Huang Chengxuan (1564–1620; the year of his death is also given as 1619) was a political figure of the Ming dynasty. His courtesy name was Lüchang and his sobriquet Yucan; his name is also found as Huang Chengyuan. His place of origin is variously given as Jiaxing, Xiushui, and the Suzhou Guard; his registered domicile was the Jiaxing Central Left Thousand-Household Battalion (in present-day Jiaxing, Zhejiang), and one account gives his ancestral origin as Xingan, Jiangxi.
Family and examinations
Huang Chengxuan was the son of Huang Hongxian, the grandson of Huang Zeng, and the great-grandson of Huang Henian; his mother was a member of the Shen family. His younger brothers were Huang Chenghao and Huang Chengqian, his wife was a member of the Tu family, and his son was Huang Shenxi.
In 1582, the tenth year of the Wanli era, he placed 65th in the Renwu Shuntian provincial examination. In 1586, the fourteenth year of Wanli, he placed 291st in the metropolitan examination and received the jinshi degree in the second class, seventh place; his examination ranks are also given as 191 among provincial tribute graduates and 65 among licentiates.
Official career
After the 1586 examination, he observed affairs in the Ministry of War, was appointed to the Waterways Office of the Ministry of Works (工部都水司主事), and was sent to administer the Zhangqiu River. He was later promoted to yuanwailang and langzhong in the 營膳司 and placed in charge of the Zhangqiu, Huai, and Xu waterways. While serving as a waterways official, he took part in the Zhangqiu dredging proposal, which was said to have begun with him.
He subsequently served as military preparedness vice commissioner at Jining in Shandong, Right Regional Administration Commissioner in Huguang, and Left Regional Administration Commissioner in Jiangxi. In 1606 he became Surveillance Commissioner of Guangxi and was soon transferred to Jiangxi; in 1609 he became Right Provincial Administration Commissioner of Henan. As the Huxi judicial commissioner, he repaired the Meilin and Yuxia routes, regularized the grain provisions for Yongxin's agricultural garrisons, and tightened the regulations of the Wan'an garrison; after becoming the Right Administrator of Zhongzhou, he eliminated supervisory-rent quotas, and as Left Administrator in Guanzhong he reduced the annual quota.
In April 1614 he became Prefect of Yingtian; the following year he was promoted to Right Vice Censor and appointed governor of Fujian, where he gained a reputation for effective service. He requested retirement in 1617, later returned home and died; the year of his death is also given as 1619. He was posthumously granted the rank of Left Vice Minister of Works.
Works and correspondence
His works include the 《盟鷗堂集》, 《北河紀略》, and 《河漕通考》; the first is in thirty juan. He sent letters to Shen Li, Gu Xiancheng, and Gu Yuncheng.
References
- CBDB Huang Chengxuan (131392)
- 搜韵 黃承玄 (55700)
- Wikidata Huang Chengxuan (Q11176366)