Xu Tong (徐桐) | 24 Histories

Overview

Xu Tong was an official and Grand Secretary.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Yinxuan	蔭軒	Yinxuan

Life and dates

Death

AD 1900 聯軍入
hanged himself 投繯死
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 183

Age

82
Reckoning Sui
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 183

Attested activity

AD 1900 二十六年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 466, passages 13, 117
AD 1896 二十二年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 16
AD 1899 二十五年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 151, passage 137
AD 1900 二十六年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passages 23-24
AD 1898 二十四年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 28, 33
AD 1898 二十四年政變後
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 174

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AD 1879 五年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 441, passages 27, 29
AD 1877 光緒三年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 195, passages 55, 60
AD 1900 光緒二十六年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 468, passage 26
AD 1875 to AD 1879 光緒初
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 167
AD 1878 光緒四年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 195, passages 65, 70
AD 1880 六年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 7
AD 1889 十五年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 15
AD 1869 同治八年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 391, passage 61
AD 1862 to AD 1865 同治初
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 162
AD 1860 咸豐十年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 161
AD 1850 道光三十年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 159

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Ze Chun (澤醇)
son 子
father 父
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 158
Parent of Xu Chengyu (徐承煜)
son 子
father 父
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passages 28, 101, 180

Key source chapters

Origins and identity

Ethnicity Han Chinese Banner 漢軍
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 158
Han Chinese 漢
Strongly inferred · Draft History of Qing 195, passage 60

Career and standing

Grand Secretary of the Hall of Embodied Benevolence 體仁閣大學士
AD 1896 二十二年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 16
Chinese Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate 都察院漢左都御史
AD 1877 光緒三年丁丑 · Appointed
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 195, passage 60
Minister of Rites 禮部尚書
AD 1875 to AD 1879 光緒初 · Appointed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 167
service in the Upper Study Halls 上書房行走
AD 1862 to AD 1865 同治初 · Appointed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 162
Reviser 檢討
AD 1860 咸豐十年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 161
Hanlin bachelor 庶吉士
AD 1850 道光三十年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 159

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Compiler 編修
Appointed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 159
duty at Hongde Hall 入直弘德殿
Appointed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 162
Assistant Grand Secretary 協辦大學士
AD 1889 十五年 · Held
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 15
Minister of Personnel 吏部尚書
AD 1889 十五年 · Held
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 15
Chancellor of the Hanlin Academy 翰林院掌院學士
Held
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 14
Grand Secretary 大學士
Held
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 151, passage 137
Grand Tutor of the Upper Study Halls 上書房總師傅
Held
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 14
Expositor of the Hanlin Academy 侍講學士
Promoted
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 162
Vice Minister of Rites 禮部侍郎
Promoted
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 164
Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent 太子少保
Granted
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 167
Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent 太子太保
Promoted
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 15
dismissed from office 罷職
Dismissed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 160
offices stripped and mourning honors revoked 褫職，奪卹典
AD 1901 和議成 · Punished
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 187
public execution waived because already dead 論棄市，以先死議免
Sentence waived · Negated false
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 187

Places and affiliations

Qing 清
Relation Served
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 195, passage 60; Draft History of Qing 466, passage 117
Polity Qing 清 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 151, passage 137; Draft History of Qing 465, passage 158
At Plain Blue Banner of the Han Chinese Banners 漢軍正藍旗
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 158

Learning and skills

Earned
AD 1850 道光三十年 · Credential Presented Scholar 進士
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 159
Belief Song Neo-Confucianism 宋儒說 · Relation Adherent of
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 172

Works and attributed material

Essentials of the Great Learning in Outline 大學衍義體要
Relation Author
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 163
Veritable Records of Emperor Wenzong 文宗實錄
Relation Compiler
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 161
Accused embezzlement
Memorial · Author
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 33
民氣可用
AD 1900 二十六年 · Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 466, passages 13, 117
Memorial · Author · With Wu Kedu (吳可讀)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passages 168-170
Memorial · Author
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passages 3, 5-6, 163, 165-166, 171

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Speech · Speaker · With Yuan Chang (袁昶)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 176
Speech · Speaker
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passages 7-12, 24

