxuan
明烜
Alternate
Wu Míngxuǎn
Wu Míngxuǎn
Identity
Historicity Historical
Identification Named
Sex Male Life and dates Attested activity References in the histories Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.
Draft History of Qing, Chapter 272 Volume 272 Biographies 59: Tang Ruowang, Yang Guangxian, Nan Huai Ren · 10 passages
顧學術自審不逮遠甚，既屢辭不獲，乃引吳明烜為監副。
Knowing his own learning fell far short, and having failed repeatedly to decline the post, he brought in Wu Mingxuan as Assistant Director.
明烜，明炫兄弟行，明炫議復回回科不得請，至是明烜副光先任推算。
Wu Míngxuǎn and Wu Míngxuàn were kinsmen of the same generation. Wu Míngxuàn's petition to restore the Muslim section had been denied; now Wu Míngxuǎn served as Yang Guangxian's deputy in charge of calculations.
南懷仁疏劾明烜造康熙八年七政民歷於是年十二月置閏，應在康熙九年正月，又一歲兩春分、兩秋分，種種舛誤，下議政王等會議。
Nan Huai Ren impeached Mingxuan for the Kangxi 8 popular calendar: intercalation wrongly placed in the twelfth month instead of Kangxi 9's first, two spring equinoxes and two autumn equinoxes in one year—errors of every kind. The regents were ordered to decide.
八年，上遣大學士圖海等二十人會監正馬祜測驗立春、雨水兩節氣及太陰火、木二星躔度，南懷仁言悉應，明烜言悉不應。
In Kangxi 8 the emperor sent Grand Secretary Tu Hai and twenty others with Director Ma Hu to test Beginning of Spring, Rain Water, and the positions of the moon and the fire and wood stars—Nan Huai Ren said all matched; Mingxuan said none did.
議政王等疏言：「前命大學士圖海等二十人赴觀像台測驗，南懷仁所言悉應，吳明烜所言悉不應，問監正馬祜，監副宜塔喇、胡振鉞、李光顯，皆言南懷仁曆法上合天象。
The regents replied: "Grand Secretary Tu Hai and twenty others tested at the observatory—Nan Huai Ren matched throughout, Wu Mingxuan did not. Director Ma Hu and Assistant Directors Yitara, Hu Zhenyue, and Li Guangxian all said Nan Huai Ren's calendar accorded with heaven.
南懷仁等復呈告光先依附鼇拜，將歷代所用洪範五行稱為滅蠻經，致李祖白等無辜被戮，援引吳明烜誣告湯若望謀叛。
Nan Huai Ren and others further accused Yang Guangxian of siding with Oboi, calling the Hongfan Five Phases used through the ages the "Scripture for Destroying Barbarians," causing the innocent execution of Li Zubai and others, and citing Wu Mingxuan's false charge that Tang Ruowang plotted rebellion.
刑部議明烜坐奏事不實，當杖流，上命笞四十釋之。
The Ministry of Punishments found Mingxuan guilty of false reporting—beatings and exile by statute; the emperor ordered forty blows with the cane and release.
時湯若望方黜，楊光先為監正，吳明烜為監副，以大統術治歷，節氣不應，金、水二星躔度舛錯。
Tang Ruowang had just been dismissed; Yang Guangxian was Director and Wu Mingxuan Assistant Director. They governed the calendar by the Datong system—seasonal terms failed to match, and the positions of Venus and Mercury were wrong.
明烜奏水星當見，其言復不售。
Mingxuan reported that Mercury should be visible—but once again his prediction failed.
南懷仁劾光先、明烜而去之，遂授南懷仁監副。
Nan Huai Ren impeached Yang Guangxian and Mingxuan and had them removed, then was made Assistant Director.