1
Xin Congyi, whose style was Qianshou, came from Wanzai in Jiangxi. He earned his jinshi degree in 1790, entered the Hanlin Academy as a bachelor, and was appointed compiler. He was promoted to censor but, with an aged mother at home, petitioned for leave to retire and support her in her final years. In 1812 he was recalled from retirement and reinstated in his former office. When prolonged rains struck the capital region, the court ordered grain sold from the state granaries at fair price. Congyi took part in the effort, rooted out abuses, and delivered real relief to the people, winning praise at the time. He submitted a memorial urging governors-general and governors to screen officials with greater care so as to purify administration, writing in part: "Provincial evaluation differs from that applied to capital officials. In the capital scrutiny is intense: the slightest private favor cannot escape the Emperor's penetrating gaze. Provincial governors-general and governors wield great power and find manipulation easy. They fail to see that prefects and magistrates deserve both sharp rebuke and considerate treatment: partiality inverts right and wrong, while excessive harshness blocks communication from below. I hold that senior officials must uphold the great principles of integrity and law, and set aside petty courtesies of obsequious compliance; they must value diligence and competence in administration and demand real results in securing the people's welfare; they must weigh the difficulty of the times and measure each man's allotment of talent, superior or inferior; and they must keep a constant heart of reverent awe. Only then can they cherish talent and clarify official administration." He was then promoted to supervising secretary.
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In 1813, after the Huaxian rebels were suppressed, many soldiers had taken in refugee children. Congyi memorialized that they be sent home; the court adopted his proposal and also censured the commanding officers. He also spoke to the throne in person: "When orthodox teaching flourishes, heterodox doctrines fade of themselves. Ordinary people lack a grasp of great principle and are easily swayed by heterodox sects. Yet when new officials take office no one asks whether local custom is wholesome or corrupt; they reckon only whether the post is lucrative or meager. How can such men teach the people? If the court wishes to improve local custom, it should first hold magistrates and prefects accountable." He served in succession as vice minister of the Court of Imperial Entertainments, counsellor of the Office of Transmission, reader in the Grand Secretariat, minister of the Court of Imperial Entertainments, and minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. Early in the Daoguang reign Chen Guanjun, former educational commissioner of Shanxi, was demoted yet still entered the Upper Study Hall. Congyi impeached him, writing: "The Upper Study Hall instructs the heir apparent and tutors the imperial sons—a charge weightier even than provincial educational commissioner. The court should choose Confucian officials of solid virtue and broad capacity so that the princes have models to follow and their moral nature may be cultivated. During his term as educational commissioner Chen Guanjun failed to keep his distance from beauty and avoid suspicion, or to restrain anger and curb desire. The flaws in his conduct and the narrowness of his capacity make him unfit to continue lecturing the princes."
3
