Niu Jian

Niu Jian

Niu Jian (1785-1858), with the name of Jingtang and the name of Xueqiao, was a famous official of the Qing Dynasty. He was an official of the Qing Dynasty and was born in Liangzhou Prefecture. In the 19th year of Jiaqing (1814) of the Qing Dynasty, Jinshi ranked the fourth in the palace examination, and was awarded the title of editor. Niu Jian's teacher was Liu family of fuxingnong in Liangzhou. Niu Jian was also the mentor of Emperor Daoguang and Emperor Xianfeng, so he was known as the "imperial teacher of the two dynasties".

Niu Jian has successively served as the school manager of wenyuange, the appointed censor of duchayuan, the censor of Shandong Province, the censor of Guangxi Province, the censor of Jingji City, the official of duchayuan, the Minister of grain storage in Yunnan Province, the censor of Shandong Province, the Yin of shuntianfu and the Minister of the Ministry of war.

In 1838, Niu Jian recovered from illness and went to Beijing. Emperor Daoguang summoned Niu Jian and sent him to Jiangsu Province. At the beginning of the next year, Niu Jian, the governor of Jiangsu Province, also led Jiangsu's political envoy, and became the highest military, political, financial and criminal officer in a province.

In September of the 21st year of Daoguang in the Qing Dynasty, Niu Jianguan became one of the nine famous frontier officials in the Qing Dynasty, thanks to the governor of Liangjiang, the title of minister of the Ministry of war, the general of Fuyuan, and the jurisdiction of Lianghuai Caoyan. Later, he served as a senior official of the Qing Dynasty and was awarded the plaque "master erudition" by Daoguang.

Life of the characters

Niu Jian (1785-1858) was born in Liangzhou, Gansu Province. He once served as an official of the small capital for a period of time. He began to use Daofu in 1831. Since then, he has successively served as a grain storekeeper, an inspector, a shuntianfu Yin, and a governor of Jiangsu in 1839. In September of the 21st year of Daoguang (1841), he was granted the title of governor of Liangjiang and Minister of the Ministry of war.

In 1785, Niu Jian was born in a family of declining businessmen in Xiaobei Street (today's Gulou Lane) of Liangzhou city. When Niu Jian was young, his father died. Jia's mother, who knows the words roughly, runs the niujiache yard in the south of the city and lives with Jia's mother.

In 1790, when Niu Jian was a child, his mother Jia sent him to Fuxing Nong private school in Liangzhou under the advice of his uncle and family.

In February of the fifth year of Jiaqing (1800) of the Qing Dynasty, Niu Jian took part in the county test in Wuwei County of Liangzhou as a child. Wuwei County Magistrate went to take the examination in person. Niu Jian was chosen. In April, Niu Jian took part in the Liangzhou prefectural examination. After two tests, he was won by the magistrate. In autumn, Niu Jian was selected as a student and became a scholar.

In the 14th year of Jiaqing (1809) of the Qing Dynasty, Niu Jiansui got the first grade in the examination and entered the top three in the examination. He was promoted from Zeng Guang Sheng to Lin Shan Sheng and enjoyed six Dou rice of Lin Yin in Wuwei County. In 1812, in the 17th year of Jiaqing, Gansu Xuezheng took Niu Jian as an excellent student and became a "excellent Gongsheng", who reported to the imperial court and planned to become an official.

In the 19th year of Jiaqing in the Qing Dynasty (1814), he was awarded the first place of Jinshi and selected as the best scholar. As an official in the Imperial Academy and the National History Museum, he won the appreciation of the academicians of the Imperial Academy of Confucius with his excellent words and wonderful essays of "Taige style", and became the "imperial teacher" of Daoguang. It can be said that learning is rich and learning is rich.

