1
王杰，字偉人，陝西韓城人。 以拔貢考銓藍田教諭，未任，遭父喪，貧甚，為書記以養母。 歷佐兩江總督尹繼善、江蘇巡撫陳宏謀幕，皆重之。 初從武功孫景烈遊，講濂、洛、關、閩之學； 及見宏謀，學益進，自謂生平行己居官得力於此。
Wang Jie, whose style was Weiren, came from Hancheng in Shaanxi. He qualified through the tribute-student channel for the post of director of studies at Lantian, but before he could assume it his father died. Penniless, he took work as a clerk to support his mother. He later served on the secretariats of Yin Jishan, governor-general of the Two Jiangs, and Chen Hongmou, governor of Jiangsu, and both men valued him highly. Early on he studied under Sun Jinglie of Wugong in the Neo-Confucian traditions associated with Zhou Dunyi, the Cheng brothers, Zhang Zai, and Zhu Xi; After he came to know Hongmou his studies advanced further still, and he would say that everything he achieved in private conduct and in public office he owed to this education.
2
乾隆二十六年，成進士，殿試進呈卷列第三。 高宗熟視字體如素識，以昔為尹繼善繕疏，曾邀宸賞，詢知人品，即拔置第一。 及引見，風度凝然，上益喜。 又以陝人入本朝百餘年無大魁者，時值西陲戡定，魁選適得西人，御製詩以紀其事。 尋直南書房，屢司文柄。 五遷至內閣學士。 三十九年，授刑部侍郎，調吏部，擢左都御史。 四十八年，丁母憂，即家擢兵部尚書。 車駕南巡，傑赴行在謝，上曰：「汝來甚好。 君臣久別，應知朕念汝。 然汝儒者，不欲奪汝情，歸終制可也。」 服闋，還朝。 五十一年，命為軍機大臣、上書房總師傅。 次年，拜東閣大學士，管理禮部。 台灣、廓爾喀先後平，兩次圖形紫光閣，加太子太保。
In 1761 he passed the metropolitan examination and took his jinshi degree; his palace-examination paper was ranked third among those presented to the throne. The Qianlong Emperor studied his calligraphy as if it were already familiar—he had once written drafts for Yin Jishan and won the emperor's notice—and on learning who he was, promptly placed him first. When he was brought before the throne, his deportment was grave and steady, which pleased the emperor still more. Moreover, no native of Shaanxi had won first place in the examinations in over a century of the dynasty; with the western campaigns just concluded, the top graduate happened to come from the west, and the emperor wrote a verse to mark the occasion. He was soon posted to the Southern Imperial Study and repeatedly oversaw literary and examination affairs. After five promotions he rose to Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet. In 1774 he was made vice minister of justice, transferred to the Board of Personnel, and promoted to left censor-in-chief. In 1783, while mourning his mother at home, he was promoted to minister of war. When the emperor toured the south, Jie went to the traveling palace to give thanks; the emperor said, "It is very good that you have come. After so long a separation between ruler and minister, you ought to know that I have been thinking of you. Yet you are a Confucian scholar; I do not wish to deprive you of your filial duty—you may return and complete the full mourning period." When the mourning period ended, he returned to court. In 1786 he was appointed Grand Councilor and chief tutor of the Upper Imperial Study. The following year he was made Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion and put in charge of the Board of Rites. After Taiwan and Gorkha were pacified in succession, his portrait was twice placed in the Hall of Purple Splendor, and he was given the title Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent.
3
傑在樞廷十餘年，事有可否，未嘗不委曲陳奏。 和珅勢方赫，事多擅決，同列隱忍不言，傑遇有不可，輒力爭。 上知之深，和珅雖厭之而不能去。 傑每議政畢，默然獨坐。 一日，和珅執其手戲曰：「何柔荑乃爾！」 傑正色曰：「王杰手雖好，但不能要錢耳！」 和珅赧然。 嘉慶元年，以足疾乞免軍機、書房及管理部事，允之。 有大事，上必諮詢，傑亦不時入告。
Jie served on the Grand Council for more than ten years; whenever a policy was sound or unsound, he invariably submitted a careful, detailed memorial. Heshen's power was then at its height; he often decided matters on his own, and his colleagues endured it in silence—but whenever Jie found something unacceptable, he would argue vigorously. The emperor knew this well; though Heshen disliked him, he could not remove him. After each council session Jie would sit alone in silence. One day Heshen took his hand in jest and said, "What a soft, delicate hand you have!" Jie said sternly, "Wang Jie's hand may be fine, but it cannot take bribes!" Heshen flushed with embarrassment. In 1796, citing leg trouble, he asked to be relieved of his Grand Council post, his Imperial Study duties, and his ministerial responsibilities; the request was granted. When major affairs arose the emperor always consulted him, and Jie also reported in from time to time.