二年，遷內閣學士。 宣宗溫諭曰：「爾甚朴忠，無所希冀，亦無所揣摩。 有所聞見，直言無隱，朕無忌諱也。」 命偕尚書文孚赴陝西讞獄。 渭南富民柳全璧殺其傭硃錫林，賄知縣徐潤得免死，巡撫硃勳庇之，獄久不決。 從益等鞫得其狀，論如法。 覆命，陳陝西馬政之害，地方官春秋計裡買馬，實則民不得直，而官亦不需馬，第指馬索賕以為民病，請禁革。 三年，擢禮部侍郎，督江蘇學政。 於是巡撫陶澍奏禁紳衿包漕，橫索漕規，下學政稽查懲治。 從益上疏曰：「江蘇漕額本重，豈堪浮收無節？ 州縣自應調劑，閭閻尤宜體恤。 久懸定額，尚肆苛求； 明語浮收，必滋流弊。 撫臣之意，謂控漕之人即包漕之人，臣以為未必盡然。 官之收漕，必用吏役，吏役貪狠，必圖肥己。 官既浮收，吏又朘削，不特小民受害，即循謹生監，亦被其累，激而上控，此中固有不得已者。 撫臣又稱生監需索漕規，地方官費無所出，乃取償於純謹小民。 臣伏思吏役貪得無厭，縱生監悉循循守法，而小民追呼徵比之煩，亦斷不能為之少減。 吏役倚官府為城社，倘違例浮收，無人控訴，將何術以治之？ 夫劣衿律所不宥，苛政亦法所必裁。 矯枉勢必過正，創法宜防流弊。 管見所及，不敢不以上聞。」
In 1822 he was promoted to Grand Secretariat academician. Emperor Xuanzong addressed him warmly: "You are thoroughly plain and loyal, without hope or calculation. Whatever you hear or observe, speak frankly without concealment. I harbor no taboos." He was ordered to accompany Minister Wen Fu to Shaanxi to hear criminal cases. Liu Quanbi, a wealthy man of Weinan, murdered his hired laborer Zhu Xilin. He bribed Magistrate Xu Run to escape execution, and Governor Zhu Xun shielded him, so the case dragged on unresolved. Congyi and his colleagues examined the facts and sentenced the parties according to law. On reporting back he described abuses in Shaanxi horse administration: local officials each spring and autumn nominally purchased horses by the li, yet the people received no fair price while officials needed no horses at all—they merely designated horses and extorted bribes, a plague on the people. He requested that the practice be banned and abolished. In 1823 he was promoted to vice minister of Rites and appointed educational commissioner of Jiangsu. Governor Tao Shu then memorialized to prohibit gentry and licentiates from monopolizing grain transport and extorting transport fees, directing the educational commissioner to investigate and punish offenders. Congyi memorialized: "Jiangsu's grain transport quota is already heavy. How can it bear unchecked over-collection? Prefects and magistrates should make adjustments themselves, and common households especially deserve consideration. Even when the fixed quota has long gone uncollected, officials still extort without restraint; to speak openly of permitting over-collection will surely breed further abuses. The governor holds that anyone who lodges complaints about transport must be a transport monopolist himself. I hold that this is not necessarily so. Officials collecting transport grain must employ clerks and runners, who are greedy and ruthless and invariably seek their own profit. When officials over-collect, clerks skim yet again. Small households suffer, but even cautious licentiates are caught in the net and, driven to desperation, appeal to higher authority—among them are men who truly have no other recourse. The governor also claims that licentiates demand transport fees and that local officials, unable to cover the cost, recoup it from honest common people. I reflect that clerks and runners are insatiably greedy. Even if every licentiate obeyed the law to the letter, the people's torment from summonses and forced collection would not lessen in the slightest. Clerks and runners treat the yamen as their fortress. If they over-collect in violation of statute and no one dares complain, by what means can they be governed? Worthless licentiates the law does not spare, and harsh government the law must also restrain. In straightening what is crooked the effort inevitably overshoots; in framing new rules one must guard against unintended abuse. What my humble view reaches, I dare not withhold from Your Majesty."
4
Congyi was upright, quiet, and candid. When he met injustice he contested it and would not bow to the powerful. In 1828 he died at his post as educational commissioner. He left collected memorials, inner and outer collections of poetry and prose, and a commentary on the Gongsun Longzi.
