A Chinese Biographical Dictionary/Yüan Yüan
2573 Yüan Yüan 阮元 (T. 伯元. H. 雲臺). A.D. 1764-1849. An official of high distinction, and a generous and enlightened patron of literature. He graduated as chin shih in 1789, and took a high place in the Han-lin competition. The Emperor Ch'ien Lung was so struck with his talents that he exclaimed, "Who would have thought that after passing my 80th year I should find another such man as this one?" He then held many high offices in succession, including the post of Governor of Chehkiang, in which he operated vigorously against the Annamese pirates and Ts'ai Ch'ien, established the tithing system, colleges, schools, soup-kitchens, etc., besides devoting himself to the preservation of ancient monuments. In 1807, after a period of mourning, he returned to Chehkiang and by great exertions quelled the pirates who had been successful at Foochow and in Formosa. In 1809 he was degraded to the mere rank of Han-lin scholar because he failed to detect abuses on the part of the Literary Chancellor. In 1812 he was appointed Director General of the Grain-Transport, and in this capacity he suppressed an attempt at revolt headed by one 朱毛俚 Chu Mao-li, who falsely gave himself out as a descendant of the Ming Emperors. In 1814 he became Governor of Kiangsi, and there managed to cope successfully with the dreaded secret association known as the Heaven and Earth Society. In 1816 he was promoted to be Viceroy of the Two Kuang, and carried out many important schemes. He built the forts at the Macao Passage, and at Tiger Island, and fortified the approaches to the West River, besides rebuilding several of the gate-towers of Canton. He was also much occupied with questions relating to foreign trade. He drew attention to the wily and treacherous character of the English, proposed stringent measures against the use of opium, and recommended that a tight hand should be kept over the Hong-merchants and the Barbarian merchants alike. A case of homicide having occurred on board the foreign ships at Whampoa, he insisted that the Hong-merchants should produce the guilty person, which led to the merchant responsible cutting his throat in despair. In 1822 the English man-of-war which acted as convoy to trading-ships caused the death of two Chinese. Yüan called upon the "head soldier" to deliver up the culprits, which only resulted in the general suspension of trade. Protests ensued on the part of native merchants; and these, coupled with loss of revenue, finally induced Yüan to accede to the prayer of the "head soldier" to be allowed to re-open communications. In 1827 he became Governor General of Yünnan, and distinguished himself in his dealings with the frontier tribes. In 1838 he retired, and in 1846 he celebrated the 60th anniversary of his chü jen degree. He was a voluminous writer on the Classics, astronomy, archaeology, etc., and various important collections were produced under his patronage. Among these may be mentioned the 皇清經解, containing upwards of 180 separate works, and the 疇人傳, a biographical dictionary of famous mathematicians of all ages, including Euclid, Newton, and Ricci the Jesuit Father. He also published a Topography of Kuangtung, specimens of the compositions of more than 5000 poets of Kiangsi, a list of some 60 works omitted from the Catalogue of the Imperial Library (see Ch'ien Lung), and a large collection of inscriptions on bells and vases, entitled 積古齋鍾鼎彝器款識. Canonised as 文達.