4
時教匪方熾，傑疏言：「賊匪剿滅稽遲，由被賊災民窮無倚賴，地方官不能勞來安輯，以致脅從日眾，兵力日單而賊焰日熾。 此時當安良民以解從賊之心，撫官兵以勵行間之氣。 三年之內，川、楚、秦、豫四省殺傷不下數百萬，其倖存而不從賊者，亦皆鋒鏑之餘，男不暇耕，女不暇織。 若再計畝徵輸，甚至分外加派，胥吏因緣勒索，艱苦情形無由上達聖主之前。 祈將被賊地方錢糧蠲免，不令官吏舞弊重徵，有來歸者概勿窮治，賊勢或可漸孤矣。 至於用兵三載未即成功，實由將帥有所依恃，怠玩因循，非盡士卒之不用命也。 乞頒發諭旨，曲加憐恤，有驕惰不馴者，令經略概行撤回，或就近更調召募，申明紀律，鼓行勵戎，庶幾人有挾纊之歡，眾有成城之志。」 又言：「教匪之蔓延，其弊有二：一由統領之有名無實。 勒保雖為統領，而統兵大員名位相等，人人得專摺奏事，於是賊至則畏避不前，賊去則捏稱得勝。 即如前歲賊竄興安，領兵大員有'匪已渡江五日，地方官並不禀報'之奏，此其畏避情形顯而易見。 又如去歲賊擾西安城南，殺傷數万，官兵既不近賊，撫臣一無設施； 探知賊去已遠，然後虛張聲勢，名為追賊，實未見賊。 近聞張漢潮蔓延商、雒，高均德屯據洋縣，往來衝突，如入無人之境。 秦省如此，川省可知。 實由統領不專、賞罰不明之所致也。 一由領兵大員專恃鄉勇。 鄉勇陣亡，無庸報部，人數可以虛捏； 藉鄉勇為前陣，既可免官兵之傷亡，又可為異日之開銷，此所以耗國帑而無可稽核也。 臣以為軍務緊要，莫急於去鄉勇之名而為召募之實，蓋有五利：一，民窮無依，多半從賊，苟延性命，募而為兵，即有口糧，多一為兵之人，即少一從賊之人； 一，隔省徵調，曠日持久，就近召募，則旬日可得； 一，徵兵遠來，筋力已疲，召募之人，不須跋涉； 一，隔省之兵，水土不習，路徑不諳，就近之人，則不慮此； 一，鄉勇勢不能敵，則逃散無從懲治，召募之兵退避，則有軍法。 具此五利，何不增募，一鼓而殲賊？ 如謂兵多費多，獨不思一萬兵食十月之糧，與十萬兵食一月之糧，其費相等而功可早奏也。」 疏入，並被採用。
At that time the sect rebels were raging; Jie memorialized: "The delay in wiping out the rebels stems from the destitution of people in rebel-afflicted areas and local officials' failure to resettle and reassure them, so that those coerced into joining grow daily, military strength dwindles, and rebel power swells. At this juncture we should reassure law-abiding civilians to loosen rebel sympathies, and support officers and troops to raise morale in the field. Within three years in Sichuan, Huguang, Shaanxi, and Henan, casualties ran to millions; even survivors who did not join the rebels were left shattered by war—men could not farm, women could not weave. If land tax is levied again by the mu, with extra assessments on top, and clerks extort at every turn, their suffering will never reach Your Majesty. I beg that taxes in rebel-afflicted areas be remitted, that officials be barred from fraud and heavy re-levying, and that returnees not be prosecuted wholesale—then the rebels may gradually be isolated. As for three years of war without swift victory, the fault lies with commanders who feel secure in their posts, grow negligent, and drag their feet—not wholly with soldiers' disobedience. I beg that an edict issue showing special care: arrogant, lazy, unruly commanders should be recalled wholesale by the commander-in-chief, or replaced with local recruits; discipline should be enforced and the army roused—then men may feel the warmth of winter clothing, and all the will to stand as one wall." He also wrote: "The spread of the sect rebels has two root causes: first, the commander-in-chief is a name without real authority. Although Lebao was commander-in-chief, the senior field commanders were equal in rank; each could memorialize the throne directly—so when rebels came they hung back, and when rebels left they claimed victories they had not won. For example, when rebels fled into Xing'an the year before last, a field commander reported that 'the bandits had crossed the river five days ago, yet local officials had not reported it'—their timidity is plain. Again, last year when rebels raided south of Xi'an, tens of thousands were killed or wounded; the troops never closed with the enemy, and the governor did nothing; only after learning the rebels were far away did they make a show of pursuit—called chasing bandits, yet never sighting them. Recently Zhang Hanchao has spread through Shang and Luo, Gao Junde holds Yang County, and they raid back and forth as if no one opposed them. If Shaanxi is in this state, Sichuan may be imagined. This truly stems from divided command and unclear rewards and punishments. Second, field commanders rely exclusively on local militia. Militia casualties need not be reported to the ministry, so head counts can be invented; Using militia as the front line spares regular troops and pads future expense accounts—hence the treasury drains away with nothing to audit. Your servant holds that nothing in the war effort is more urgent than ending the militia fiction and recruiting real soldiers; there are five benefits: first, the destitute mostly join rebels merely to survive—recruit them as soldiers and they have rations at once; every man enlisted is one fewer rebel; second, troops levied from distant provinces take weeks to arrive; local recruitment can fill ranks in ten days; third, levied troops arrive exhausted from the march; recruits need not travel far; fourth, out-of-province troops are unaccustomed to local climate and terrain; local recruits are not; fifth, militia who cannot stand their ground scatter without penalty; recruited soldiers who retreat face military law. With these five advantages, why not recruit more men and crush the rebels in one blow? If one objects that more troops mean more cost, consider: ten thousand men fed for ten months costs the same as one hundred thousand fed for one month—but victory comes sooner." When the memorial was submitted, its recommendations were adopted.
5
二年，復召直軍機，隨扈熱河。 未幾，因腿疾，詔毋庸入直，先行回京。 三年秋，川匪王三槐就擒，封賞樞臣，詔：「傑現雖未直軍機，軍興曾有贊畫功，並予優敘。」
In 1797 he was again called back to regular Grand Council duty and accompanied the emperor to Rehe. Before long, because of leg trouble, he was excused from regular duty and sent back to the capital ahead of the court. In the autumn of 1798 the Sichuan rebel Wang Sanhuai was captured; Grand Councilors were rewarded, and an edict said: "Although Jie is not now on regular Grand Council duty, he contributed to war planning and shall receive preferential commendation as well."