Events and relationships

Criticized telegraph bureau profits
AD 1899 二十五年 · Political · Critic
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 151, passage 137
Opposed pardon
AD 1880 六年 · Political · Opponent · With Chonghou (崇厚)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 7
Plundered
Personal · Victim
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 26
Supported heir selection
AD 1898 to AD 1900 方太后議廢帝 · Political · Advocate · With Pujun (溥俊)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 20
Transferred
AD 1878 光緒四年戊寅 · Personnel · Officeholder
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 195, passage 70
Welcomed Boxers
AD 1900 二十六年 · Political · Supporter
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passages 23-25

Show 3 more source-backed claims

Relation Co memorialist with · Person Weng Tonghe (翁同龢)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 168
Relation Close to · Person Zaiyi (載漪)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 21
Relation Political ally of · Person Chongqi (崇綺)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 468, passage 26

Assessments and attributes

Assessment conservative opponent of Western learning · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 465, passage 172

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 195, passage 60

References in the histories

Search passages

History

26 passages

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 151Volume 151 Treatises 126: Transportation 3, Dian Bao · 1 passage

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二十五年，大學士徐桐言電報局獲利不貲，並無裨益公家之實。 In 1899, Grand Secretary Xu Tong argued that the telegraph bureau reaped enormous profits while bringing no real benefit to the state.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 195Volume 195 Tables 35: Ministers of Boards and Courts Chronological Table 9 Lower · 2 passages

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賀壽慈九月丙寅遷。徐桐左都御史。 On the bingyin day of the ninth month, He Shouci was transferred. Xu Tong: Left Censor-in-Chief.

徐桐五月戊辰遷。翁同龢左都御史。 On the wuchen day of the fifth month, Xu Tong was transferred. Weng Tonghe: Left Censor-in-Chief.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 391Volume 391 Biographies 178: Wo Ren, Li Tangjie, Wu Tingdong · 1 passage

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八年，疏言大婚典禮宜崇節儉，及武英殿災，复偕徐桐、翁同龢疏請勤修聖德，停罷一切工程，以弭災變，並嘉納之。 In 1869 he urged frugality for the imperial wedding rites; after fire struck the Hall of Martial Glory, he joined Xu Tong and Weng Tonghe in asking the emperor to deepen his virtue and halt all building projects to appease Heaven's warning—and the court welcomed their counsel.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 441Volume 441 Biographies 228: Pan Zuyin, Li Wentian, Sun Yijing, Xia Tongshan, Zhang Jiaxiang, Zhang Yinglin, Zhang Renfu, Zhang Hengjia · 1 passage

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五年，主事吳可讀以死請為穆宗立嗣，祖廕被命集議，與徐桐等請申不建儲，彝訓疏存毓慶宮。 In the fifth year the clerk Wu Kedu offered his life in a petition to name an heir for Emperor Muzong; Zuyin was ordered to convene deliberation and, with Xu Tong and others, urged adherence to the rule against establishing an heir and preservation of the precedents of the Yuyu Palace.

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 · 18 passages

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徐桐剛毅趙舒翹啟秀英年裕祿毓賢。 Xu Tong; Gang Yi; Zhao Shuqiao; Qi Xiu; Ying Nian; Yu Lu; Yu Xian.

徐桐，字蔭軒，漢軍正藍旗人，尚書澤醇子。 Xu Tong, whose style was Yinxuan, came from the Plain Blue Banner of the Han Chinese Banners; his father was Minister Ze Chun.

主事吳可讀請豫定大統，以屍諫，桐與翁同龢等謂其未悉本朝家法：「當申明列聖不建儲彝訓，俾知他日紹膺大寶之元良，即為承繼穆宗之聖子。 When Principal Clerk Wu Kedu petitioned to settle the succession in advance and died remonstrating, Xu Tong and Weng Tonghe argued he misunderstood dynastic law: "The ancestral rule against naming an heir in advance should be reaffirmed, so all would know the heir who one day receives the throne is the son who succeeds Emperor Muzong.

