Wang Wenshao (王文韶)

Overview

Wang Wenshao was a statesman and Grand Secretary.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Kuishi	夔石	Kuishi
Posthumous name	Wenqin	文勤	Wenqin

Life and dates

Death

AD 1908 其冬
Age Value: 79 · Reckoning: Sui
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 437, passage 92

Age

Value: 79 · Reckoning: Sui
AD 1908 其冬
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 437, passage 92

Attested activity

AD 1905 三十一年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 437, passage 88
AD 1908 三十四年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 437, passages 91-92
AD 1900 二十六年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 437, passages 79-81
AD 1898 二十四年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 437, passage 78
AD 1900 光緒二十六年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 452, passage 284
AD 1894 光緒二十年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 411, passage 223

Show 12 more source-backed claims

AD 1875 光緒元年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 437, passage 50
AD 1882 光緒八年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 444, passages 144, 188
AD 1890 光緒十六年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 464, passage 47
AD 1882 八年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 437, passage 56
AD 1889 十五年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 437, passage 58
AD 1892 十八年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 23, 25
AD 1871 十年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 424, passages 118-119
AD 1871 同治十年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 437, passage 44
AD 1852 咸豐二年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 437, passage 40
AD 1895 to AD 1911 歷任總督
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 452, passage 316
AD 1900 聯軍至
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 72
AD 1875 to AD 1908 論曰
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 437, passage 239

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Mother of Wang Wenshao (王文韶母)
mother 母
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 437, passage 57

Kinship Role parents · Count 2
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 437, passage 57

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Governor-General of Zhili 直隸總督
AD 1894 光緒二十年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 411, passage 223
governor-general of Yunnan and Guizhou 雲貴總督
AD 1889 十五年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 437, passage 58
acting governor of Hunan 署湖南巡撫
AD 1871 同治十年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 437, passage 44
governor-general of Zhili and Beiyang commissioner 直隸總督、北洋大臣
Appointed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 437, passages 69-70
Grand Secretary 大學士
AD 1900 光緒二十六年 · Held
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 452, passage 284
Hunan Governor 湖南巡撫
AD 1871 十年 · Held
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 424, passage 119

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Governor-General 總督
Held · Jurisdiction Zhili 直隸
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 452, passage 316
Grand Council minister 樞臣
Held
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 444, passage 144
head of the Board of Revenue 掌戶部
Held
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 444, passage 144
Entered
AD 1882 光緒八年 · Dismissed
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 444, passages 144-145

Places and affiliations

Qing 清
Relation Served
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 464, passage 47
Polity Qing 清 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 411, passage 223; Draft History of Qing 424, passage 119; Draft History of Qing 444, passage 144; Draft History of Qing 452, passage 284; Draft History of Qing 465, passage 72
Polity Qing 清 · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · Draft History of Qing 437, passage 39
At Renhe, Zhejiang 浙江仁和
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 437, passage 39

Learning and skills

Earned
AD 1852 咸豐二年 · Credential Presented Scholar 進士
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 437, passage 40

Works and attributed material

map of Miao frontier fortifications 苗疆要塞圖
Relation Author
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 437, passage 47
Speech · Speaker · About Lüda fortifications gaps
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 437, passages 72-74
Requested restoration of rank and shrine
AD 1871 十年 · Memorial · Author · With Zhang Liangji (張亮基)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 424, passage 119
Speech · Addressee · With Zhao Shuqiao (趙舒翹)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 73

Events and relationships

Accompanied court west from Shanxi into Shaanxi
Travel · Escort
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 437, passages 80-82
Charged with bribery
AD 1882 光緒八年 · Political · Accused
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 444, passage 144
Granted 200,000 taels for Guanzhong relief when Tang Xijin petitioned at the traveling palace
AD 1900 光緒二十六年 · Relief · Grantor · With Tang Xijin (唐錫晉)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 452, passage 284
Ordered to visit legations
Diplomatic · Envoy · With Zhao Shuqiao (趙舒翹)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 72
Power increased from provincial service
AD 1882 光緒八年 · Political · Rising minister
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 444, passage 188
Warned against provoking foreign powers during Boxer crisis
Political · Counselor
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 437, passage 79

Show 6 more source-backed claims

Relation Recommended by · Person Li Hongzhang (李鴻章)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 437, passage 42
Relation Successor of · Person Li Hongzhang (李鴻章)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 411, passage 223
Relation Recommender of · Person Chen Baozhen (陳寶箴)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 464, passage 47
Relation Recommended by · Person Zuo Zongtang (左宗棠)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 437, passage 42
Relation Recommender of · Person Sheng Xuanhuai (盛宣懷)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 25
Relation Treated with respect · Person Lou Chunfan (婁春蕃)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 452, passage 316