6
洎仁宗親政，傑為首輔，遇事持大體，竭誠進諫，上優禮之。 五年，以衰病乞休，溫詔慰留，許扶杖入朝。 七年，固請致仕，晉太子太傅，在籍食俸。 八年春，瀕行上疏，略謂：「各省虧空之弊，起於乾隆四十年以後，州縣營求餽送，以國帑為夤緣，上司受其挾制，彌補無期。 至嘉慶四年以後，大吏知尚廉節，州縣仍形拮据，由於苦樂不均，賢否不分，宜求整飭之法。 又，舊制，驛丞專司驛站，無可誅求。 自裁歸州縣，濫支苛派，官民俱病。 宜先清驛站，以杜虧空。 今當軍務告竣，朝廷勤求治理，無大於此二者。 請睿裁獨斷，以挽積重之勢。」 所言切中時弊，上嘉納之。 陛辭日，賜高宗御用玉鳩杖、御製詩二章，以寵其行，有云：「直道一身立廊廟，清風兩袖返韓城。」 時論謂足盡其生平。 既歸，歲時頒賞不絕，每有陳奏，上輒親批答，語如家人。
When the Jiaqing Emperor took personal rule, Jie became chief minister; he upheld the larger principles in policy, admonished with full sincerity, and the emperor treated him with exceptional favor. In 1800, citing age and illness he asked to retire; a warm edict urged him to stay and allowed him to attend court with a walking staff. In 1802 he firmly asked to retire; he was promoted to Junior Tutor of the Heir Apparent and drew salary in his native place. In the spring of 1803, on the eve of his departure he memorialized in summary: "Provincial deficits began after 1775: districts and counties solicited gifts, treated the treasury as a ladder for patronage, and superiors were held hostage—shortfalls could never be made good. Since 1799 senior officials have valued integrity, yet districts and counties remain strapped, because hardship and ease are uneven and the worthy and unworthy are not distinguished—rectification is needed. Moreover, under the old system post-station assistants managed relay stations alone and had no scope for extortion. Since those posts were abolished and their duties folded into districts and counties, spending has been abused and levies harsh—officials and people alike suffer. Relay stations should be put in order first to stop deficits. Now that the war is ending and the court is striving for good governance, nothing matters more than these two reforms. I beg Your Majesty to decide decisively and reverse this long-accumulated trend." His words struck at the abuses of the day; the emperor commended and accepted them. On the day of his farewell audience he received the Qianlong Emperor's personal jade dove staff and two imperial poems to honor his departure; one line read: "With upright conduct he stood alone in the hall of state; with clear wind in both sleeves he returns to Hancheng." Contemporary opinion held that this fully summed up his life. After he returned home, seasonal gifts never ceased; whenever he memorialized, the emperor personally wrote replies in the tone of family conversation.
7
九年，傑與妻程並年八十，命巡撫方維甸齎御製詩、額、珍物，於生日就賜其家。 傑詣闕謝，明年正月，卒於京邸。 上悼惜，賜金治喪，贈太子太師，祀賢良祠，諡文端。
In 1804 Jie and his wife Lady Cheng both turned eighty; the emperor ordered Governor Fang Weidian to bring imperial poems, a plaque, and precious gifts to their home on their birthday. Jie went to court to give thanks; in the first month of the following year he died at his residence in the capital. The emperor mourned him, granted gold for the funeral, posthumously made him Senior Tutor of the Heir Apparent, enshrined him in the Shrine of Worthies, and gave the posthumous name Wenduan.
8
傑體不逾中人，和靄近情，而持守剛正，歷事兩朝，以忠直結主知。 當致仕未行，會有陳德於禁城驚犯乘輿，急趨朝請對曰：「德庖廚賤役，安敢妄蓄逆謀？ 此必有元姦大憝主使行明張差之事，當除肘腋之患。」 至十八年林清逆黨之變，上思其言，特賜祭焉。
Jie was of no more than average stature, kindly and approachable, yet steadfastly upright; serving two reigns, he won the sovereign's trust through loyalty and integrity. Before he had retired, Chen De shocked the court by assaulting the imperial carriage within the Forbidden City; Jie hurried to court and said: "De is a lowly kitchen servant—how could he harbor treasonous designs on his own? There must be a chief villain behind him, as in the Zhang Cha affair—this threat at the emperor's very side must be uprooted." By 1813, when Lin Qing's rebels struck, the emperor recalled his words and specially granted sacrificial rites in his honor.
9
孫篤，道光二年進士，歷編修、御史，出為汀州知府、廣東督糧道，署鹽運使。 時林則徐為按察使，治海防，甚倚之。 募廣州遊手精壯者備守禦，以機敏稱。 擢山東布政使，署巡撫。 失察家人、屬官受賂，連降罷職歸，襄理西安城工。 卒，贈布政使銜。
His grandson Du, a jinshi in 1822, served as compiler, censor, prefect of Tingzhou, Guangdong grain superintendent, and acting salt controller. At that time Lin Zexu was provincial judge overseeing coastal defense and relied on him heavily. He recruited sturdy Guangzhou idlers for coastal defense and was known for quick resourcefulness. He was promoted to provincial administration commissioner of Shandong and served as acting governor. For failing to detect bribery by his household and subordinates, he was repeatedly demoted, dismissed, and sent home, then helped manage Xi'an city works. He died and was posthumously given the rank of provincial administration commissioner.
