BOTANICON SINICUM. 73 
It has much attracted the attention of European botanists and 
sinologues in China, and is now to be found, I think, in all the 
great libraries of Europe. 
SR Lj Wu K% siin, the author of this elaborate botanical 
work, was a scholar and functionary of high distinction during 
the present dynasty.* He was a native of KG Ku shi hien, in 
Southern Honan. His literary name was 1% F§ Yu chai, but in 
his work he generally styles himself Se it Yi lou nung, the 
husbandman of Yii lou.” He entered public life in 1817, 
After taking his degree as first-class graduate he commenced his 
career as Han lin compiler. In 1819 he was appointed Chief 
Examiner in Kuang tung. In 1831 he entered the Imperial 
College of Inscriptions; in 1832 he was sent to the province of 
Hu pei as Provincial Director of Education; and in 1834 he 
returned to Peking where he successively held several high offices 
(Director of the State Ceremonial, Sub-Chancellor of the Grand 
Secretariat, Vice-President of the Board of Rites). In 1837 he 
was appointed Provincial Director of Education in Kiang si, and 
in 1888 Provincial Examiner in Che kiang. Subsequently we find 
him again in the capital as Senior Vice-President of the Board of 
War, and a year later he held the same office in the Board of 
Revenue. In 1840 he had risen to be Acting Governor General 
of Hu kuang, and in the same year he was made Governor of 
Hunan. In 1842 he fought successfully against the rebels in his 
province, and soon after this fell ill. In 1843 he was transferred 
as Governor to Che kiang, and in the same year appointed 
Governor of Yiin nan. He subsequently administered the pro- 
Vinces of Yiin nan and Kwei chou as Acting Governor General, 
but in 1845 he was aguin removed and transferred to Fu kien as 
Governor. Soon after he held the same office in Shansi. In 1846 
25 I have myself procured at different times in Peking several copies of it, which 
Were sent to London, Paris, Berlin, the United States of America, etc. Fifteen years 
ago its price in Peking was $13, but now it can hardly be obtained here for less than 
$30, although it is not a very rare book, 
26 The biographical details here presented are drawn from a memorandum compiled 
from official sources and communicated to one of my friends in Peking by an officer of 
the Tsung li ya men, 7 Gaeie 
mA Yi lou is an ancient name of a district in the province of An hui (Lu Kiang 
)» ee 
