Cai Xin (1707-1799), courtesy name Ciming, also known as Geshan, also known as Jizhai, was a native of Zhangpu, Fujian Province, and a minister of the Qing Dynasty. Cai Xin was knowledgeable and talented in both civil and military affairs. He was promoted to Jinshi in the first year of Qianlong's reign. He was good at using troops and served as Minister of the Ministry of War for two times. As one of the chief presidents, he worked hard for ten years to compile the "Sikuquanshu". Cai Xin successively served as the Minister of Rites, Punishment, Industry, Military Affairs, and Officials, and as the Grand Scholar of the Wenhua Palace, he eventually became the "Commander of Hundreds of Officials" and held the highest position.
Cai Xin's father died young and his family was poor. Since childhood, he and his brother helped his widowed mother farm and collect firewood to survive. When Cai Xin was young, he studied hard and especially liked the Confucian theory of nature and destiny. He was deeply loved by Cai Shiyuan, a famous official in the Qing court and his uncle, who was Qianlong's teacher. After ascending to the rank of Jinshi, he was selected as a member of the Hanlin Academy and was later appointed editor and editor of the Hanlin Academy. Cai Xincheng wrote dozens of lectures, which were highly praised by Qianlong.
In the 10th year of Qianlong's reign, Cai Xin was ordered to go to Zhishang's study, serve as a lecturer for the princes, and was appointed as a lecturer at the Hanlin Academy. He became Jiaqing's teacher and served as the emperor's teacher for more than 40 years.
? In the eleventh year of Qianlong's reign, he was the inspector of schools in Henan. After completing his term, he was still in the study room. In the 17th year, he passed the Jiangxi Provincial Examination and served as a bachelor's degree lecturer and an official daily lecturer. Not long after, he was promoted to the bachelor's degree in the cabinet, and then promoted to the right minister of the Ministry of Industry and transferred to the Ministry of Punishment.
In the autumn of the 22nd year of Qianlong's reign (1757), Cai Xin begged his mother to come home to support him. After returning home, he received the imperial edict and was appointed as the chief master of the inner court. In the thirty-fourth year of Qianlong's reign (1769), he was also in charge of the affairs of the Imperial College and the Secretary of the Ministry of War. Soon after, he was transferred to the position of Minister of Rites, given the gift of riding horses in the Forbidden City, and took care of the affairs in Chenghuaiyuan. In the forty-first year of Qianlong's reign (1776), he served as Minister of the Ministry of War. Cai Xin was 69 years old at that time, and Qianlong gave him the title "Arsenal Seniors" in handwriting and a red velvet knotted crown.
Cai Xin was appointed as one of the sixteen chief presidents of the Sikuquanshu Library in his capacity as co-organizer of the library. Because some of the eight main editors and presidents passed away one after another, only Cai Xin and Ji Huang and Huang participated in the compilation of "Sikuquanshu" from beginning to end. Ji Huang was an expert on water conservancy, and he focused on water conservancy. Emperor Qianlong greatly appreciated Cai Xin's Chinese culture and knowledge. At the critical moment of compilation of "Sikuquanshu", he transferred Cai Xin from the post of Minister of the Ministry of War to Minister of Rites, and appointed the sixth prince Yongrong and Cai Xin as "Sikuquanshu". 》The president of Guanzheng. As one of the two chief presidents, Cai Xin undertook the main work of compiling the "Sikuquanshu".
? "Sikuquanshu" was basically completed in February of the forty-seventh year of Qianlong's reign (1782). Emperor Qianlong was very satisfied with Cai Xin's compilation work. Because Cai Xin wanted to return to his hometown to repair his tomb, Emperor Qianlong was impressed by Cai Xin's hard work and merit, so he specially gave him a one-year leave starting in April of the 47th year of Qianlong's reign.
In June of the forty-eighth year of Qianlong's reign (1783), Cai Xin arrived in Beijing after completing his vacation. In July, he was awarded the title of Bachelor of Wenhua Palace and the Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and was awarded the plaque "Huang Fei Su Yan". The Bachelor of Wenhua Palace began in the Ming Dynasty. It was originally a position to tutor the prince in his studies. By the Qing Dynasty, the responsibilities of the Wenhua Palace Scholars had changed to assisting the emperor in managing government affairs and supervising hundreds of officials. Their authority was greatly expanded compared to the Ming Dynasty, and they became the position of prime minister.
In the first month of the fiftieth year of Qianlong (1785), Cai Xin was 78 years old and attended the Qiansou Banquet. Cai Xin was the oldest among the court ministers. Qianlong said, "Among the ministers today, the only scholar Cai Xinchang is 4 years old, and he may be ranked among his brothers." Cai Xin begged Qianlong to retire because of his old age.