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張鱗，字小軒，浙江長興人。 嘉慶四年進士，選庶吉士。 習國書，授檢討。 仁宗臨幸翰林院，鱗獻詩冊，被恩賚。 十七年，大考二等，遷贊善。 歷侍講、庶子。 二十年，選翰林官入直懋勤殿，纂輯秘殿珠林、石渠寶笈，鱗與焉。 歷侍講學士、國子監祭酒。 二十四年，典江西鄉試。 尋以齋戒未至齋所，降授太常寺少卿。 遷通政使司副使、太僕寺卿。 道光元年，命偕太常寺少卿明安泰赴楊村挑驗剝船，遂赴東光、盧龍兩縣訊鞫京控獄，各論如律； 並劾承審官濫刑，巡道徇庇，褫黜有差。 三年，轉太常寺卿，督安徽學政，擢內閣學士。 七年，以繼母憂歸，服闋，補原官。 擢兵部侍郎，督福建學政。 十三年，補戶部，又調吏部。 福建縣丞秦師韓控訐總督程祖洛，侍郎趙盛奎偕鱗同案鞫，白其誣，師韓遣戍。
Zhang Lin, whose style was Xiaoxuan, came from Changxing in Zhejiang. He earned his jinshi degree in 1799 and entered the Hanlin Academy as a bachelor. He studied the Manchu language and was appointed reviser. When Emperor Renzong visited the Hanlin Academy, Lin presented a volume of poetry and received imperial gifts. In 1812, in the triennial evaluation he placed in the second class and was promoted to tutor. He served in succession as lecturer and junior tutor. In 1815 he was selected as a Hanlin official for duty at the Maojin Hall to compile the Secret Hall Pearl Forest and the Stone Canal Precious Collection; Lin took part. He served in succession as lecturing academician and director of the Directorate of Education. In 1819 he presided over the Jiangxi provincial examination. Soon after, because he failed to reach the fasting lodge during the abstention period, he was demoted to vice minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. He was transferred to vice commissioner of the Office of Transmission and minister of the Court of the Imperial Stud. In 1821 he was ordered with Vice Minister Ming Antai of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices to Yangcun to inspect lighter boats for cargo transfer, then proceeded to Dongguang and Lulong to hear capital appeals, sentencing each case according to law; he also impeached trial officials for excessive punishment and a circuit intendant for partial shielding, and dismissals and demotions followed in varying degrees. In 1823 he became minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, was appointed educational commissioner of Anhui, and was promoted to Grand Secretariat academician. In 1827 he returned home to mourn his stepmother; when the mourning ended he was restored to his former office. He was promoted to vice minister of War and appointed educational commissioner of Fujian. In 1833 he was transferred to the Ministry of Revenue and then to the Ministry of Personnel. County Assistant Qin Shihan of Fujian accused Governor Cheng Zuluo. Vice Minister Zhao Shengkui and Lin jointly heard the case, cleared the governor of the false charges, and sent Qin Shihan into exile.
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Lin was upright, incorruptible, and frugal, and refused all improper solicitations. Twice serving as educational commissioner, he rejected customary fees and elevated poor scholars of talent; the people of Fujian praised him especially. In grading examination papers he worked hard to correct the habit of mutual favoritism. In 1835 he presided over the metropolitan examination. The strain of proofreading brought on illness, and he died after leaving the examination compound. Fujian scholars and commoners petitioned to enshrine him in the shrine of eminent officials.
7
Gu Gao, whose style was Yinqi, came from Wuxi in Jiangsu. In 1801 he ranked first in the top tier of the jinshi examination and was appointed compiler. In 1804 he was appointed educational commissioner of Guizhou, eliminated abuses, memorialized to revise the examination quotas of Liping and Kaitai, and won praise from the scholarly community. He was specially promoted to director of studies of the Directorate of Education. In 1816 he took duty at the Maojin Hall and compiled the Secret Hall Pearl Forest and the Stone Canal Precious Collection. He served in succession as Hanlin reader, left and right junior tutor, lecturing academician, and reading academician. He presided over the Shaanxi-Gansu provincial examination. In 1819 he entered the Upper Study Hall and won great favor from Emperor Renzong. In 1820 he accompanied the court to Rehe. On the day the late Emperor passed away, he personally promoted Gao to junior tutor. The next day, when Emperor Xuanzong took the throne, he took Gao's hand and wept bitterly. In 1821 he was promoted to Grand Secretariat academician and vice minister of Works, and concurrently managed the Bureau of Currency. In 1822 he was transferred to the Ministry of Revenue. He presided in succession over the Shuntian and Zhejiang provincial examinations and managed the affairs of the Directorate of Education.
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At the Ministry of Revenue Gao avoided inflammatory conduct. He weighed benefits and harms, carefully audited receipts and disbursements, and could not be moved by private interest. He once said: "Learning ought to be put to practical use. I have long lingered in literary attendance upon the throne. Now that I bear responsibility for ordering the world and managing affairs, I have not been able to devote my whole mind to fulfilling my charge, and that is my shame." In 1828 he requested leave to return home on account of illness. In 1831 he died.
