For his success in stabilizing the Miao, he was made an Earl of the first class with rights of perpetual inheritance. In September 1732 he was sent to supervise military affairs in Shensi and Kansu, and to look after the transport of supplies for the armies campaigning against the Eleuths (see under Tsereng and Yüeh Chung-ch'i). Upon his return to Peking in the following year (1733) he advised the emperor on the futility of fighting the Eleuths and advocated a peaceful settlement. It seems that this advice was heeded, for the campaign was temporarily abandoned (see under Yin-chên and Chang T'ing-yü).
When a rebellion of Miao tribesmen at T'ai-kung, Kweichow, broke out in 1735 and presently became ominous, O-êr-t'ai was commissioned, along with Prince Pao (i.e., Hung-li, q.v.), Chang T'ing-yü [q. v.], and two other princes to supervise their pacification. He blamed himself for not having forseen this disaster when, as governor-general, he had charge of Miao affairs, and therefore offered to relinquish his hereditary rank. His request was granted, but he was allowed to retain the rank of baron of the third class.
When Emperor Shih-tsung was dying in 1735 he gave to O-êr-t'ai and Chang T'ing-yü his last command, making Hung-li heir-apparent. He ordered O-êr-t'ai, Chang and two princes to assist the crown prince in conducting affairs of state, and declared that since O-êr-t'ai and Chang had shown themselves dependable and loyal, their names should, after their decease, be celebrated in the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Shortly after Emperor Kao-tsung ascended the throne he raised the hereditary rank of O-êr-t'ai, first to viscount (1735) and later to earl of the third class (early in 1738). Thereafter O-êr-t'ai controlled several important posts and served as director-general for the compilation of several official publications of his time. Once he was dispatched to inspect conservancy work on the Yellow River (1739). In 1745 he asked to resign on grounds of illness but was granted instead leave to recover. At this time the Emperor visited him in person and gave him the title of Grand Tutor. After his death O-êr-t'ai was canonized as Wên-tuan 文端 and his name was celebrated in the Imperial Ancestral Temple and in the Temple of Eminent Statesmen.
As an able administrator, O-êr-t'ai enjoyed the full confidence of Emperor Shih-tsung. Hence he gradually became the leader of a group of officials of whom some became his disciples and others his admirers. Chang T'ing-yü enjoyed almost the same recognition as O-êr-t'ai and also had a political following. Conflict between the two groups was therefore inevitable, and the early Ch'ien-lung period is marked by their dissentions. Among Chang's supporters may be mentioned Chang Chao, Shih I-chih [qq. v.] and Wang Yu-tun (see under Yü Min-chung). O-êr-t'ai's following included not only Manchus but also Chinese, among them Hsü Pên 徐本 (T. 立人, H. 是齋, 何山, 1683–1747, posthumous name 文穆), and Hu Chung-tsao 胡中藻 (T. 翰千, H. 堅山, d. 1755). Hsü was a native of Hangchow and a son of Hsü Ch'ao 徐潮 (T. 雪崖, H. 浩軒, 青來, 1647–1715, posthumous name 文敬), one-time president of the Board of Civil Office (1708–10). A chin-shih of 1718, he served under O-êr-t'ai in Kweichow as educational commissioner (1726–29) and as provincial judge (1729–31). He highly praised his superior to the Emperor. Later he was called to Peking and served, together with O-êr-t'ai, as a Grand Secretary (1736–44). Hu Chung-tsao was a native of Hsin-chien, Kiangsi, and became a chin-shih in 1736. He proclaimed with pride that his relation to O-êr-t'ai was that of a pupil to a master. He was, moreover, an intimate friend of O-ch'ang 鄂昌 (chü-jên of 1724, d. 1755), who was a nephew of O-êr-t'ai and was one-time governor of Kansu (1754–55). Hu served as educational commissioner in Shensi (1744–47) and Kwangsi (1747–49), and was the author of a collection of poems entitled 堅磨生詩鈔 Chien-mo-shêng shih-ch'ao, printed about 1752.
But early in 1755 the Emperor came across several poems in which Hu is alleged to have referred disrespectfully to the Manchus. It was ordered that he be arrested and all his writings investigated. On April 23 a long decree was issued allegedly showing by quotations from his writings that he had offended the Manchus, had shown disrespect to the Emperor, and had condemned Chang T'ing-yü and his faction. On May 21 he was sentenced to decapitation. Several of Hu's friends who had contributed toward the printing of his works or had exchanged poems with him were also punished. O-ch'ang was ordered to commit suicide for having written poems allegedly unfavorable to the Manchus and for corrupt practices. O-êr-t'ai was posthumously blamed for having fostered factional disputes, and his name was removed from the Temple of Eminent Statesmen.
The hereditary rank of earl of the third class
602