Assessments and attributes

Assessment senile/dim · Mode accusation Source Person Id Deng Chengxiu (鄧承修)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 444, passage 187
Assessment versed in official routine and the larger picture, but often criticized for cautious self-preservation · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 437, passage 90

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 424, passage 119; Draft History of Qing 444, passage 144; Draft History of Qing 452, passage 284

References in the histories

Search passages

History

26 passages

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 411Volume 411 Biographies 198: Li Hongzhang · 1 passage

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於是議者交咎鴻章，褫其職，以王文韶代督直隸，命鴻章往日本議和。 Thereupon critics blamed Hongzhang on all sides. He was stripped of office, Wang Wenshao replaced him as governor of Zhili, and Hongzhang was ordered to go to Japan to negotiate peace.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 424Volume 424 Biographies 211: Wu Zhenyu, Zhang Liangji, Mao Hongbin, Zhang Kaisong · 1 passage

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湖南巡撫王文韶、貴州巡撫曾璧光先後請復原銜，各建專祠。 Governors Wang Wenshao of Hunan and Zeng Biguang of Guizhou successively asked that his former rank be restored, and each province built him a shrine.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 437Volume 437 Biographies 224: Rong Lu, Wang Wenshao, Zhang Zhidong, Qu Hongji · 14 passages

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王文韶，字夔石，浙江仁和人。 Wang Wenshao, whose courtesy name was Kuishi, came from Renhe in Zhejiang.

文韶條上援黔、防境機宜，以兵事屬按察使席寶田，督其部將蘇元春、龔繼昌等進剿，斬首逆張秀眉烏鴉坡，黔境平。 Wenshao laid out in detail how to aid Guizhou and guard the frontier, put military affairs in the hands of Surveillance Commissioner Xi Baotian, and directed subordinates such as Su Yuanchun and Gong Jichang in the campaign; the rebel leader Zhang Xiumei was beheaded at Wuyapo, and Guizhou was pacified.

文韶繪苗疆要塞圖，上之朝。 He drew a map of Miao frontier fortifications and submitted it to the court.

寧遠莠民倡亂，耒陽硃鴻英复妄稱明裔構眾，先後檄道員陳寶箴討平之。 Ruffians in Ningyuan rose in revolt, and in Leiyang Zhu Hongying again falsely claimed descent from the Ming and gathered followers; Wenshao successively ordered Circuit Intendant Chen Baozhen to put down both outbreaks.

文韶亦自陳無狀，詔革職留任。 Wenshao likewise confessed his failures; he was ordered stripped of rank but kept at his post.

八年，御史洪良品、鄧承修劾雲南軍需案，文韶坐失察，奪二級。 In the eighth year Censors Hong Liangpin and Deng Chengxiu impeached officials in the Yunnan military supplies scandal; Wenshao was held negligent and stripped of two ranks.

文韶斬獲叛將，三日而定。 Wenshao captured and executed the rebel leaders, and order was restored within three days.

文韶綏靖各路土司，令自為守。 Wenshao pacified the native chieftains along the routes and ordered them to defend their own domains.

鴻章赴日議和，文韶權直隸總督、北洋大臣。 While Li Hongzhang went to Japan to negotiate peace, Wenshao served as acting governor-general of Zhili and Beiyang commissioner.

二十六年，拳匪仇教，文韶力言外釁不可啟，不見納。 In the twenty-sixth year, when the Boxers turned against Christianity, Wenshao strongly warned against provoking foreign powers, but his counsel was ignored.

自聯軍犯京，事急，兩宮召軍機，惟文韶一人入見，諭必侍行。 When the allied armies threatened Beijing and the situation grew desperate, the court summoned the Grand Council but admitted only Wenshao, instructing him that he must accompany the flight.

文韶歷官中外，詳練吏職，究識大體，然更事久，明於趨避，亦往往被口語。 Wenshao served at court and in the provinces, knew official routine thoroughly, and grasped the larger picture; yet long experience had taught him how to advance and withdraw, and he was often criticized for it.

日本增兵遼東，鴻禨以敵情叵測，請敕劉坤一、王文韶簡練勁旅，不可專任淮軍。 When Japan reinforced its troops in Liaodong, Hongji, finding the enemy's intentions unpredictable, urged that Liu Kunyi and Wang Wenshao train crack forces and that the court not rely solely on the Huai army.