10
董誥，字蔗林，浙江富陽人，尚書邦達子。 乾隆二十八年進士，殿試進呈卷列第三，高宗因大臣子，改二甲第一。 選庶吉士，即預修國史、三通、皇朝禮器圖。 散館，授編修。 三十二年，命入懋勤殿寫金字經為皇太后祝嘏。 次年，大考翰詹，因寫經未與試，特加一級。 尋擢中允，丁父憂。 三十六年，服闋，入直南書房。 初，邦達善畫，受高宗知。 誥承家學，繼為侍從，書畫亦被宸賞，尤以奉職恪勤為上所眷注。 累遷內閣學士。 四十年，擢工部侍郎，調戶部，歷署吏、刑兩部侍郎，兼管樂部。 充四庫館副總裁，接辦全書薈要，命輯滿洲源流考。 四十四年，命為軍機大臣。 五十二年，加太子少保，擢戶部尚書。 台灣、廓爾喀先後底定，並列功臣，圖形紫光閣。
Dong Gao, whose style was Zhelin, came from Fuyang in Zhejiang; he was the son of Minister Dong Bangda. He took his jinshi in 1763; his palace-examination paper ranked third, but because he was a senior minister's son the Qianlong Emperor placed him first in the second class instead. Selected as a Hanlin bachelor, he at once joined work on the national history, the Three Comprehensive Encyclopedias, and the Illustrated Rites of the Dynasty. When his Hanlin term ended he was appointed compiler. In 1767 he was ordered to the Hall of Diligent Study to copy a gold-letter sutra for the empress dowager's birthday blessings. The following year, in the triennial Hanlin examination, he was excused because of the sutra work and given a special promotion. Soon he was promoted to middle attendant, then entered mourning for his father. In 1771, when mourning ended, he took up regular duty in the Southern Imperial Study. Bangda had been skilled at painting and won the Qianlong Emperor's notice. Gao inherited the family tradition and in turn became a court attendant; his calligraphy and painting also won imperial praise, but above all his dutiful service won the emperor's special regard. After repeated promotions he rose to Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet. In 1775 he was made vice minister of works, transferred to the Board of Revenue, served in turn as acting vice minister of the Boards of Personnel and Justice, and concurrently managed the music section of the Board of Rites. He served as deputy chief compiler of the Siku Library, took over the Essentials of the Complete Library, and was ordered to compile an Investigation of Manchu Origins. In 1779 he was appointed Grand Councilor. In 1787 he was made Junior Vice Guardian of the Heir Apparent and promoted to minister of revenue. After Taiwan and Gorkha were pacified in succession, he was listed among the meritorious officials and his portrait was placed in the Hall of Purple Splendor.
11
嘉慶元年，授受禮成，詔硃珪來京，將畀以閣務，仁宗賀以詩。 屬稿未竟，和珅取白高宗曰：「嗣皇帝欲市恩於師傅。」 高宗色動，顧誥曰：「汝在軍機、刑部久，是於律意云何？」 誥叩頭曰：「聖主無過言。」 高宗默然良久，曰：「汝大臣也，善為朕輔導之。」 乃以他事罷珪之召。 時大學士懸缺久，難其人。 高宗謂劉墉、紀昀、彭元瑞三人皆資深，墉遇事模棱，元瑞以不檢獲愆，昀讀書多而不明理，惟誥在直勤勉，超拜東閣大學士，明詔宣示，俾三人加愧勵焉。 命總理禮部，仍兼管戶部事。 二年，丁生母憂，特賜陀羅經被，遣御前侍衛、額駙丰紳殷德奠醊。
In 1796, when the succession rites were completed, an edict summoned Zhu Gui to the capital for a Grand Secretariat post; the Jiaqing Emperor congratulated him with a poem. Before the draft was finished, Heshen told the Qianlong Emperor, "The heir apparent wishes to curry favor with his tutor." The Qianlong Emperor's expression changed; he turned to Gao and said, "You have long served on the Grand Council and at the Board of Justice—what is your view of this under the law?" Gao kowtowed and said, "The sage sovereign speaks without fault." The Qianlong Emperor was silent a long while, then said, "You are a great minister—guide him well for me." Then on another pretext Gui's summons was canceled. At that time the Grand Secretary post had long been vacant; a suitable man was hard to find. The Qianlong Emperor said Liu Yong, Ji Yun, and Peng Yuanrui were all senior: Liu Yong was equivocal in affairs; Peng Yuanrui had been censured for misconduct; Ji Yun read widely but lacked sound judgment—only Gao, diligent in regular duty, was promoted over their heads to Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion, with an explicit edict to shame and spur the three. He was ordered to take general charge of the Board of Rites while still managing the Board of Revenue. In 1797 he entered mourning for his birth mother; he was specially given a dharaṇī sutra quilt, and an imperial bodyguard and imperial son-in-law Fengshen Yinde were sent to offer libations.