In 1822, Niu Jian was summoned by Emperor Daoguang twice and was released to Shandong provincial examination Deputy examiner. After that, Niu Jian was appointed as the school manager of Wenyuan Pavilion, the appointed censor of duchayuan, the censor of Shandong Province, the censor of Guangxi Province, the censor of Jingji City, the official of duchayuan, the grain storage of Yunnan Province, the censor of Shandong Province, the governor of shuntianfu, and the governor of Shaanxi Province.

In 1823, Emperor Xuanzong moved to wenyuange to be a scholar. After that, he was promoted to be a scholar and a scholar in front of the imperial court. During the period of editing in Hanlin academy and managing in wenyuange, Niu Jian was still a scholar and a scholar. One of the princes was the later Emperor Xianfeng. Therefore, Niu Jian was also a teacher of the two dynasties and was highly valued by Emperor Daoguang and Xianfeng.

In August of the 19th year of Daoguang in the Qing Dynasty (1839), Niu Jian was transferred to be the governor of Henan Province. Before he took office, the Emperor Daoguang summoned him six times and earnestly said, "no one recommended you. I know you can use it, so I used you. If you make a good official, I'll be known. Otherwise, I don't know people, and the fault lies with me. " Later facts proved that Niu Jian did not live up to the trust of the student Emperor Daoguang.

In 1841, the British invaded eastern Zhejiang and endangered Jiangsu. After arriving at the post, Niu Jian once played the role of defending the sea on the ground of "the contiguity of Jiangsu and Zhejiang". Emperor Daoguang told him that "every Haikou in Jiangsu Province should be well prepared for the prevention of traffic jams, so as not to make temporary arrangements."

In September of the 21st year of Daoguang in the Qing Dynasty (1841), hailing, the Deputy capital of Jingkou, personally went to Jiaoshan to check the situation of the Yangtze River. He thought that there were only 1600 flag soldiers in Jiaoshan at that time, which was not enough to defend. He once asked for more troops to strengthen his defense, and advanced half a year's money to his battalion. Emperor Daoguang immediately instructed Niu Jian to "observe the situation and dispatch, so as not to miss the opportunity" ”。

In October of the 21st year of Daoguang in the Qing Dynasty (1841), Bao Shichen, a famous "counsellor" in the south of the Yangtze River, was appointed as the former governor of the south of the Yangtze River, Chen Jieping, that is, Chen Huacheng, wrote that "there is no dangerous pass in the coastal defense of the south of the Yangtze River, more than 300 Li above the wolf and blessing", and asked for the establishment of a military "important town" in the territory of Dantu. And put forward specifically: chisel the stone to open the mountain, build the fort; wooden dragon to tie the fence, set up the gun position; three sides of huanshanzui, set up the big and small guns in three layers; then use dozens of red boats to carry the small guns, patrol outside the fence; and build the fort in front of Sanjiang camp, so as to achieve the "North-South attack" and make the invading army "dare not commit internal crimes".

In April of the 22nd year of Daoguang in the Qing Dynasty (1842), Niu Jian was dismissed from his post because of "the powder was burned and the guard was injured". On the 9th of the same month, the British army occupied Zhapu, and Shanghai and Wusong were under serious threat. When Emperor Daoguang heard that Zhapu had lost his guard, he told Niu Jian and Chen Huacheng that when they were in a tight situation, they should "lead the civil and military officers to take strict precautions day and night, and do not neglect any worries", "have strict discipline, advance without retreat" and "those who retreat first should be engaged in military law".

On April 25, 1842, the 22nd year of Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty, Niu jianzou said to Emperor Daoguang, "although it is deceitful to act against the foreigners, his intention is to make profits and trade, not to fight for the city's strategic land." therefore, coastal defense in Jiang Province has to stop Wusong and enter the Yangtze River from Wusong. Although there are some words of internal offense against the foreigners, they are only a few hundred miles away from each other, We are sure that we will not violate the inland river.

On August 20, the 22nd year of Daoguang (1842), Niu Jian, Tong Qi Ying and yilibu, on behalf of the Qing government, signed the Nanjing Treaty with Britain on board the British ship "gaohuali" on the Xiaguan River in Nanjing. The Qing government agreed to the conditions of Britain and did not raise any objection.

