Eminent Chinese of the Ch'ing Period/Wu Jung-kuang
WU Jung-kuang 吳榮光 (T. 伯榮, H. 殿垣, 荷屋), Feb. 15(?), 1773–1843, Sept. 27, official, was a native of Fo-shan (Nan-hai), west of Canton. He came from a wealthy family engaged in the sale of salt. He passed the metropolitan examination of 1799, and so belonged to one of the most celebrated classes of chin-shih in the Ch'ing period (see under Juan Yüan), being one of seventy-three competitors in that year who entered the Hanlin Academy. Among the others, the following may be mentioned: Yao Wên-t'ien, Wang Yin-chih, T'ang Chin-chao, Chang Hui-yen, Ch'ên Shou-ch'i [qq. v.], Pao Kuei-hsing (see under Ch'ên Shou-ch'i), Shih Chih-yen (see under Hsü Tzŭ), Wu Tzŭ (see under Wu Hsi-ch'i), Kuei-fang (see under Tsang Yung), Po Jung 白鎔 (T. 小山, H. 冶源, 1769–1842, president of the Board of Works, 1833–34), Chang Chu 張澍 (T. 伯淪, H. 介侯, 1781–1847, June 20), and Lu K'un 盧坤 (T. 靜之, H. 厚山, posthumous name 敏肅, 1772–1835, governorgeneral at Canton, 1832–35). Among the chin-shih of that year who were not members of the Hanlin Academy we may mention: Hsü Tsung-yen, Chu Kuei-chên, Hao I-hsing [qq. v.], K'ang Shao-yung (see under Li Chao-lo), Liu T'ai-tou (see under Liu T'ai-kung), and Hu Ping-ch'ien 胡秉虔 (T. 伯敬, H. 春喬, d. 1826?).
On becoming a Hanlin compiler in 1801, Wu Jung-kuang served in various literary capacities, and in 1805 was made a censor. In 1808 he was sent to Tientsin to supervise the transport of grain. A year later, when several subordinates were found to have stolen some rice from government boats, he was cashiered for his failure to prevent this loss. Nevertheless, his friends in Peking gathered together sufficient funds to purchase for him in 1810 the rank of an assistant department director in a Board. In 1812 he was appointed to the Board of Punishments and four years later—shortly after he was raised to a department director—he was named to serve concurrently as a secretary in the Grand Council. From 1818 to 1831 he held the following posts: intendant of Shan-An Circuit (southern Shensi, 1818–20) and of the salt administration in Fukien (1820–21); provincial judge of Fukien (1821–22) and of Chekiang (1822–23); financial commissioner of Kweichow (1823–25), of Fukien (1826–28), and of Hunan (1831).
Promoted in 1831 to be governor of Hunan, Wu Jung-kuang showed his abilities by quelling a rebellion of Yao tribesmen at Yung-chou. On being informed of the revolt, early in 1832, he immediately left Changsha to command the troops at Yung-chou and thus prevented the disturbance from spreading. Later, when the governor-general, Lu K'un, and the Imperial Commissioner, Hsi-ên (see under Ying-ho), arrived, Wu was ordered back to Changsha to supervise the dispatch of supplies to the front. When, after a few months, the revolt was put down, Hsi-ên was raised to a prince of the blood of the eighth degree (Fu-kuo kung) and Lu K'un was given a minor hereditary rank, but Wu was not rewarded. In 1836, for failure to report minor offenses of a subordinate, he was degraded. In 1837 he was again made financial commissioner of Fukien. Three years later he was called to Peking for an audience at which Emperor Hsuantsung declared him too old to continue in service and ordered him to retire. Reluctantly he accepted the decision and went back to Canton where he concentrated for some time on the printing of his own works. In 1842, owing to the threat of a British invasion, he went to live in Kweilin, Kwangsi, where he died in the following year.
A prolific writer, Wu Jung-kuang left a number of works on various subjects. His literary collection (printed 1841–43), entitled 石雲山人集 Shih-yün-shan-jên chi, contains 23 chüan of verse, 5 chüan of essays, and 6 chüan of memorials. His study notes on laws and regulations, entitled 吾學錄 Wu-hsüeh lu, 24 chüan, were printed in 1832 in Hunan with the aid of Huang Pên-chi 黃本驥 (T. 伯良, H. 虎癡, chü-jên of 1821). He prepared a chronological table of Chinese historical events with dates of birth and death of famous people, entitled 歷代名人年譜 Li-tai ming-jên nien-p'u, 11 chüan, printed in 1875 by a fellow townsman, Chang Yin-huan [q. v.]. He is also credited with having written a work on the Classic of Changes, entitled 易證 I-chêng, and a commentary on the Classics, entitled 閩湘講義 Min Hsiang chiang-i.