9
沈維鐈，字子彝，浙江嘉興人。 嘉慶七年進士，選庶吉士，授編修。 歷司業、洗馬。 與修全唐文、西巡盛典、一統志，入直懋勤殿，纂輯秘殿珠林、石渠寶笈。 二十一年，督湖北學政，禁習邪教，以端士風。 累遷侍讀學士。 道光二年，典福建鄉試，留學政。 疏陳州縣私設班館之弊，請飭嚴禁，並禁監生充緝捕、催科諸役。 四年，遷大理寺少卿。 八年，督順天學政，轉太僕寺卿。 任滿，遷宗人府丞，署副都御史，尋實授。 十二年，督安徽學政，奏請增建壽州考棚，與鳳陽分試。 瀕江水災，偕疆吏會籌賑撫，士民頌之。 維鐈居官廉，屢視學，所至弊絕風清，振拔多知名士，宣宗知之，期滿連任。 擢工部侍郎。 十七年，請回籍營葬，詔予假三月，毋庸開缺，事竣回京。 十八年，以耳疾許免職，命病痊以聞。 逾年，卒於家。
Shen Weiqiao, whose style was Ziyi, came from Jiaxing in Zhejiang. In 1802 he earned his jinshi degree, entered the Hanlin Academy as a bachelor, and was appointed compiler. He served in succession as director of studies and groom-in-waiting. He helped compile the Complete Tang Prose, the Western Tour Ceremonial Record, and the Unified Gazetteer, took duty at the Maojin Hall, and compiled the Secret Hall Pearl Forest and the Stone Canal Precious Collection. In 1816 he was appointed educational commissioner of Hubei, prohibited study of heterodox sects, and thereby rectified scholarly custom. He was repeatedly promoted to lecturing academician. In 1822 he presided over the Fujian provincial examination and remained as educational commissioner. He memorialized on the abuse of prefects and magistrates maintaining private detention houses, requesting strict prohibition, and also forbade Imperial Academy students from serving as arresters, tax collectors, and similar roles. In 1824 he was transferred to vice minister of the Court of Judicial Review. In 1828 he was appointed educational commissioner of Shuntian and transferred to minister of the Court of the Imperial Stud. When his term ended he was promoted to vice director of the Imperial Clan Court, served as acting vice censor-in-chief, and soon received substantive appointment. In 1832 he was appointed educational commissioner of Anhui and memorialized to build additional examination sheds at Shouzhou so that candidates there could be examined separately from Fengyang. When floods struck the river districts he joined frontier officials in planning relief, and scholars and commoners praised him. Weiqiao served with integrity. On repeated tours as educational commissioner he cleared abuses wherever he went, elevated many renowned scholars, and won notice from Emperor Xuanzong, who reappointed him when his term ended. He was promoted to vice minister of Works. In 1837 he requested leave to return home for burial. The court granted three months without vacating his post, with orders to return to the capital when the rites were complete. In 1838, suffering from ear trouble, he was permitted to resign, with orders to report when he recovered. The following year he died at home.
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Weiqiao took the Song Confucians as his standard. He held that institutions and phonological exegesis should follow Han scholarship, while moral principle was fully articulated by Cheng and Zhu, and he pursued learning of real use to body and mind. He collated and published works of Song Confucians to instruct scholars, and was praised at the time for his sober integrity. He was enshrined in the local worthies' shrine.
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Zhu Weibi, whose style was Youfu, came from Pinghu in Zhejiang. In 1805 he earned his jinshi degree, was appointed a secretary in the Ministry of War, and was promoted to vice director. In 1821 he was appointed censor and promoted to supervising secretary. He memorialized to tighten capital policing, impeached the grain depot for misreporting mold in sea-transport granaries, and the court ordered grand ministers to investigate. Vice Ministers He Gui and Zhang Yinghan were both censured. He also memorialized that the Jiangsu estuary was silted and upstream Zhejiang suffered equally, requesting dredging of the Liu River, Wusong, and other channels below Lake Tai as a lasting remedy. The court adopted his proposal. In 1824 he was promoted to vice director of Shuntian Prefecture and then to prefect. When locusts appeared he rode out alone to inspect the damage, but refused the lavish reception his subordinates prepared, saying, "I came for the locusts—are you treating me as one?" In 1826 he was again demoted to vice director of the prefecture. He served in succession as vice commissioner of the Office of Transmission, minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, director of the Imperial Clan Court, and left vice censor-in-chief of the Censorate. In 1833 he was promoted to vice minister of War, acted as vice minister of the grain depot, and soon received substantive appointment.
