Imperial Patent
Text of an imperial patent, dated 15 September 1894, conferring official titles on Seah Eu Chin and his wives. The original document was not preserved, but the text was transcribed by Phua Chay Long in his book “Malaiya Chaoqiao Tongjian”.
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奉天誥命
皇帝制曰𠵌篤靖共入官必資於敬功歸誨迪猶子亦教以忠爱沛國思用揚庭爾佘邦從迺道員職銜加四級佘勉然之父躬修士行代啟儒風抱璞自珍克毓圭璋之秀析薪能荷聿彰杞樟之良茲以覃恩贈爾為資政大夫錫之誥命於戲昭令聞於經赢義万久著佩徽章於策府禮秩優加茂典丕承榮名益劭
制曰移孝作忠懋簡勞臣之績推思錫類式揚賢母之名載賁榮綸用宣懿範爾陳
陳氏迺道員職銜加四級佘勉然之繼母
母早嫻典則夙著規型敬以從夫宜室聿徵其順德勤於訓子備官一本於慈祥茲以覃恩封
贈爾為夫人於戲荷彩翟之大章徽益暢被彤毫之仙藻惠聞常流祇服寵光彌昭貞靜
光緒二十年八月十六日
The following comment from Phua follows the text:
編者按:右件係杜君醉農之戚得於其友者，其友則得自舊物堆中，已破碎不堪，再三辨認，始能抄錄，茲附於佘有進先生傳略後，藉存其史實云爾。
Notes
- 佘邦從 - Genealogical name of Seah Eu Chin
- 佘勉然 - Genealogical name of Seah Liang Seah. The middle character of these names follows the genealogical poem of the Seah clan.
- 資政大夫 - Grand Master for Assisting towards Good Governance, honorary title of the 2nd upper rank granted to civil officials (Hucker 7524)
- 夫人 - Mistress, formally used as a title for wives or mothers of civil officials of 1st or 2nd rank (Hucker 2066)
- There is a discrepancy between the ranks recorded here, which are of the 2nd rank in the Qing official grade system, and those recorded on the grave inscription, which are of the 4th grade.
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