these two ships were beheaded by order of the Chinese authorities in Formosa, namely, the brigade general Ta-hung-a 達洪阿 (T. 厚庵, d. 1854), and the intendant Yao Ying (see under Fang Tung-shu). Ta-hung-a and Yao had reported to the emperor that the Nerbudda had been sunk as she attacked the Chinese batteries, and that they had ordered fishing vessels to lead the Ann astray in order to wreck it. For these exploits they had already been commended. I-liang was now sent to Formosa to investigate the truth of the matter. His report to the throne confirmed the British accusation that Ta-hung-a and Yao had reported incorrectly. They were therefore recalled to Peking (April 1843) and imprisoned. But local opinion in Formosa and elsewhere was so incensed at I-liang's decision that the charges against the two officials were dismissed in October 1843 and they were given other posts. Early in that year I-liang retired on the plea of ill health and remained at home for nine years.
In 1852 he was made Tartar General of Foochow. Early in 1853 he became governor-general of Kiangnan and Kiangsi at a time when the Taiping rebels were over-running a large part of the area under his jurisdiction. He remained in that post during the next four years. In this period local military affairs were chiefly under the control of the Imperial Commissioners, Hsiang Jung [q. v.] and Ch'i-shan. The governor of Kiangsu, Chi-êr-hang-a [q. v.], effected the recovery of the walled city of Shanghai from the rebels of the Triad Society who held it between September 7, 1853 and February 17, 1855.
The fall of Shanghai in September 1853 entailed the closing of the Chinese customs house there. Its reopening was sought by the superintendent, Wu Chien-chang [q. v.], but was delayed by action of the foreign consuls. I-liang supported Wu, and in February 1854 memorialized the throne proposing to stop the export of tea and silk via Shanghai. He hoped by such pressure on the foreign community to secure the reopening of the customs house, and to discourage foreign aid to the rebels who held the walled city. A few months later I-liang facilitated the creation of the foreign Inspectorate of Customs at Shanghai and empowered Wu Chien-chang to make the settlement which eventually led to the Maritime Customs Service.
On several occasions during this period the representatives of the Western powers, who could gain no satisfaction from Yeh Ming-ch'ên [q. v.] at Canton, sought to have I-liang transmit their complaints to the Court. This he generally declined to do. In domestic affairs he was ordered to frame regulations for the transport of rice by sea, and for raising military funds, and to investigate legal cases regarding the salt tax and other matters. In 1856 he settled a quarrel between Chang Kuo-liang (see under Hsiang Jung) and a certain Manchu officer. In May 1857 he resigned on grounds of illness. He died at his home several years later.
[1/377/2a; 1/375/5b; 2/48/45b, 44/7a; 7/43/7b; Ên-ling 恩齡, 正紅旗滿洲哈達瓜爾佳氏家譜 Chêng-hung-ch'i Man-chou Ha-ta Kua-êr-chia shih chia-p'u (1849); I-hsin [q. v.], Ch'ou-pan I-wu shih-mo (Tao-kuang period) 7/23, 10/4, 13/4b, 18, 22/4, 23, 26, 27, (Hsien-fêng period) 7 passim; F.O. 17/198–214 passim, Public Record Office, London; China 10, passim, State Department, Washington, D. C.]
I Pi 伊闢 (T. 盧原, H. 翕菴), June 14, 1623–1681, June 23, official, was a native of Hsin-ch'êng near Tsinan, Shantung. He became a chin-shih in 1655 along with Wang Shih-chên [q. v.]. After a year or more of study in the Hanlin Academy he was appointed a censor, and in 1657 was sent to Shansi to inspect the administration of that province. Having accomplished this, he returned to Peking in 1659 and resumed his duties as censor. He was made secretary of the Transmission Office in 1670 and after several promotions became director of the Court of Sacrificial Worship in 1678. Early in 1680 he became director of the Court of Judicature and Revision. By April of that year he was called to leave the comparative ease of the capital to become governor of Yunnan where military operations were in progress against the forces of Wu Shih-fan (see under Wu San-kuei) which held the capital of the province. It was hoped that he would be able to restore peace and harmony in that province and he made vigorous efforts toward that end, but was taken seriously ill and died in June of the following year. The task of pacification was reported accomplished within five months after his death.
[1/262/8b; 3/156/8a; Tsinan fu-chih (1841) 55/ 42a.]
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