12
誥既以喪歸，川、楚兵事方亟，高宗欲召之，每見大臣，數問； 「董誥何時來？」 逾年，葬母畢，詣京師，和珅遏不上聞。 會駕出，誥於道旁謝恩，高宗見之，喜甚，命暫署刑部尚書，素服視事，不預典禮，專辦秋讞及軍營紀略，且曰：「誥守制已逾小祥，不得已用人之苦心，眾當共諒。」 尋以王三槐就擒，與軍機大臣同被議敘。 四年春，高宗崩，和珅伏誅，命誥复直軍機，晉太子太保。 既，服闋，授文華殿大學士，兼刑部尚書如故。 高宗山陵禮成，命題神主，晉太子太傅。 七年，三省教匪平，予騎都尉世職。 十二年，高宗實錄告成，詔以誥在館八年，始終其事，特加優獎，賜其父邦達入祀賢良祠。 十四年，萬壽慶典，晉太子太師。 充上書房總師傅。 十七年，晉太保。
After Gao returned home in mourning, the Sichuan and Huguang campaigns were urgent; the Qianlong Emperor wished to recall him and asked repeatedly whenever he saw senior ministers; "When will Dong Gao come?" After more than a year, when his mother's burial was complete, he went to the capital; Heshen blocked the report from reaching the emperor. When the imperial carriage went out, Gao gave thanks by the roadside; the Qianlong Emperor saw him and was greatly pleased, ordering him temporarily to act as minister of justice in plain mourning dress, excluding him from ceremonies but putting him in charge of autumn assizes and military summaries, and saying: "Gao's mourning has already passed the lesser anniversary; the bitter necessity of using him—everyone should understand." Soon, when Wang Sanhuai was captured, he received commendation along with the Grand Councilors. In the spring of 1799 the Qianlong Emperor died; Heshen was executed; Gao was ordered back to regular Grand Council duty and promoted to Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent. When mourning ended he was made Grand Secretary of the Hall of Literary Glory while continuing as minister of justice. When the Qianlong Emperor's mausoleum rites were completed, he was ordered to compose the spirit-tablet inscription and was promoted to Junior Tutor of the Heir Apparent. In 1802 the sect rebels in the three provinces were pacified; he was given a hereditary post as commandant of cavalry. In 1807 the Qianlong Veritable Records were completed; an edict noted that Gao had spent eight years in the project office and seen it through from start to finish, gave him special commendation, and granted his father Bangda enshrinement in the Shrine of Worthies. In 1809, at the longevity celebration, he was promoted to Senior Tutor of the Heir Apparent. He served as chief tutor of the Upper Imperial Study. In 1812 he was promoted to Grand Guardian.
13
十八年，扈從秋狝。 林清逆黨突入禁城，時回鑾，中途聞變，有議俟調大兵成列而後進者，誥曰：「是滋亂也，獻俘者行至矣！」 即日扈駕進次，人心乃定。 窮治邪教，誥謂：「燒香祈福，愚民無知，率所常有。 惟從逆者不可貸。」 凡論上，皆以是定讞。 林清既誅，滑縣逆匪尋平，論功，迭被優敘，賜子淳為郎中。 二十年，因病請致政，溫詔慰留，改管兵部。 未幾，復命管刑部。 二十三年，再疏乞休，許致仕食全俸。 是年十月，卒，贈太傅。 上親奠，入祀賢良祠，賜金治喪，御製詩輓之，嘉其父子歷事三朝，未嘗增置一畝之田、一椽之屋，命刻詩於墓，以彰忠藎。 諡文恭。
In 1813 he accompanied the autumn hunt at Rehe. Lin Qing's rebels suddenly entered the Forbidden City; the court was returning from Rehe and heard of the disturbance en route; some proposed waiting until large forces were assembled before advancing—Gao said, "That would only encourage disorder; the captors are already on their way!" That same day he accompanied the imperial carriage forward, and public morale steadied. In prosecuting heterodox sects, Gao said, "Burning incense to pray for blessings is what ignorant common people routinely do. Only those who joined rebellion cannot be pardoned." In every case submitted for judgment, verdicts were fixed by this principle. After Lin Qing was executed, the Hua County rebels were soon pacified; in accounting merit Gao received repeated preferential commendation, and his son Chun was given a directorship in a ministry. In 1815, citing illness he asked to retire; a warm edict urged him to stay and transferred his charge to the Board of War. Before long he was again ordered to manage the Board of Justice. In 1818 he again memorialized to retire; permission was granted to retire on full salary. In the tenth month of that year he died; posthumously he was given the title Grand Tutor. The emperor personally offered libations; he was enshrined in the Shrine of Worthies; gold was granted for the funeral; an imperial elegy praised father and son for serving three reigns without ever adding a single mu of land or a single beam of house; the emperor ordered the poem carved on the tomb to honor their loyalty and integrity. His posthumous name was Wengong.
14
誥直軍機先後四十年，熟於朝章故事，有以諮者，無不悉。 凡所獻納皆面陳，未嘗用奏牘。 當和珅用事，與王杰支柱其間，獨居深念，行處幾失常度，卒贊仁宗殲除大憝。 及林清之變，獨持鎮定，尤為時稱雲。
Gao served on regular Grand Council duty for forty years in all; he knew court regulations and precedents inside out—whoever consulted him found nothing he did not know. Whatever he presented he always stated in person; he never used written memorials. When Heshen held power, he and Wang Jie held the line between them; alone he brooded deeply, and in walking about he nearly lost his composure—yet in the end he helped the Jiaqing Emperor destroy the great villain. At Lin Qing's disturbance he alone kept his composure, which contemporaries especially praised.