榮祿屢參大變，文韶久達世務。 Rong Lu took part repeatedly in great crises; Wenshao had long mastered affairs of state.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 444Volume 444 Biographies 231: Huang Tifang, Zong Shibaoting, Zong Shishengyu, Zhang Peilun, Deng Chengxiu, Xu Zhixiang · 4 passages

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光緒八年，雲南報銷案起，王文韶以樞臣掌戶部，臺諫爭上其受賕狀，上方意任隆密，乃援乾隆朝梁詩正還家侍父事，請令引嫌乞養，不報； In Guangxu 8 the Yunnan reimbursement scandal broke. Wang Wenshao, a Grand Council minister, also headed the Board of Revenue, and censors flooded the court with charges of bribery. Though the emperor still trusted him, Peilun cited the Qianlong precedent of Liang Shizheng retiring to care for his father and urged Wang to withdraw on grounds of conflict—without response;

又兩疏劾之，遂罷文韶，而擢佩緰署左副都御史，晉侍講學士。 after two further impeachment memorials Wang was dismissed, and Peilun was appointed acting Left Vice Censor-in-Chief and promoted to Lecturer-in-Waiting of the Hanlin Academy.

逾歲，彗星見，則又言宗棠蒞事數月，未見設施，而因推及寶鋆、王文韶之昏眊，請罷斥，回天意。 A year later, when a comet appeared, he declared that Zuo Zongtang had held office for months without visible achievement, extended his attack to the senility of Baojun and Wang Wenshao, and urged their dismissal to appease heaven.

是時文韶方鄉用，權任轉重，會雲南報銷案起，又嚴劾之，仍不允。 Wang Wenshao was then rising from provincial service to greater power. When the Yunnan reimbursement scandal broke, Deng impeached him again—still without success.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 452Volume 452 Biographies 239: Hong Rukui, Yang Zonglian, Shi Pu, Shi Kekuan, Shen Baojing, Zhu Qiang Younger Brother: Qi Zhao, Zong Yuanhan, Xu Qingzhang, Xu Zhen, Kuai Guangdian, Chen Yusheng, Pan Minbiao, Yan Zuolin, Tang Xijin, Lou Chunfan · 2 passages

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災區廣，賑款且匱，乃單車詣行在，請於大學士王文韶，得二十萬金益之。 When funds ran short he traveled alone to the court in exile and secured another two hundred thousand taels from Grand Secretary Wang Wenshao.

歷任總督如王文韶、榮祿、袁世凱、楊士驤、端方、陳夔龍等，皆敬禮之。 Governors-general from Wang Wenshao and Ronglu to Yuan Shikai, Yang Shixiang, Duan Fang, and Chen Kuilong all treated him with respect.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 464Volume 464 Biographies 251: Li Duanfen, Xu Zhijingzi, Ren Zhu, Chen Baozhen, Huang Zunxian, Ceng He, Yang Shenxiu, Yang Rui, Liu Guangdi, Tan Sitong With: Tang Caichang, Lin Xu, Kang Guangren · 1 passage

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湖南巡撫王文韶薦其才，光緒十六年，召入都，除湖北按察使，署布政使。 Hunan governor Wang Wenshao recommended his ability; in Guangxu 16 he was summoned to the capital, appointed judicial commissioner of Hubei, and made acting provincial administration commissioner.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 465Volume 465 Biographies 252: Xu Tong With: Yu Shi, Yu Shi Son: Cheng Yu, Gang Yi, Zhao Shuqiao, Qi Xiu, Ying Nian, Yu Lu With: Ting Yong, Yu Xian With: Li Tingxiao · 2 passages

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聯軍至，李秉衡兵敗，太后乃令王文韶與舒翹詣使館通殷勤，為議款計。 When the allied armies arrived and Li Bingheng's force was routed, the Empress Dowager ordered Wang Wenshao and Shuqiao to visit the legations with courtesies to open peace talks.

文韶以老辭，舒翹曰：「臣望淺，不如文韶！」 Wenshao pleaded old age; Shuqiao said: "My standing is too slight—I am no match for Wenshao!"

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 471Volume 471 Biographies 258: Sheng Xuanhuai, Rui Cheng · 1 passage

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於是之洞賞其才，與王文韶交薦之，遂擢四品京堂，督辦鐵路總公司。 Zhang Zhidong then admired his ability; he and Wang Wenshao recommended him jointly, and he was raised to fourth-rank capital official and superintendent of the Railway Company.