12
十四年，出為漕運總督。 時漕船水手恣橫，廬州幫在東昌械鬥，傷斃多命，下為弼查辦，疏言：「漕督例隨幫尾，在前者無從遙制。 請責成押運官弁會同地方官拏辦。」 並定頭柁十家聯保，舉發徇隱賞懲之法，奏陳剔弊速漕章程八事，下所司議行。 十五年，以病乞免，允之。 二十年，卒。
In 1834 he was appointed director-general of grain transport. Transport sailors had grown overbearing. The Luzhou gang fought at Dongchang, leaving many dead and wounded. The case was assigned to Weibi, who memorialized: "The transport director customarily follows the rear of a convoy and cannot control boats ahead from a distance. He requested that grain escort officers and local officials be held jointly responsible for arresting and trying offenders." He also instituted joint guarantee among ten head-boat families, with rewards and penalties for reporting or concealing violations, and memorialized eight regulations to eliminate abuses and speed transport. These were referred to the relevant offices for implementation. In 1835 he requested leave on account of illness and was granted it. In 1840 he died.
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程恩澤，字春海，安徽歙縣人。 父昌期，乾隆四十五年一甲三名進士，累官至侍講學士，直上書房。 恩澤勤學嗜奇，受經於江都凌廷堪，廷堪勗之曰：「學必天人並至，博而能精，所成乃大。」 嘉慶十六年，成進士，選庶吉士，授編修。 道光元年，入直南書房，宣宗曰：「汝父蘭翹先生昔年在上書房，朕敬其品學。 汝之聲名，亦所深悉，宜更守素行。」 典試四川。 三年，督貴州學政，勸民育栗蠶，其利大行。 重刊岳珂五經以訓士。 鄭珍有異才，特優異之，餉以學，卒為碩儒。 六年，調湖南學政。 任滿回京，洊擢國子監祭酒。 命充春秋左傳纂修官，推本賈、服，不守杜氏一家之言。 母憂歸。 十一年，服闋，仍直南書房。 未補官，特命典試廣東。 知南海曾釗名，冀得之。 釗未與試，榜發，大失望。 所得多知名士。 改直上書房，授惠親王讀。 遷內閣學士。 十四年，授工部侍郎，調戶部。 以部務繁，罷直書房。 十七年，卒，上甚惜之，優詔賜卹，賜其子德威舉人。
Cheng Enze, whose style was Chunhai, came from She County in Anhui. His father Changqi ranked third in the top tier of the jinshi examination in 1780, rose to lecturing academician, and entered the Upper Study Hall. Enze studied diligently and loved the recondite. He studied the classics under Ling Tingkan of Jiangdu, who exhorted him: "Learning must unite Heaven and man, be broad yet refined—only then is one's achievement great." In 1811 he earned his jinshi degree, entered the Hanlin Academy as a bachelor, and was appointed compiler. In 1821 he entered duty at the Southern Study Hall. Emperor Xuanzong said: "Your father Mr. Lanqiao once served in the Upper Study Hall, and I respected his character and learning. Your reputation is also well known to me. You must preserve your plain conduct all the more." He presided over the Sichuan provincial examination. In 1823 he was appointed educational commissioner of Guizhou, urged the people to raise chestnut silkworms, and the practice spread widely. He reprinted Yue Ke's edition of the Five Classics to instruct scholars. Zheng Zhen possessed unusual talent. Enze favored him especially, supported his studies, and Zheng in the end became a great scholar. In 1826 he was transferred to educational commissioner of Hunan. When his term ended he returned to the capital and was repeatedly promoted, becoming director of the Directorate of Education. He was appointed compiler of the Spring and Autumn Zuo Commentary, tracing back to Jia Kui and Fu Qian rather than adhering to Du Yu alone. He returned home to mourn his mother. In 1831, when mourning ended, he resumed duty at the Southern Study Hall. Before he was restored to regular office he was specially ordered to preside over the Guangdong provincial examination. Knowing Zeng Zhao of Nanhai by reputation, he hoped to place him on the list. Zeng did not sit for the examination. When the list was published, Enze was deeply disappointed. Those he did select were mostly well-known scholars. He was transferred to the Upper Study Hall and instructed Prince Hui in reading. He was promoted to Grand Secretariat academician. In 1834 he was appointed vice minister of Works and transferred to the Ministry of Revenue. Because ministry affairs were heavy, he ceased duty at the Study Hall. In 1837 he died. The Emperor deeply regretted his loss, granted a favorable edict and condolence gifts, and conferred on his son Dewei the rank of provincial graduate.
