Page:A Chinese Biographical Dictionary.djvu/784

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A Chinese Biographical Dictionary
765


by the Marquis himself. In August 1878 he was appointed Envoy to England and France, and he started for his post in October of the same year. He went a great deal into society, and otherwise showed himself to be decidedly a member of the party of progress. In 1880 he was further appointed Ambassador to Bussia and sub- Director of the Court of Revision. In the former capacity he negotiated the treaty by which Euldja was restored to China, gaining great credit on all sides for his diplomatic skill. In 1881 he became Vice Director of the Imperial Clan Court and Vice President of the Board of War. In 1885 he arranged the Opium Convention with England, and was appointed Assistant Director of the new Admiralty Board. In 1886 he returned to Peking and joined the Tsung-li Yam^n. In 1887 he was Vice President of the Board of Revenue, with special control over the coinage department. In 1 889 he became Director of the ^ ^ f|f Peking Collie and died at the capital in the following year, to the infinite regret of all foreigners with whom he had ever been thrown into contact. Apart from his o£Scial career and linguistic studies, he achieved considerable distinction as a calligraphist, even the Emperor being anxious to secure.specimens of his skill. He was accustomed to sign himself ^^Hereditary Marqois E. T. Gearkhan of Tseng,*' the E. T. standing for the initials, in southern Mandarin, of his personal name, and Gearkhan being his "style*' expressed in English sounds taken by himself from NuttalFs dictionary.

Tseng Kuo-ch*tlan ^ g ^ (T. ^ :/l • H. y/c H ). A.D. 2020

1820 — 1890. Younger brother of TsSng Euo-fan, under whom he served against the T*ai-p4ng rebels. Graduating as hsiu ta^ai, he rose to be Judge in Chehkiang in 1862, Governor of various provinces, Viceroy of Shensi and Eansub in 1881, acting Viceroy of the Two Euang in 1882, and in 1884 Viceroy of the Two Eiang. For his services against the rebels, especially at the capture