Zhang Daoxiang

Zhang Daoxiang, also known as Zhuocun, was born in Pengcheng, Jiangnan (now Xuzhou, Jiangsu). In the 13th year of Kangxi's reign (1674), he was appointed as the director of Yanping Road and stationed in Daizhou.
Daoxiang has a kind and righteous character, and has been governing for ten years. He has implemented many beneficial policies, promoted innovation, and even spared no expense if it benefits the local people. During the years of Gengshen and Xinyou (1680-1681), Daizhou suffered from famine and poor harvests, and the people suffered from famine. Daoxiang offered his own salary of several thousand dollars, and three tents were set up to cook Congee for the hungry. He also bought grain and rice from Hedong and Changshan, sold them at a fair price, and saved many lives.
Daoxiang attaches great importance to cultural undertakings, builds temples and schools, encourages reading, and works tirelessly. Donate 1700 taels of silver to build the Daizhou Examination Institute and Volunteer School. Daizhou is more than 300 miles away from the provincial capital, and according to the usual practice, students are required to take exams at the end of their term. The old examination institute in Daizhou is located in the northeast of the city, which has been in disrepair for many years and has been destroyed and collapsed; When students rush to take exams, they set up temporary shelters with worn-out tables and chairs, which are all borrowed from the public. Even if they are returned after the exam, they will be severely damaged, and the shelters are not enough to shelter from the wind and rain. Therefore, citizens suffer and students suffer. After multiple discussions on resuming the construction of the school dormitory, unfortunately due to insufficient financial resources, we will no longer discuss further. Dao Xiang generously took on the responsibility alone and said, "The emperor appointed officials to promote the interests of the people and eliminate evil
Immediately choose the abandoned land on the right side of the Zhenwu Guard Office, and let the craftsmen measure the terrain and plan the working hours, cut down trees, excavate rocks, and build the imperial examination institute and volunteer school. Ten storefronts were built along the street and rented to merchants to collect rent, which was used to provide support for the free school teachers, resulting in additional expenses. Dao Xiang wrote an inscription himself, saying: "In the forty years since the renewal of the dynasty, the scholar envoy has arrived in this township, leading a group of officials to study and recruit scholars. The township has endured the fatigue of building tents and mats, and the children have suffered the pain of wind and rain. Therefore, I donated funds to bear such good deeds alone. The total cost of labor, craftsmanship, soil, wood, bricks, slabs, tiles, and stones is more than 1735 taels of silver.
Starting from Renshu (1682, the 21st year of Kangxi's reign), it was completed in June of Guihai (1683), and the matter was declared to the governor and recorded on stone Zhang Yu, a local resident of Dai County Middle School, wrote in an article: "The scholars in this township have discussed multiple times about restoring the construction, but finally failed to achieve their goal. Duke (Daoxiang) successfully built it at once, without using a single citizen or collecting a penny. The large number of craftsmen, materials, and the cost of hiring workers, nearly two thousand silver, all come from personal salaries, without any hesitation. This is something that ordinary people find difficult to do. When people find it difficult to do it, Duke easily achieved it. Isn't his ambition far beyond others'?" This evaluation is very accurate. (This article is published in the "Guangxu Edition" and "Daizhou Chronicles")
Later, Daoxiang was promoted to the position of the Inspector of Hunan. When he left the province to take office, the scholars of Daizhou were deeply attached to him.