Xiang Qiao Ji - (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Xiang Qiao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-10-01
Features: Xiang Qiao (1493–1552), styled Ziqian, styled Oudong, was from Yongjia Qijia (now Shacheng Town, Longwan District, Wenzhou City). Later, he moved to Jiuqu Cang in the city and took the title Jiuqu Mountain Man. In the eighth year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1529), he ranked second in the national examination and was appointed as the Chief Clerk of the Ministry of Works in Nanjing. He was assigned to the Yizhen Factory and later transferred to the Chief Clerk of the Bureau of Military Selection in the Ministry of War. Due to his involvement in the false treasure incident, he was demoted to the position of Vice Magistrate of Fuding Prefecture (now Xiapu County, Fujian Province). Upon assuming office, he abolished the old rule requiring villagers to provide banquets and gifts for doorkeepers and formulated the "Pastoral Ordinance" to be publicly announced. In the fourteenth year of the Jiajing era (1535), he was promoted to the position of Magistrate of Fuzhou (capital in modern Linchuan County, Jiangxi Province). He issued a notice stating that the world fears not good officials but good citizens, and that he would take up any proposals for beneficial undertakings or harmful reforms. He also gathered the scholars from the six counties under his jurisdiction, personally examining and evaluating their writings and moral character, urging them to encourage one another, and converted the abandoned Buddhist temple—Baoying Temple—into a prefectural school. Later, he was transferred to Luzhou Prefecture (capital in modern Hefei City, Anhui Province), where he lived close to the people, punished bandits, and strictly supervised officials, resulting in a clean and honest local government. To improve transportation, he built two bridges—the Jipin Bridge and the Maowei Bridge. Soon after, he was dismissed from office due to the involvement of his assistant magistrate Zhao Ying in a libel case for publishing books. After his reinstatement, he served as the Magistrate of Hejian (now Hejian County, Hebei Province) but was again implicated in a case involving Wang Lian, who was accused of false accusation and arrested in the imperial prison. Wang Lian was from Renqiu in Hejian Prefecture and had been punished and dismissed by the Hu Zongzong as the magistrate of Yangwu County. He copied Hu Zongzong's poem welcoming the emperor and accused Hu of slandering the court. As a result, Wang Lian was sentenced to death for false accusation. After the case was clarified, Xiang Qiao was promoted to Vice Director of the Hubei Provincial Inspection and Prosecution Office. At this time, the Prince of Chu, Zhu Xianrong, was tyrannical and ruthless, causing resentment both within and outside the court. Xiang Qiao told his colleagues that the Prince of Chu would surely meet misfortune and wrote the "Letter Urging Self-Reflection and Abstinence" to Zhu Xianrong, hoping to persuade him to reform. However, his advice was not accepted. Soon after, Zhu Yingyao murdered Zhu Xianrong, and the authorities investigated the case. All those who had incited and aided evil within the royal palace were punished, and the events unfolded exactly as Xiang Qiao had predicted. Xiang Qiao later served as the Assistant Censor of Guangdong and retired to his hometown. He held office for over twenty years in total.