Wong Hsin-tsun, who was a Grand Secretary and a scholar of great reputation in the carly part of the present century, impressed upon his sons the great im: portance of establishing a family property on the system advocated by Fang Ch'ung-yen, the celebrated scholar and statesman of the Sung dynasty. The Grand Secretary's son, Wong T'ung-chuo, carefully bore in mind his father's advice, and when he rose to be Governor of Hupeh, heaved a portion of his salary and allowances for a number of years in order to give practical effect to the Suggestion. Unfortunately, however, he died at his post before he could carry out his intentions, and it has been left to his son, who is an expectant Prefect, to fulfil the wishes so long cherished by his father and grandfather. He has accordingly purchased at his native place in Chol 1,000 mow of ground at a cost of Tls. 8,458, and on this he has erected a homestead containing 26 chien of buildings. Regulations have been drawn up for the management of the estate, the profits derived from which are to be devoted to the support and education of all deserving mem! of the ancestral clan. Ordinary persons who give a donation of Tls. 1,600 or upwards in land or grain for the benefit of their poor relatives receive permission to erect a portal in their own honour bearing an inscription commemorating their bene-valence. During the last twenty or thirty years, however, there have been several instances where officials of high rank who have made liberal provision for the members of their clan, have been granted an Imperial tablet with an inscription written by the Emperor. The latest. cases of the kind are those of Hsii Keng-shen and Hsii Yung-i, both high officials and Chekiang men, still living. It is suggested that the principle of making a distinction in favour of high officials might be extended to Wong Téung-chia whose untimely death revented him from realising the object he lad cherished through life.—Rescript granting an Imperial tablet already published.
3rd November.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.