Ke Minping is diligent in learning and is good at writing poetry and calligraphy.
Yao Nai
Original text:
Fang Kemin Gong, named Guancheng, was born in Tongcheng and lived in Jiangning. The Fang family in Tongcheng has been famous for literature for several generations since the Ming Dynasty, but has also been burdened by literature. The father-in-law of the Duke, the head of the Dushui Department of the Ministry of Industry, was banished to Heilongjiang. When he was still young, he and his elder brother traveled between the inside and outside of the fortress, camping in Shu water as a gift, traveling north and south, sometimes on foot for hundreds of miles. For several years, there were no ancestral examinations. Public welfare was difficult, but during this period, he was determined, diligent, and learned, and he knew the world's best practices and customs, so he became a great talent. Pingjun Wang Fu Pengchang knew it. In the tenth year of Yongzheng's reign, Pingjun Wang went to Junggar as the general of Dingbian. He immediately became the secretary and was given the title of Zhongshu. He built good policies in the military camp and returned to Buzhong Shushe. When Qianlong first entered the Military Aircraft Department, he moved to the Ministry of Civil Affairs and became the governor of Zhili. Since he has lived in Zhili for twenty years, he has only used troops in western Xinjiang. He was temporarily appointed as the governor of Shaanxi and Gansu, and he returned after half a year of raising military pay.
The public nature is clear in employing people. As soon as he sees and speaks to them, he can know that the talents are worthy of their duties. After the official death, he became famous as a governor, such as Zhou Yuanli, Li Hu, and more than ten people, all of whom lived in the ranks of Shou Ling and Cheng Wei. Zhili is the area where the world converges. People and affairs are mixed together, and peace is difficult to achieve due to the turmoil. Chengyu ① is lucky enough to be here, so he prepares some grains for him. The public place is well stocked. The death was not a bad one, and there was no disease that disturbed the people's residences.
From Qinghe River to Governor, the Duke was in charge of water control. The Yongding River in Zhili has no fixed river, and its migration is constant. It cannot be cured by one technique or cut off in its ancient form. The public sees the terrain and determines the opportunity, whether it is a breakthrough or a cause, a guide or an obstacle. There are dozens of sparse in front and behind the river, and there is always benefit from it. Every time I sigh, it is a good thing that is eternally determined, and it is beyond the reach of others who adhere to the law.
Some people in Cizhou rebelled against the people and caused chaos. They were arrested and punished by the public. Ten people were beheaded and hanged, and the rest were released. The superiors suspected that the duke was lenient, but issued severe edicts to punish those who were numerous. It was not easy for the duke to enforce the law. The edict ordered nine ministers to be interrogated and imprisoned. This was because they knew what the duke had decided and it was in the best interest of the duke.
Gongsu is diligent in learning, and his work is poetry and calligraphy. Qianlong first tried to promote erudite and famous poems, and he used the prince of Ping County to supervise the examination, so as to avoid suspicion and not try it. After serving as an official for decades, I read books in my spare time from official duties. Together with Duke Wengong of Qin Dynasty, he compiled "Tongkao of Five Rituals", and wrote "Zhili Hequ Shu" in 13 volumes, 13 volumes of poetry collection, and dozens of volumes of other miscellaneous notes on Zhili affairs. When he died, his family had no money left, but they had dozens of volumes of books. Family temples were built in Tongcheng and Jiangning, and fields were purchased to support the poor members of the family. When the Duke was still alive, he was appointed as the crown prince's Taibao. He passed away in August of the thirty-third year of Qianlong's reign, at the age of seventy-one.
(Selected from "The Collected Works of Xibaoxuan", with some deletions)
[Note] ①Chengyu: The car that the emperor rode in ancient times, here refers to the emperor. ②曛无: Chaos and lack.