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Enze was broadly learned with a powerful memory. Of the Six Arts and Nine Schools he pondered deeply until he knew their meaning by heart. Celestial phenomena, geography, renda divination, taiyi numerology, and medical classics—none escaped exhaustive study. He held that recent mathematicians, advancing from the Nine Chapters to master the four elements, had opened supreme learning, yet instruments were rarely transmitted. He wished to restore ancient instruments but did not succeed. His poetry and classical prose were all profound and elegant. By then many elder scholars of the Qianlong and Jiaqing eras had passed away. Only Grand Secretary Ruan Yuan still commanded the scholarly world's respect, and Enze in fame and rank stood next to Ruan, fit to succeed him. Most of the books he planned remained unfinished. Only his twenty-juan Investigation of Place Names in the Strategies of the Warring States and his ten-juan collected writings survive.
16
Wu Jie, whose style was Meiliang, came from Kuaiji in Zhejiang. As a youth he could write well and came to Ruan Yuan's notice. As a selected tribute student he took the Tianjin imperial summons examination, placed in the second class, served as copyist of the Wenyin Hall, and when the compilation was finished was appointed instructor of Changhua. In 1814 he earned his jinshi degree, entered the Hanlin Academy, was appointed compiler, and was promoted to censor. In 1822 he was appointed educational commissioner of Sichuan and memorialized that the Tang statesman Lu Zhi be admitted to the Confucian temple sacrifices. The ministry deliberated and approved. He was promoted to supervising secretary, then served as intendant of Yue-Chang-Li in Hunan, and in succession as judicial commissioner of Guizhou and vice director of Shuntian Prefecture.
17
In 1833 rebel Yi in southern Sichuan raided the frontier. The campaign dragged on without success. Jie memorialized: "When the Sichuan Yi rebelled, Regional Commander Gui Han won successive victories and captured the rebel leader alive, and the Qingxi frontier was soon cleared of Yi. Yang Fang succeeded him in command. The theater of war was only the Zhanbian sector, and the Yi raiders numbered no more than a few tribes—victory ought to have been easy. But Yi strongholds lie in mountains at every step, and in summer when rivers swell, crossing on foot is especially difficult. Yang Fang, from the day he reached Zhanbian, halted the army for three months. I consider the reason: the rebellious Yi had retreated to their old strongholds. Once the floods subsided, deep penetration would not be easy. Yang Fang dared not report the true military situation, claiming only that he was leading troops in pursuit—in fact these were words of hesitation and watchful waiting. The campaign drags on day after day, and frontier affairs are no small matter. I request that Governor E Shan investigate and report accurately, without shielding anyone."