As a collector of antiques and paintings, Wu Jung-kuang left several works in these fields. He intended to compile a supplement to Wang Ch'ang's [q. v.] Chin-shih ts'ui-pien, but succeeded only in completing a short work in 5 chüan containing some inscriptions on bronzes, entitled 筠清館金文 Yün-ch'ing kuan chin-wên, printed in 1840. A list of his collection of bronzes and inscriptions on stone, entitled Yün-ch'ing kuan chin-shih wên-tzŭ mu (金石文字目), exists only in manuscript. He also made (in 1841, as the title indicates) a list of the paintings and calligraphy in his collection, entitled 辛丑銷夏記 Hsin-ch'ou hsiao-hsia chi, 5 chüan; his comments and notes concerning them are highly regarded by collectors. Some of his examples of famous calligraphy, written up to the close of the Yüan period, he caused to be incised on stone in 1830. Rubbings from these stones, known as Yün-ch'ing kuan fa-t'ieh (法帖), 6 chuan, were reproduced lithographically in 1909 by a greatgrandson, Wu Wo-yao (see below).
Wu Jung-kuang had a younger brother, Wu Mi-kuang 吳彌光 (T. 章垣, H. 樸園, 1789–1871, chü-jên of 1834), who was likewise a writer. He compiled a collectanea, in two series, of works relating to the history of the Ming period. The first series, entitled 勝朝遺事初編 Shêng-ch'ao i-shih ch'u-pien, printed in 1842, contains 32 items; the second series, Shêng-ch'ao i-shih êr-pien, contains 18 items. A daughter of Wu Jung-kuang, named Wu Shang-hsi 吳尚熹 (T. 祿卿, H. 小荷), showed some ability in painting and poetry.
The eminent novelist, Wu Wo-yao 吳沃堯 (1867–1910), was a great-grandson of Wu Jungkuang. He is better known by his tzŭ as Wu Chien-jên 趼人 (繭人), or by his pen-name Wo-fo shan-jên 我佛山人 (Buddha's Hermit), which by a clever pun may be read as Wo Fo-shan jên (I am a native of Fo-shan). Apparently he went to Shanghai early in the 1890's and took up the writing of short stories and novels which appeared in various local newspapers and magazines. His sympathies were with the Reformers of 1898 (see T'an Ssŭ-t'ung) and, like many other writers of his day, he realized that the unenlightened and corrupt officials who had resisted reform were in large measure responsible for the nation's suffering and humiliation. Hence the ineptitude of the official class became the main theme of short-story writers in the first decade after 1900. Taking as their pattern the great satirical novel of the eighteenth century, Ju-lin wai-shih (see under Wu Ching-tzŭ), they prepared for popular serial publication loosely-connected stories in which the incompetence of the old-style officials was clearly set forth. They thus helped to pave the way for the overthrow of the monarchy in 1911. In these writings the prevailing Japanese influence clearly appears, for it was not until late in the 1920's that Western influences became prominent. The novel by Wu Wo-yao which displays these features most conspicuously is entitled 二十年目覩之怪現狀 Êr-shih nien mu-tu chih kuai hsien-chuang (Weird Things My Eyes Have Seen These Past Twenty Years). Appearing first as a serial, it was published in 1907 in book form. Two other novels by him may here be mentioned: 恨海 Hên-hai (A Sea of Regrets), dealing with the Boxer Uprising, and 九命奇冤 Chiu-ming ch'i-yüan (Nine Strange Deaths), a detective story.
Other contemporary novels of the same character are: Lao-ts'an yu-chi, by Liu Ê [q. v.]; Nieh-hai hua, by Tsêng P'u (see under Hung Chün); and 文明小史 Wên-ming hsiao-shih and 官場現形記 Kuan-ch'ang hsien-hsing chi, both by Li Pao-chia 李寶嘉 (T. 伯元, H. 南亭亭長, 1867–1906).
[2/38/32b; 3/199/4a; 19/己上/35b; 20/4/00; 21/9/10a; 24/51/7a; A-ying, 晚清小說史 Wan-Ch'ing hsiao-shuo shih (1937); Shih-yün shan-jên chi, poems 20/1b, 21 hsü 1a; Fo-shan chung-i-hsiang (忠義鄉) chih (1923).]