Translation:
Fang Kemin Gong, named Guancheng and courtesy name Jiagu, was from Tongcheng, but lived in Jiangning. The Fang family in Tongcheng has been famous for its literary scholarship for several generations since the Ming Dynasty, but it has also been hampered by its literary scholarship. His grandfather Fang Dengfeng, the head of the Dishui Department of the Ministry of Industry, and his father Zhongshu Sheren Fangjiji were both demoted to Heilongjiang because of their involvement in writing. Kemin Gong was young at the time, and he and his brother traveled between the inside and outside of the Great Wall every year to fulfill their filial piety, traveling north and south, sometimes walking hundreds of miles. A few years later, both my grandfather and father died. Kemin Gong was even poorer, but during this period he further tempered his will and fighting spirit. He studied diligently and fully understood the pros and cons of society, people and customs, and gradually became a person with outstanding talents. Fupeng, the king of Pingjun, once knew him. In the tenth year of Yongzheng's reign, when the king of Pingjun was serving as the general of Dingbian expedition to Junggar, he sent a memorial to let him serve as secretary, and the emperor issued an edict granting him the post of secretary of the Central Committee. In the military camp, he made suggestions and came back to reward him as a Zhongshusheren. In the early years of Qianlong's reign, he joined the Military Aircraft Department and was promoted several times to the rank of Doctor of the Ministry of Civil Affairs. Later, he was appointed as the Governor-General of Zhili. From then on, he served as the governor of Zhili for twenty years. During this period, he only temporarily acted as governor of Shaanxi and Gansu when troops were used in Western Xinjiang. He raised military pay for half a year and then returned.
Ke Mingong is very discerning when it comes to employing people. As soon as he meets and talks with someone, he can know the position that the person can fill. Things must be handled properly. After the death of Duke Kemin, more than ten people with a good reputation as governors, such as Zhou Yuanli, Li Hu, etc., were all promoted by him from among the guards and lieutenants. Zhili is the center of the world, with complex personnel and chaos that is difficult to manage. The emperor would come here every year, and he would arrange food and grass wherever he passed. When Kemin Gong dealt with these things, he would store and prepare them carefully. There has never been a shortage of supplies, and there has been no intrusion on the people.
Kemin Gong was responsible for water control work from the time when he was the Qinghe Daotai to when he was the governor of Zhili. The Yongding River in Zhili has no fixed river course. The change of river course is irregular. It cannot be managed by one method and cannot be inferred based on past situations. Duke Ke Min checked the terrain and saw the right time to act decisively, either using new methods or following old methods, or diverting or blocking river affairs. He gave instructions dozens of times when regulating river affairs. If you follow his opinions, you will benefit. The emperor often praised him for his good management of the Yongding River, which was not comparable to other people who were strict with the law.
Some people rebelled in Cizhou. Duke Kemin captured them and punished them. Ten of them were sentenced to hang, and the rest were released. The emperor suspected that Duke Kemin tolerated and indulged criminals and issued multiple edicts to severely reprimand him. Duke Kemin insisted on not changing his opinion. The emperor also issued an edict to Jiu Qing to review the case. Only then did he know that the crime that Duke Kemin had convicted (of the criminal) was Appropriately, the emperor believed that Duke Kemin was wise.
Ke Minping is diligent in learning and is good at writing poetry and calligraphy. In the early years of Qianlong's reign, he was recommended to take the examination of Bo Xue Hong Ci, but because Prince Ping supervised the examination, he did not take part in order to avoid suspicion. He has been an official for decades and reads books after his official duties. He once co-authored the "Tongkao of Five Rituals" with Duke Wen Gong of Qin. His works include 103 volumes of "Zhili Hequ Shu", 13 volumes of poetry collection, and dozens of other volumes of Zhili miscellaneous notes. After his death, his family had no money left but only dozens of boxes of books. His descendants built ancestral halls in Tongcheng and Jiangning and purchased fields to support the poor members of their clan. During his lifetime, Duke Ke Min had been granted the title of Crown Prince Taibao. He died in August of the 33rd year of Qianlong at the age of seventy-one.