Yuan Chang (official)
Yuan Chang, courtesy name Shuangqiu, was a politician and poet of Qing dynasty. He was a prominent figure of the "Tong–Guang genre", a poetry genre popular during the Tongzhi and Guangxu era.
He obtained the jinshi in the imperial examination and was appointed the Main Adviser of the Ministry of Revenue in 1867. Later he had served as the Military Secretary of the Ministry of Zongli Yamen, editor of Collected Statutes Institute, assistant director of Jiangxi Department of the Ministry of Revenue and other positions. He was appointed the intendant of Hui–Ning–Chi–Tai-Guang Circuit in 1892. During his term, he carried out tax reforms, built water conservancy projects, set up post office, and established academies. As a believer of Chinese Learning as Substance, [Western Learning for Application|ti-yong idea], he established several practical learning new departments in Zhongjiang Academy in Wuhu, such as Confucian classics, Xingli, geomancy and fortune-telling, Physics.
In 1898 he was promoted to the Judicial Commissioner of Shaanxi, Before taking office, he was made the Administrative Commissioner of Jiangning then transferred to Zhili. He was appointed the Minister of Zongli Yamen, the Minister of Court of Imperial Entertainments, then the Minister of Court of Imperial Sacrifices.
The Boxers launched a rebellion in Shandong and massacred foreign priests. Empress Dowager Cixi held an imperial meeting in Yiluan Palace and planned to use the Boxers to start a war against the Westerners. Yuan Chang, Xu Jingcheng, and Lishan firmly opposed war with Westerners and believed that declaring war against Western countries would lead to defeat. Yuan Chang issued two memorials, arguing that rebels should not be indulged and foreign envoys should not be killed. However, Cixi did not respond. He and Xu Jingcheng jointly signed a memorial to impeach Prince Duan and other ministers who had caused the turmoil. Before the memorial could be delivered, Prince Duan preemptively detained him at home.
Yuan Chang and Xu Jingcheng were dismissed from office and later, executed on 28 July 1900. During the negotiations for the Boxer Protocol, Xu Yongyi, Lishan, Xu Jingcheng, Lianyuan and Yuan Chang were posthumously rehabilitated by Qing dynasty. Yuan was given the posthumous name "Zhongjie".