15
硃珪，字石君，順天大興人。 先世居蕭山，自父文炳始遷籍。 文炳官盩厔知縣，曾受經於大學士硃軾。 珪少傳軾學，與兄筠同鄉舉，並負時譽。 乾隆十三年成進士，年甫十八，選庶吉士，散館授編修。 數遇典禮，撰進文冊。 高宗重其學行，累遷侍讀學士。 二十五年，出為福建糧驛道。 擢按察使，治獄平恕，以父憂去。 三十二年，補湖北按察使。 會緬甸用兵，以部署驛務詳慎，被褒獎。
Zhu Gui, whose style was Shijun, came from Daxing in Shuntian. His ancestors lived in Xiaoshan; his father Wenbing was the first to transfer the family's registration. Wenbing served as magistrate of Zhouzhi and had studied the classics under Grand Secretary Zhu Shi. Gui in youth inherited Shi's learning; he and his elder brother Yun passed the provincial examination together and both enjoyed contemporary renown. In 1748 he became a jinshi at only eighteen, was selected as a Hanlin bachelor, and when his term ended was appointed compiler. He repeatedly took part in great ceremonies and drafted the submitted ceremonial documents. The Qianlong Emperor valued his learning and conduct; after repeated promotions he rose to reader-in-waiting of the Hanlin Academy. In 1760 he was posted outside the capital as grain and courier intendant of Fujian. He was promoted to provincial judge; in handling cases he was fair and lenient, and left office to mourn his father. In 1767 he was appointed provincial judge of Hubei to fill a vacancy. During the Burma campaign, his careful deployment of relay-station affairs won commendation.
16
調山西，就遷布政使，署巡撫。 疏請歸化、綏遠二城穀二萬餘石搭放兵糧，以省採買、免紅朽； 又免土默特蒙古私墾罪，以所墾牧地三千餘頃，許附近兵民認耕納租，歲六千餘兩，增官兵公費； 又太僕寺牧地苦寒，改徵折色，以便民除弊； 皆下部議行。 珪方正，為同僚所不便，按察使黃檢奏劾讀書廢事。
He was transferred to Shanxi, promoted in place to provincial administration commissioner, and served as acting governor. He memorialized that more than twenty thousand shi of grain in Guihua and Suiyuan be lent for military rations to save purchasing and avoid spoilage; he also remitted penalties for unauthorized cultivation by Tumed Mongols, and of the more than three thousand qing thus opened permitted nearby soldiers and civilians to farm and pay rent, yielding more than six thousand taels yearly for officers' and soldiers' public expenses; further, because the Court of the Imperial Stud's pasture lands were bitterly cold, he changed collection to cash payment to benefit the people and remove abuses; all were referred to the ministries for deliberation and implementation. Gui was upright, which made colleagues uncomfortable; provincial judge Huang Jian memorialized impeaching him for reading books and neglecting affairs.
17
四十年，召入覲，改授侍講學士，直上書房，侍仁宗學。 四十四年，典福建鄉試。 次年，督福建學政。 瀕行，上五箴於仁宗：曰養心，曰敬身，曰勤業，曰虛己，曰致誠。 仁宗力行之，後親政，嘗置左右。 五十一年，擢禮部侍郎，典江南鄉試，督浙江學政。 還朝，調兵部。 五十五年，典會試。 出為安徽巡撫。 皖北水災，馳驛往賑，攜僕數人，與村民同舟渡，賑宿州、泗州、碭山、靈壁、五河、盱眙餘災，輕者貸以糧種。 築決堤，展春賑，並躬蒞其事，民無流亡。 五十九年，調廣東。 尋署兩廣總督，授左都御史、兵部尚書，仍留巡撫任。 嘉慶元年，授總督，兼署巡撫。 珪初以文學受知，洎出任疆寄，負時望，將大用。 和珅忌之，授受禮成，珪進頌冊，因加指摘，高宗曰：「陳善納誨，師傅之職宜爾，非汝所知也。」 會大學士缺，詔召珪，卒為和珅所沮。 以廣東艇匪擾劫閩、浙，責珪不能緝捕，寢前命，左遷安徽巡撫。 皖北复災，親治賑，官吏無侵蝕。 三省教匪起，安徽亦多伏莽。 珪曰：「疑而索之，是激之變。」 親駐界上籌防禦，遍蒞潁、亳所屬，集鄉老教誡之，民感化，境內迄無事。 明年，授兵部尚書，調吏部，仍留巡撫任。
In 1775 he was summoned to audience, made expositor-in-waiting of the Hanlin Academy, entered regular duty in the Upper Imperial Study, and tutored the Jiaqing Emperor. In 1779 he presided over the Fujian provincial examination. The following year he supervised education in Fujian. On the eve of departure he presented five admonitions to the Jiaqing Emperor: on nurturing the mind, revering the person, diligent endeavor, emptying the self, and attaining sincerity. The Jiaqing Emperor practiced them vigorously; after taking personal rule he kept them at hand. In 1786 he was made vice minister of rites, presided over the Jiangnan provincial examination, and supervised education in Zhejiang. On returning to court he was transferred to the Board of War. In 1790 he presided over the metropolitan examination. He was posted as governor of Anhui. When northern Anhui suffered floods, he rushed by post-horse to give relief with only a few servants, crossing in the same boats as villagers; he relieved remaining disaster in Suzhou, Sizhou, Dangshan, Lingbi, Wuhe, and Xuyi, and lent grain seed to lighter cases. He repaired breached dikes, extended spring relief, and personally oversaw the work; the people did not flee. In 1794 he was transferred to Guangdong. Soon he acted as governor-general of the Two Guangs, was made left censor-in-chief and minister of war, and still retained the governorship. In 1796 he was appointed governor-general and concurrently acted as governor. Gui had first won notice through literary accomplishment; when he took up frontier office he bore high expectations and was on the verge of great promotion. Heshen envied him; when the succession rites were completed Gui presented a eulogy booklet and was criticized for it; the Qianlong Emperor said, "To present good counsel and accept admonition is a tutor's proper duty—this is not for you to understand." When a Grand Secretary post fell vacant, an edict summoned Gui, but Heshen blocked it in the end. Because Guangdong boat bandits raided Fujian and Zhejiang, Gui was blamed for failing to capture them; the earlier order was set aside and he was demoted to governor of Anhui. Northern Anhui suffered disaster again; he personally managed relief, and officials did not embezzle. When sect rebels rose in the three provinces, Anhui also had many hidden desperadoes. Gui said, "To suspect people and hunt them down is to provoke rebellion." He personally stationed on the border to plan defense, went throughout the districts under Ying and Bo, gathered village elders to instruct them, won the people over, and kept the province peaceful. The following year he was made minister of war, transferred to the Board of Personnel, and still retained the governorship.