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又疏言：「馭夷長策，當先剿後撫。 未剿遽撫，良莠不分。 兵至，相率歸誠； 兵退，復出焚掠。 層巒疊嶂，我師轉運為艱。 夷族因利伺隙，倏起★L1伏，使我猝不及防。 國家既厚集兵力，自當掃穴犁庭，除惡務盡，使諸夷望風震懾，一勞永逸。 自古馭夷之法，討伐易而安撫難。 善後之舉，至要者二：一曰除內奸。 遊手無業之徒，潛居夷地，為之謀主，教以掠人勒贖，聚眾焚殺，及避火器敵官軍之策。 夷悍而愚，得之乃如虎傅翼，必應名捕，盡法懲治。 良民亦驅使回籍，毋任逗留異域； 宣諭土司，不得容留漢民； 營伍邏詰，絕其潛入之路，則奸人無繇搆煽矣。 一曰分疆界。 夷族愚惰，不諳農事，漢民租地，耕作有年，既漸闢磽鹵為膏腴，群夷涎其收穫，复思奪歸，構釁之原，不外於此。 今當勘丈清釐，凡漢民屯種夷地，強佔者勒令退還，佃種者悉令贖歸。 無主之田，墾荒已久，聚成村落，未便遷移，畫為漢界，禁其再行侵占，庶爭端永息。」 又奏：「越巂廳設撫民通判，止治漢民，而熟夷皆受治土司，通判無專責，且營伍非其所轄，呼應不靈，每以細故釀為大釁。 請改為撫夷通判，千把總以下皆受節制。」 疏上，下鄂山議行。
He also memorialized: "The long-term policy for governing Yi is to pacify only after exterminating. To pacify before exterminating fails to distinguish good from bad. When troops arrive, they submit in groups; when troops withdraw, they emerge again to burn and plunder. Layer upon layer of peaks and ridges make supply for our armies arduous. Yi tribes seize advantage and watch for openings, rising suddenly to strike and then vanishing, catching us unprepared. Since the state has already massed its forces, it should sweep their nests, root out evil to the last man, and make all Yi tribes tremble at our might—a lasting settlement in one effort. From antiquity the method of governing Yi has been that punitive campaigns are easy while pacification is hard. In measures for subsequent order, two points are paramount. First, eliminate internal traitors. Idle men without occupation lurk in Yi territory and serve as their strategists, teaching them to seize people for ransom, gather mobs to burn and kill, and tactics to evade firearms and oppose government troops. The Yi are fierce yet simple. Gaining such men is like giving a tiger wings. They must be arrested by name and punished to the full extent of the law. Honest commoners should also be driven back to their native places and not allowed to linger in foreign regions; native chieftains should be instructed that they must not harbor Han commoners; garrisons should patrol and cut off secret paths of entry—then traitors would have no means to incite trouble. Second, divide territorial boundaries. Yi tribes are dull and indolent and do not understand farming. Han commoners rent land and, after years of cultivation, gradually turn barren ground into fertile fields. Yi tribes covet the harvest and seek to seize the land back—the root of conflict lies here. Surveys should now clarify boundaries: wherever Han have colonized Yi land, those who seized by force must return it; tenants must redeem and withdraw. Unowned land long reclaimed and gathered into villages cannot conveniently be moved. Mark it as Han territory and forbid further encroachment, and disputes may cease." He also memorialized: "At Yuexi Subprefecture the pacification subprefect governs only Han commoners, while mature Yi fall under native chieftains. The subprefect lacks exclusive authority, and garrisons are outside his jurisdiction, so coordination fails and small incidents brew into major conflicts. He requested that the post be renamed subprefect for pacifying the Yi, with company commanders and platoon leaders and below all under his command." The memorial was referred to E Shan for deliberation and implementation.
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遷內閣學士。 十五年，擢工部侍郎，連典順天鄉試及會試。 十六年，卒。
He was promoted to Grand Secretariat academician. In 1835 he was promoted to vice minister of Works and presided in succession over the Shuntian provincial and metropolitan examinations. In 1836 he died.
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The commentary states: Emperor Xuanzong most valued literary, incorrupt, and careful ministers. Xin Congyi spoke frankly in counsel, Zhang Lin was upright beyond the common run, Shen Weiqiao embraced Neo-Confucian learning, and Cheng Enze was unrivaled in breadth of learning—all enjoyed clear reputations. Gu Gao, Zhu Weibi, and Wu Jie all moved among vice-ministerial ranks with elegant talent, and are also worth recording.