Fang Guodong (方國棟)

Overview

Fang Guodong was an official and Administrator.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Ganxiao	幹霄	Ganxiao

Life and dates

Death

AD 1677 康熙十六年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 247, passage 119

Attested activity

AD 1667 康熙六年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 247, passage 104
AD 1677 康熙十六年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 247, passage 119
AD 1646 順治三年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 247, passage 95
AD 1659 順治十六年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 247, passage 97

Career and standing

County instructor of Li 蠡縣教諭
AD 1646 順治三年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 247, passage 95
Intendant of Haibei Circuit, Guangdong 廣東海北道僉事
AD 1659 順治十六年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 247, passage 97
Assistant instructor in the Imperial Academy 國子監助教
Appointed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 247, passage 96
Director in the Ministry of Punishments 刑部郎中
Promoted
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 247, passage 96
Assistant administrator of Susongchang Circuit, Jiangnan 江南蘇松常道參議
AD 1667 康熙六年 · Reassigned
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 247, passage 104
Assistant administrator of Ningwu Circuit, Shanxi 山西寧武道參議
Transferred
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 247, passage 103

Places and affiliations

At Wanping, Shuntian 順天宛平
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 247, passage 94

Learning and skills

Earned
AD 1646 順治三年 · Credential Provincial graduate 舉人
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 247, passage 95

Works and attributed material

AD 1659 順治十六年
Speech · Speaker
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 247, passage 101
Memorial · Author
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 247, passages 110-112

Events and relationships

Captured
AD 1659 順治十六年 · Military · Commander · With Deng Yao (鄧耀)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 247, passage 99
Punished ringleaders
Legal · Judge · At Yixing 宜興
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 247, passage 116
Relocated barracks
Administration · Official · At Suzhou 蘇州
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 247, passage 114
Repaired dikes
Administration · Official · At Lake Tai 太湖
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 247, passage 105

Assessments and attributes

Assessment tempered stern measures with mercy; fulfilled his duty · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 247, passage 225
Item shrine at Tiger Hill 虎丘山麓祠 · Relation Commemorated at
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 247, passage 120

References in the histories

Search passages

History

10 passages

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 247Volume 247 Biographies 34: Peng Ershu, Lu Zhenfen, Yao Yanzhu, Bi Zhenji, Fang Guodong, Yu Pengju, Wang Tianjian, Yue Tingbiao · 10 passages

Open chapter

方國棟，字幹霄，順天宛平人。 Fang Guodong, courtesy name Ganxiao, came from Wanping in Shuntian.

國棟以三千人分五道進剿，檄鄰道出兵扼要隘，擒耀，解散餘黨。 Guodong took three thousand men in five columns against them, called on neighboring circuits to block the key passes, captured Yao, and broke up the remaining band.

事平，雷、廉兩部諸富人為賊所誣，械系者眾，國棟察其冤，為辨雪。 After order was restored, many wealthy men in Lei and Lian prefectures had been framed by the pirates and thrown in chains; Guodong found them innocent and secured their release.

諸富人裒千金為報，國棟曰：「吾憫若無辜，柰何污我？」 The wealthy men pooled a thousand taels to thank him; Guodong said, "I pitied your innocence—why would you try to bribe me?"

師下閩、粵，徵調旁午，國棟一意與民休息，每遇急徵，從容部署。 As imperial forces marched into Fujian and Guangdong, requisitions poured in without pause; Guodong was determined to give the people respite, and whenever urgent demands arrived he met them with calm planning.

國棟言：「古今生財之說，開與節二者而已。 Guodong wrote: "Throughout history, raising revenue has come down to only two things: finding new sources and cutting expenses.

國棟以兵民雜居難久安，持不可，乃改營南城隙地，民便之。 Guodong argued that soldiers and civilians could not live mixed together in stability and firmly opposed the plan; the barracks were moved to open ground in the southern city instead, to the people's relief.

國棟單騎馳往，得首禍寘法，餘無所問。 Guodong rode out alone, arrested the ringleaders and punished them under the law, and pressed no further inquiries.

吳俗健訟，喜投缿告密，國棟輒不問，即有所案，亦從寬。 The people of Wu were litigious and fond of anonymous denunciations; Guodong generally ignored them, and even when he took up a case he dealt leniently.

延著、國棟、廷標當治亂用重之日，濟之以寬仁，雖以是罷貶，甚或中危法，而一不自卹，是皆能舉其職者。 Yanzhu, Guodong, and Tingbiao served when governing turmoil demanded stern measures, yet they tempered authority with mercy. Some were dismissed or demoted for it, and some even faced capital charges, but none thought of themselves—these were men who truly did their duty.