Weng Tung-ho

Weng Xincun was a tutor of the Daoguang Emperor's sons, Yihui and Yihe. However, in 1861, a coup took place, bringing about the deposition of Sushun and his faction, and the new government, led by Prince Gong, Empress Dowager Ci'an and Empress Dowager Cixi, placed the senior Weng to high office. In 1865, Weng was appointed as a tutor to the Tongzhi Emperor, joining another tutor by the name of Wo Ren, as well as a lecturer to the two empress dowagers. The Tongzhi Emperor formally took over the reins of power from his regents in 1873 but died two years later. Weng had apparently been exonerated from the disastrous failure of the education of the Tongzhi Emperor, as he was appointed as a tutor to the Tongzhi Emperor's successor, the Guangxu Emperor. Along with his role as tutor, Weng accrued increased political power, occupying several important posts in the Qing administration, including Vice President and later President of the Board of Revenue, Director of the Censorate and President of the Board of Punishments. He also served on the Grand Council 1882–84 and participated in decisions made in the First Sino-Japanese War. Weng was also known for being a patron of Kang Youwei, a man whom he began to dissociate with by the spring of 1898, and in light of this connection, it has been argued that Empress Dowager Cixi removed him from office. However, apparently it was the Guangxu Emperor himself who removed Weng from office in June 1898 after they got into a quarrel. Weng is the great-great-grandfather of Wango Weng (翁萬戈; 1918–2020), a well-known art historian, art collector, calligrapher, film maker and poet, who inherited many of the artistic masterpieces collected by Weng Tonghe, and who has donated many of them to major museums.

The recorded working language is Classical Chinese and Old Mandarin. Places of work recorded in the authority are People's Republic of China and Qing dynasty. Positions recorded include Minister of Justice and Minister of Works of the Qing dynasty. Work by Weng Tung-ho is recorded in the collections of Ashmolean Museum, National Museum of World Cultures, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Yale University Art Gallery and Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts.

• Honorific Prefix — Imperial tutor • Name — Weng Tonghe • Office — Grand Councilor • Term Start — 13 November 1894 • Term End — 15 June 1898 • Term Start1 — 14 December 1882 • Term End1 — 8 April 1884 • Office2 — Assistant Grand Secretary • Term Start2 — 1897 • Term End2 — 1898 • Office3 — Minister of Revenue • Term Start3 — 3 January 1886 • Term End3 — 15 June 1898 • Alongside3 — Fukun (until 1892), Xijing (1892–1895), Jingxin (since 1895) • Predecessor3 — Yan Jingming • Successor3 — Wang Wenshao • Office4 — Minister of Works • Term Start4 — 18 June 1879 • Term End4 — 3 January 1886 • Alongside4 — Quanqing (until 1880), Ruilian (1880–1883), Linshu (1883–1884), Fukun (since 1884) • Predecessor4 — Pan Zuyin • Successor4 — Pan Zuyin • Office5 — Minister of Justice • Term Start5 — 17 February • Term End5 — 18 June 1879 • Alongside5 — Wenyu • Predecessor5 — Sang Chunrong • Successor5 — Pan Zuyin • Blank1 — Courtesy name • Data1 — Shuping (叔平) • Blank2 — Art name • Data2 — Songchan (松禪) • Blank3 — Posthumous name • Data3 — Wengong (文恭) • Education — Jinshi degree in the Imperial Examination • Born — 19 May 1830 • Birthplace — Changshu, Jiangsu, Qing Empire • Died — 4 July 1904 • Place of death — Beijing, Qing Empire • Occupation — Politician • Parents — Weng Xinchun (翁心存; father) • Relations — Weng Tongshu (翁同書; elder brother) Weng Tonghe (1830–1904), courtesy name Shuping (叔平), was a Chinese Confucian scholar and imperial tutor who lived in the Qing dynasty. In 1856, he obtained the position of zhuangyuan (or top scholar) in the imperial examination and was subsequently admitted to the prestigious Hanlin Academy. Weng's father, Weng Xincun, was an official who had been persecuted by an influential faction in the Qing imperial court led by Sushun. Weng Xincun was a tutor of the Daoguang Emperor's sons, Yihui and Yihe. However, in 1861, a coup took place, bringing about the deposition of Sushun and his faction, and the new government, led by Prince Gong, Empress Dowager Ci'an and Empress Dowager Cixi, placed the senior Weng to high office. In 1865, Weng was appointed as a tutor to the Tongzhi Emperor, joining another tutor by the name of Wo Ren, as well as a lecturer to the two empress dowagers. The Tongzhi Emperor formally took over the reins of power from his regents in 1873 but died two years later. Weng had apparently been exonerated from the disastrous failure of the education of the Tongzhi Emperor, as he was appointed as a tutor to the Tongzhi Emperor's successor, the Guangxu Emperor. As a tutor to the Guangxu Emperor, Weng emphasized the boy-emperor's filial duties to Empress Dowager Cixi, making her an object of fear and reverence for him. Along with his role as tutor, Weng accrued increased political power, occupying several important posts in the Qing administration, including Vice President and later President of the Board of Revenue, Director of the Censorate and President of the Board of Punishments. He also served on the Grand Council 1882–84 and participated in decisions made in the First Sino-Japanese War. Weng was also known for being a patron of Kang Youwei, a man whom he began to dissociate with by the spring of 1898, and in light of this connection, it has been argued that Empress Dowager Cixi removed him from office. However, apparently it was the Guangxu Emperor himself who removed Weng from office in June 1898 after they got into a quarrel. Weng is the great-great-grandfather of Wango Weng (翁萬戈; 1918–2020), a well-known art historian, art collector, calligrapher, film maker and poet, who inherited many of the artistic masterpieces collected by Weng Tonghe, and who has donated many of them to major museums.