A Chinese Biographical Dictionary/Fang Ts'ung-chê
557 Fang Ts'ung-chê 方從哲 (T. 中涵). Died A.D. 1628. Graduating as chin shih in 1583, he soon withdrew from public life. But the fame of his culture reaching the Emperor's ears, he was by private Decree made a Vice President of the Board of Civil Office in spite of his protests; and in 1613 he became a Grand Secretary. He succeeded Yeh Hsiang-kao as Prime Minister; and finding remonstrances useless, he made friends with the eunuchs and allowed the Emperor to neglect his duties. Of the three factions of Ch'i, Ch'u, and 浙 Chê, which fought for place and so threw the Emperors into the hands of the eunuchs, the first was led by one of his own followers. The capture of Fu-shun by the Manchus in 1618, and a great defeat in 1619, failed to arouse the slothful Emperor who would not part with Fang; however in 1620 his rash recommendation of a sub-Director of the Banqueting Court, as physician to his dying master, compelled his retirement. Canonised as 文端. See Hsiung T'ing-p'i.