18
四年正月，高宗崩，仁宗即馳驛召珪，聞命奔赴。 途中上疏，略曰：「天子之孝，以繼志述事為大。 親政伊始，遠聽近瞻，默運乾綱，雱施渙號。 陽剛之氣，如日重光，惻怛之仁，無幽不浹。 修身則嚴誠欺之界，觀人則辨義利之防。 君心正而四維張，朝廷清而九牧肅。 身先節儉，崇獎清廉，自然盜賊不足平，財用不足阜。 惟原皇上無忘堯、舜自任之心，臣敢不勉行義事君之道。」 至京哭臨，上執珪手哭失聲。 命直南書房，管戶部三庫，加太子少保，賜第西華門外。 時召獨對，用人行政悉以諮之。 珪造膝密陳，不關白軍機大臣，不沽恩市直，上傾心一聽，初政之美，多出贊助。
In the first month of 1799 the Qianlong Emperor died; the Jiaqing Emperor at once sent post-horses to summon Gui; on hearing the order he rushed to obey. En route he memorialized in summary: "The Son of Heaven's filial piety lies chiefly in continuing the late emperor's will and carrying forward his undertakings. At the outset of personal rule, listen far and look near, silently wield imperial authority, and pour forth edicts like rain. Let your firm, yang spirit shine like the sun renewed; let compassionate benevolence reach even the darkest corners. In self-cultivation, strictly mark the boundary between sincerity and deceit; in judging others, distinguish righteousness from profit. When the ruler's mind is correct the four bonds hold firm; when the court is pure the provinces are orderly. Take the lead in frugality, honor and reward integrity—then bandits will be easy to pacify and revenues easy to enrich. I only pray Your Majesty not forget the heart that takes Yao and Shun upon oneself; how dare your servant not strive to serve the ruler with righteousness." On reaching the capital he attended the mourning audience; the emperor took Gui's hand and wept aloud. He was ordered to regular duty in the Southern Imperial Study, to manage the three treasuries of the Board of Revenue, made Junior Vice Guardian of the Heir Apparent, and granted a residence outside the Xihua Gate. He was frequently summoned for private audience; appointments and administration were all consulted with him. Gui spoke confidentially knee to knee, did not inform the Grand Councilors, and did not curry favor openly; the emperor listened with full trust—the beauty of the early reign owed much to his assistance.
19
尋充上書房總師傅，調戶部尚書。 詔清漕政，禁浮收。 疆吏以運丁苦累，仰給州縣，州縣不得不取諸民，於是安徽加贈銀，江蘇加耗米，珪謂小民未見清漕之益，先受其害，力爭罷之，令曹司凡事近加賦者皆議駁。 長蘆鹽政請加增鹽價，駁曰：「蘆東因錢價賤，已三加價矣，且免積欠三百六十萬兩，餘欠展三年，商力已寬，無庸再議加價。」 廣東請濱海沙地升賦，駁曰：「海沙淤地，坍漲靡常，故照下則減半賦之。 今視上、中田增賦，是與民計微利，非政體。 且民苦加賦，別有漲地，將不敢報墾，不可行。」 倉場請預納錢糧四五十倍，準作義監生，駁曰：「國家正供有常經，名實關體要。 於名不正，實必傷，斷不可行。」 凡駁議每自屬稿，奏上，皆韙之。 五年，兼署吏部尚書。
Soon he served as chief tutor of the Upper Imperial Study and was made minister of revenue. An edict ordered the grain-transport system cleared up and excess collection forbidden. Frontier officials said transport laborers suffered hardship and depended on districts and counties, which had to take from the people—thus Anhui added gift silver and Jiangsu added wastage grain; Gui said the common people had not yet seen the benefit of reforming transport but already suffered harm, fought vigorously to abolish these, and ordered subordinate offices to reject every proposal for extra levies. The Changlu salt administration requested a salt-price increase; he rejected it, saying, "In eastern Lu, because coin was cheap, the price has already been raised three times; moreover accumulated arrears of 3,600,000 taels were remitted and remaining arrears extended three years—the merchants are already eased; there is no need to raise the price again." Guangdong requested raising the assessment on coastal sand land; he rejected it, saying, "Sea-sand silt land shifts and subsides without constancy; therefore it is assessed at half the lowest rate. To raise the assessment now to that of upper and middle fields is to wring petty profit from the people—not proper governance. Moreover, if the people suffer added levies and separate assessments on rising land, they will not dare report new reclamation—this cannot be allowed." The granary administration requested advance grain-tax payment forty or fifty times over in exchange for status as tribute students by merit; he rejected it, saying, "The state's regular revenue has fixed norms; name and reality concern fundamental governance. When the name is not correct, the reality must suffer—this absolutely cannot be allowed." He drafted every rejection himself; when memorialized upward, all were approved. In 1800 he concurrently acted as minister of personnel.
