A Chinese Biographical Dictionary/Ch'ên P'êng-nien (陳鵬年)

2059031A Chinese Biographical Dictionary — Ch'ên P'êng-nien (陳鵬年)Herbert A. Giles

238 Ch'ên Pêng-nien 陳鵬年 (T. 北溟 and 滄洲). A.D. 1663— 1723. Graduated as chin shih in 1691, and became a District Magistrate in Chehkiang, where he soon earned the reputation of an incorrupt official. In 1704 he became Prefect of Nanking, and in 1705 he was accused of treason and imprisoned. This caused a riot, and Ch'ên was sentenced to death, but was pardoned and summoned to Peking. In 1708 he was Prefect of Soochow, but in 1709 he was again summoned to Peking, and there employed in the Imperial Library. He rose by 1723 to be Director of the Yellow River, and died at his post in consequence of illness brought on by exposure on the dykes. Wrote essays, memoirs, and some poetry. Was one of the Five Devils (see Wang Ch'in-jo). Canonised as 恪勤.