Legend and History: The Life of Prime Minister Liu Yong: The Life of Prime Minister Liu Yong

Author: Chen Lianying
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-02-01
Features: Liu Yong was a prominent figure from a distinguished family, known as the "Imperially Enfeoffed Scholar of the World" under the Kangxi Emperor. His father, Liu Tongxun, was a man of integrity and incorruptible virtue, highly trusted by the Qianlong Emperor, who praised him by saying, "Liu Tongxun truly deserves to be a true prime minister." Liu Yong's early life and initial career in office were deeply intertwined with his father's influence. Liu Yong served as a local official for over two decades, rising from a provincial education commissioner to a high-ranking official overseeing an entire province. In his early years, he was vigorous and proactive, reforming corrupt practices in the bureaucracy and addressing persistent issues in the scholarly community, in line with the Qianlong Emperor's directives. He suppressed books, initiated literary cases, and dealt with secret societies, earning widespread praise under imperial favor. In his later years, he adopted a more lenient and hands-off approach, practicing "governing through inaction," which won him the admiration of scholars. The talented writer Yuan Mei gifted him a couplet titled "The moon has no sharp edges, yet stars still avoid it; The tree bears no thorns, yet birds still know it," which perfectly reflects Liu Yong's evolving approach to governance. In this section, let us follow in Liu Yong's footsteps to explore the work and social customs of local officials during the Qing Dynasty. Wu Zetian's "Min Gui · Gongzheng" (Min's Rules of Justice) states: There are many ways to govern the people, but there must be one foundation. What is this foundation? It is impartiality. Only impartiality can assist the state, and only impartiality can govern a family. As long as fairness is practiced, evil will naturally vanish without the need for divine intervention; but if private interests are pursued, even the harshest punishments will fail to suppress evil. Therefore, impartiality, as a principle, may seem simple in words, yet its impact is boundless. In Liu Yong's career as a local official, his most renowned tenure was as the governor of Jiangning during the 34th year of the Qianlong Emperor's reign (1769). Jiangning in Jiangsu was a hub of talent and nobility, as well as a source of tax revenue and profit. Since the early Qing Dynasty, only those with high prestige could hold office there. As the saying goes, "Three years in Jiangning, ten years of talent." Liu Yong, while serving in Jiangning, eradicated local tyrants, confronted powerful families, challenged provincial governors, and brilliantly resolved cases, earning the title of the "Guardian of the People."