時擅訂約，下群臣議，乃條摘其不可行者：曰、各城定界； When Chonghou took it upon himself to negotiate the Russian treaty, the matter was laid before the full court. Xu Tong listed the terms that could not be accepted: delimiting the cities of Ili and Tarbagatai;

六年，廷議徇俄人請，將赦崇厚罪，桐力持不可，謂：「揆度機要在樞廷，折衝俎豆在總署，講信修睦在使臣。 In 1880, when the court debated yielding to Russian pressure and pardoning Chonghou, Xu Tong stood firm against it, arguing: "Strategic judgment rests with the Grand Council; negotiation at the council table rests with the Zongli Yamen; building trust and good relations rests with the envoys.

桐崇宋儒說，守舊，惡西學如仇。 Xu Tong revered Song Neo-Confucianism, clung to the old ways, and hated Western learning like a mortal foe.

官至烏魯木齊都統，以講學為桐所傾服。 He eventually became commander-in-chief at Urumqi, and Xu Tong looked up to him as a scholar.

方太后議廢帝，立端王載漪子溥儁為「大阿哥」，桐主之甚力，實皆豫師本謀也。 During the debate over deposing the emperor and elevating Prince Duan's son Pujun as "Great Heir Apparent," Xu Tong pushed hard for it—the scheme was Yu Shi's in essence.

既而桐被命照料，益親載漪。 Once Xu Tong was charged with supervising the boy, he grew even closer to Prince Duan.

桐謂：「中國當自此強矣！」 Xu Tong declared: "From this day China will grow strong!"

袁昶、許景澄之死，舉國稱冤，而桐則曰：「是死且有餘辜！」 When Yuan Chang and Xu Jingcheng were executed, the nation called it a miscarriage of justice; Xu Tong said: "They deserved worse than death!"

已，聯軍入，桐倉皇失措，承煜請曰：「父芘拳匪，外人至，必不免，失大臣體。 When the allied armies entered Beijing, Xu Tong panicked. Chengyu urged him: "Father sheltered the Boxers; when the foreigners arrive you cannot escape without disgracing your rank.

桐乃投繯死，年八十有二矣。 Xu Tong hanged himself at the age of eighty-two.

和議成，褫桐職，奪卹典，旋論棄市，以先死議免。 After peace was made Xu Tong's offices and mourning honors were revoked; public execution was debated but waived because he had already died.

啟秀端謹有風操，為徐桐所賞。 Qi Xiu was upright and principled, and Xu Tong held him in high regard.

自政變後，桐最被盻遇，欲引參機務，乃舉啟秀自代。 After the 1898 coup Xu Tong was the Empress Dowager's favorite; wanting a proxy in policy, he recommended Qi Xiu to take his place.

日本軍拘啟秀及徐承煜嚴守之，承煜，桐子也。 Japanese troops seized Qi Xiu and Xu Chengyu and held them under close guard; Chengyu was Xu Tong's son.

及事敗，各國議懲首禍，徐桐等皆不能免。 When the cause collapsed, the powers demanded the ringleaders be punished, and Xu Tong and his circle could not escape.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 466Volume 466 Biographies 253: Xu Yongyi, Xu Jingcheng, Yuan Chang, Li Shan, Lian Yuan · 1 passage

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大臣負清望者徐桐、崇綺，皆謂：「民氣可用。」 Respected ministers Xu Tong and Chongqi both declared, "The people's spirit can be harnessed."

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 468Volume 468 Biographies 255: Chong Qi Son: Bao Chu Deng, Zhi Jun, Yan Mao Younger Brother: Yan Zhi, Se Pu Zheng E, Wang Yirong, Xi Yuan, Zong Shibaofeng, Zong Shishoufu Younger Brother: Shou Fandeng, Song Chengxiang, Wang Tieshan · 1 passage

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於是崇綺再出，與徐桐比而言廢立，甚得太后寵，恩眷與桐埒。 Chong Qi thus returned to power; like Xu Tong he spoke openly of deposing and installing rulers, won the empress dowager's deep favor, and received imperial grace equal to Tong's.

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

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已而徐桐劾兩局有中飽，適剛毅按事南下，銜命察覆。 Soon Xu Tong accused both bureaus of skimming funds; Gangyi was then investigating in the south and was ordered to review the case.