A Chinese Biographical Dictionary/Chang P'ei-lun
94 Chang P'ei-lun 張佩綸 (T. 幼樵) Born about AD 1850. A native of the 豐潤 Fêng-jun District in the province of Chihli. Graduated as chin shih in 1871. In 1878 he became a Reader in the Han-lin College, and submitted numerous memorials on reforms in the administration. In 1882 he became Senior Vice President of the Censorate. He was one of the chief promoters of the K'ai-p'ing railway. In 1884 he boasted that he would soon dispose of the French, who were then carrying on a state of reprisals, if the chance were given to him. Accordingly, he was sent as Joint Military Commissioner to superintend the coast defences of Fuhkien: but his craven cowardice at the bombardment of the Mamoi arsenal at Pagoda Island, when the Chinese fleet was destroyed, caused him to be impeached by forty of the Fuhkien officials. He was disgraced and banished to the postroads: however in 1888 he was appointed a sub-Chancellor of the Grand Secretariat, and married Li Hung-chang's only daughter. In 1894 he was ordered to report himself at his father-in-law's yamên, where he was employed as head of the Ordnance Department until September of that year, when he was instructed to return home and stay there.