20
先是彭元瑞於西華門內墜馬，珪呼其輿入舁之，為御史週栻所劾。 尋有珪輿人毆傷禁門兵，忌者嗾護軍統領訐之。 詔：「珪素恪謹，造次不檢，特申戒。」 坐褫宮銜，解三庫事，鐫級留任。 七年，協辦大學士，复太子少保。 尋兼翰林院掌院學士，晉太子少傅。 九年，上幸翰林院，聯句賜宴，御書「天祿儲才」額刻懸院中，以墨書賜珪家。 十年，拜體仁閣大學士，管理工部。 上以是命遵高宗諭，遣詣裕陵謝。 逾歲，年七十六，以老乞休，溫詔慰留，賜玉鳩杖； 命天寒，間二三日入直。
Earlier Peng Yuanrui had fallen from his horse inside the Xihua Gate; Gui called his sedan chair inside to carry him, and censor Zhou Shi impeached him for it. Soon Gui's sedan bearers beat a Forbidden Gate guard; his enemies incited the banner guard commander to denounce him. An edict said: "Gui has always been careful and respectful; in a moment of carelessness he was not restrained—he is specially admonished." He was stripped of palace rank, relieved of the three treasuries, reduced in grade, and kept in office. In 1802 he served as associate Grand Secretary and was restored as Junior Vice Guardian of the Heir Apparent. Soon he also served as chancellor of the Hanlin Academy and was promoted to Junior Tutor of the Heir Apparent. In 1804 the emperor visited the Hanlin Academy, gave a linked-verse banquet, and had the imperial inscription "Heaven's Blessings Store Talent" carved and hung in the academy; an ink inscription was bestowed on Gui's family. In 1805 he was made Grand Secretary of the Hall of Embodied Benevolence and put in charge of the Board of Works. Because this appointment followed the Qianlong Emperor's instruction, the emperor sent him to the Yuling mausoleum to give thanks. After a year, at seventy-six, he asked to retire citing age; a warm edict urged him to stay and granted him a jade dove staff; and ordered that in cold weather he need enter regular duty only every two or three days.
21
未幾，召對乾清宮，眩暈，扶歸第，數日卒。 上親奠，哭之慟。 贈太傅，祀賢良祠，賜金治喪。 詔：「珪自為師傅，凡所陳說，無非唐、虞、三代之言，稍涉時趨者不出諸口，啟沃至多。 揆諸諡法，足當'正'字而無愧，特諡文正。 又見其門庭卑隘，清寒之況，不減儒素。」 命內府備筵，遣皇子加奠。 啟殯日，遣慶郡王永璘祖奠目送。 逾年，上謁西陵，珪墓近蹕路，遣官賜奠。 高宗實錄成，特賜祭，擢長子錫經為四品京堂。 二十年，復因謁陵回鑾，親奠其墓，恩禮始終無與比。
Before long, summoned for audience in the Palace of Heavenly Purity, he grew dizzy, was helped home, and died within several days. The emperor personally offered libations and wept with deep grief. Posthumously he was made Grand Tutor, enshrined in the Shrine of Worthies, and granted gold for the funeral. An edict said: "Since Gui became tutor, everything he said was the language of Tang, Yu, and the Three Dynasties; what touched current fashion never left his mouth—his counsel was abundant. Measured against posthumous naming standards, he fully merits the character for 'correct' without shame; he was specially given the posthumous name Wenzheng. Moreover, seeing his gate and courtyard low and narrow, his plain poverty was no less than that of a scholar of modest means." He ordered the inner palace to prepare a feast and sent a prince to offer additional libations. On the day the coffin was opened for burial, Prince Yonglin of Qing was sent to offer ancestral libations and see him off. After a year, when the emperor visited the Western Tombs, Gui's tomb lay near the imperial route; an official was sent to offer libations. When the Qianlong Veritable Records were completed, sacrificial rites were specially granted and his eldest son Xijing was promoted to fourth-rank capital office. In 1815, again on returning from tomb visitation, he personally offered libations at the tomb—favor from start to finish had no equal.
22
珪文章奧博，取士重經策，銳意求才。 嘉慶四年典會試，阮元佐之，一時名流搜拔殆盡，為士林宗仰者數十年。 學無不通，亦喜道家，嘗曰：「硃子注參同契，非空言也。」
Gui's writings were profound and broad; in selecting scholars he stressed classical examinations and policy essays and keenly sought talent. In 1799 he presided over the metropolitan examination with Ruan Yuan assisting; eminent men of the time were sought and raised almost to exhaustion, and for decades he was revered by the scholarly community. In learning nothing was closed to him; he also delighted in Daoism and once said, "Zhu Xi's commentary on the Cantong qi is not empty talk."
23
論曰：君子小人消長之機，國運系焉。 王杰、董誥、硃珪皆高宗拔擢信任之臣，和珅一再間沮，卒不屈撓。 一旦共、驩伏法，眾正盈朝，攄其忠誠，啟沃新主，殄寇息民，苞桑永固。 天留數人，弼成仁宗初政之盛，可謂大臣矣。
The appraisal says: The rise and fall of gentlemen and petty men is where the nation's fortune lies. Wang Jie, Dong Gao, and Zhu Gui were all ministers the Qianlong Emperor selected and trusted; Heshen repeatedly obstructed them, yet in the end they did not yield. Once Heshen was executed, the upright filled the court; they poured forth their loyalty, nourished the new sovereign, exterminated bandits and gave the people rest, and secured the realm like deep-rooted mulberry. Heaven left a few such men to assist and complete the splendor of the Jiaqing Emperor's early reign—they may truly be called great ministers.