Qianlong regarded Cai Xin as his brother, which shows that he respected Cai Xin very much. Therefore, although he was reluctant to give up Cai Xin's begging for leave, he still agreed and allowed him to serve as his original official and receive additional awards. The prince and grand master ordered the carriages and horses from the post station to be sent back to Zhangpu. The local officials along the way took care of him within 20 miles and wrote poems to pamper him. He expressed that "I can't bear to stay and return with the order, and I still rely on you when I say goodbye." The feeling of reluctance. His colleagues, disciples and subordinates also wrote poems to see him off. His career journey was extremely beautiful. Qianlong's favor towards him was unparalleled by others.
Cai Xin is a high-ranking official, but he loves his hometown deeply. Before retiring from old age and returning home this time, he had returned to his hometown many times.
He set up a book field in his hometown, founded a charity school to promote education, set up a charity warehouse to store food to relieve the victims, and built a cemetery to bury the poor relatives. He also repaired the ancestral temple of Cai Xiang and Huang Daozhou, which were prosperous and destroyed, and his virtue was lost in the countryside.
Although Cai Xin holds a high-ranking official position, he is modest, prudent and low-key. When I returned home to Zhangpu, even if I met small county officials such as Dianshi and patrol inspectors, they would be very respectful. He is friendly to neighbors, respects the elderly and loves the young. When there was a dispute between the village and the neighboring village of Xinan, he said: "There will be Xinan for eternity, but there will be no prime minister for a hundred years." He said that Xinan Village will always exist, but the prime minister of Xiabu Village will not be the prime minister for many years. The village and clan should avoid conflicts with each other. To deal with conflicts between clans, educate clan relatives to understand that bullying others will not last long and that living in harmony will lead to peace.
Therefore, Cai Xin is well-known in his hometown and is highly respected. Cai Xin's hometown of Zhangzhou has never had a prime minister in history. People in Zhangzhou are deeply proud that their hometown has given birth to such a good prime minister as Cai Xin, who is honest, prudent and diligent.
In the first year of Jiaqing (1796), Cai Xin was 90 years old. Emperor Jiaqing did not forget to congratulate his teacher on his birthday, and gave Cai Xin the imperial inscription "Green Fields and Everlasting Spring". His disciples Ji Xiaolan, Liu Yong, etc. also wrote poems and articles praising this teacher who was "a proficient in Confucianism and a master's degree in Taiwanese education". Wang Chengpei, the second-rank minister, also wrote a couplet to congratulate Cai Xin on his 90th birthday: "Your Excellency is a master of hundreds of officials, and the prime minister of the mountains is a first-rank immortal."
In December of the fourth year of Jiaqing (1799), in Zhangpu Cai Xin, who took care of himself at home, passed away at the age of 93. The Jin Dynasty gave him a gift as a Taifu, offered sacrifices and burials, and gave him the posthumous title of Wen Gong.
Cai Xin had been an official in the court for 50 years. He was cautious in doing things, loyal to etiquette and law in his words and deeds, and was good at ancient prose, which won Qianlong's trust. He believed in benevolence as his sect and the immobility of mind as his key. He once compiled the sayings of previous Confucian scholars about caring about one's mind, cultivating one's mind, keeping one's mind in mind, and seeking peace of mind, and compiled it into "Shi Xin Lu". Cai Xin's other book "Jizhai Poems and Essays" has been published in the world.
Cai Xin’s former residence is located in Xialou Village (formerly known as Xiabu Village), Dananban Town, northwest of Zhangpu County, Fujian Province. It was built at the end of 2002 with donations from the Cai clan in Puyi, covering an area of ??5 acres. The palace-style two-entry antique building is magnificent and magnificent. The museum displays the life and deeds of Cai Xin, a famous minister in the early Qing Dynasty in southern Fujian, with rich pictures and detailed historical materials, with a solemn layout. The main hall hangs a plaque given to Cai Xin by Emperors Qianlong and Jiaqing of the Qing Dynasty, and there are statues of Cai Xin and his wife He. The museum displays Cai Xin's manuscripts, calligraphy works, etc., as well as precious materials such as the emperor's edicts, the prince's chants, and the congratulatory messages written by his colleagues Liu Yong and Ji Xiaolan, highlighting Cai Xin, an outstanding politician in the early Qing Dynasty. The outstanding political achievements and personality of military strategists, educators, writers and famous scholars.
Cai Xin’s former residence has been turned into a municipal-level patriotism education base, and there is an endless stream of students who come to visit. ?
(2021, 4, 29)