On February 16, the 24th year of Daoguang (1844) in the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Daoguang asked Niu Jian to continue to go to Henan Province to do meritorious deeds to harness the river course, and awarded him the official title of seven grades. Niu Jian, governor of Liangjiang, was demoted to seven grades.

In 1853, Niu Jian was appointed as the inspector general of Henan Province and lived in Wupin. In the fourth year of Xianfeng, Jiayin (1854), yinmukeshu, niujian seventy Huajia, participated in pacifying the Nien uprising. In 1855, Niu Jian was a senior official of the Qing Dynasty.

Historical evaluation

When Niu Jian was the governor of Henan Province, he made outstanding achievements in rectifying the administration of officials, fighting floods and harnessing rivers. He studied hard when he was a child. At the age of 34, he went to Beijing to take the exam. After he arrived in Henan, he arrived in Beijing in time with the help of a kind-hearted person. For this reason, Niu Jian is grateful to the people of Henan all his life. Later, he became a high school Jinshi and was awarded governor of Henan Province in August of the 19th year of Daoguang. When he arrived at his post, he immediately rectified the administration of officials. All civil and military officials should personally investigate their morality, ability, diligence and achievements. They should also listen to the reactions of the people, fill in the year-end assessment according to the facts, and petition for rewards and punishments separately. They should never play favoritism.

In June of the 21st year of Daoguang, a section of the Yellow River in wanjintan continued to flood. In less than two days, the water level rose to 9 feet 6 inches. Kaifeng, the provincial capital, was in great danger. On the one hand, Niu Jian personally directed the flood fighting, and on the other hand, he sent people to hire boats to carry money and big cakes for disaster relief. On June 16, the South Bank of xiananting Xiangfu Shangxun No.31 Fort burst, and the river reached the north gate of the provincial capital. Niu Jian rushed to the site of the breach and mobilized officials and people to build the river embankment.

The next day, Kaifeng was besieged by Dashui, and the whole city merchants were on strike. The criminals took the opportunity to rob. Regardless of his own safety, Niu Jian drove a boat to the city, climbed the rope across the city, beheaded the first villain and made a public announcement to crack down on unscrupulous businessmen who blackmail the victims. Later, he ordered officials and gentlemen to fight the flood in sections in the city, and buy reed mats and dry food to save the displaced refugees.

On the 10th of July, it rained heavily all day and night, and the waves more than 100 feet high poured down. The flood in the west gate of Kaifeng was almost the same as that in the city. Niu Jian led civil and military officials to buy Bricks and stones to build embankments in sections, and tried to dredge the waterway. In the middle of the night of the 19th, the northwest city sank, and the flood came into the city. People were in a state of panic. Rumors were everywhere. Niu Jian cried bitterly and prayed for the people. The people were deeply moved, and more than 10000 people gathered to build the city. The Hui people automatically formed a pair of separate roads to deal with the emergency.

According to the law of nature, the water potential will decrease once the dew passes. This day coincides with Bailu, and people's hearts gradually settle down. All of a sudden, he ordered the relocation of the provincial capital. Niu Jian reported that the reason why the dangerous city was protected was "the support of people's heart". Once it was moved to the province, all the officials and gentry fled, and the people would suffer. Emperor Daoguang took his advice and ordered them to continue to protect Kaifeng. As a result, Niu Jian joined hands with the public to build dams and heighten them. In a few days, the flood subsided and the Yellow River returned to its course. The fight against the flood finally won.

The performance of Liangjiang governor's Niu Jian in the first Opium War: on the 8th of may in the 22nd year of Daoguang (1842), more than 70 British warships launched an attack on Wusongkou. Chen Huacheng, commander in chief, commanded the garrison to resist bravely and sink them

Chinese PinYin : Niu Jian