譚(tan)鐘麟(1822-1905),湖南茶(cha)陵人(ren),清末政(zheng)(zheng)治人(ren)物。是咸(xian)豐六年(nian)(nian)(nian)(1856年(nian)(nian)(nian))進(jin)士,年(nian)(nian)(nian)輕時曾游歷陜(shan)(shan)(shan)西(xi),對(dui)陜(shan)(shan)(shan)西(xi)的(de)(de)(de)風土人(ren)情有(you)所(suo)了解(jie)。同治十年(nian)(nian)(nian)(1871年(nian)(nian)(nian)),由陜(shan)(shan)(shan)甘(gan)總(zong)督左宗棠(tang)奏準調(diao)入(ru)陜(shan)(shan)(shan)西(xi),出(chu)任陜(shan)(shan)(shan)西(xi)布(bu)政(zheng)(zheng)使(shi),不久便護理巡(xun)撫(fu)。來陜(shan)(shan)(shan)任職前,陜(shan)(shan)(shan)西(xi)曾發生(sheng)回(hui)民起義,回(hui)漢矛盾尖銳,許多回(hui)民難以為生(sheng)。他(ta)(ta)到任后,解(jie)除了不許回(hui)民出(chu)城(cheng)的(de)(de)(de)禁令,并指示各府縣秉公處理回(hui)漢訴訟,贏(ying)得陜(shan)(shan)(shan)西(xi)回(hui)民贊(zan)譽。他(ta)(ta)重視教育,對(dui)建(jian)于明(ming)萬歷二(er)十年(nian)(nian)(nian)(1592年(nian)(nian)(nian))、已(yi)有(you)兩百余年(nian)(nian)(nian)歷史、當時卻幾近關閉的(de)(de)(de)關中(zhong)(zhong)書(shu)院,下大(da)力氣進(jin)行整頓,參照朱子白(bai)鹿洞書(shu)院的(de)(de)(de)規章和課程設置,修(xiu)訂了關中(zhong)(zhong)書(shu)院的(de)(de)(de)課程,并提出(chu)重躬(gong)行、講經(jing)義、稽(ji)史事、通(tong)時務、嚴(yan)課程五(wu)項辦(ban)學要求,使(shi)關中(zhong)(zhong)書(shu)院重新(xin)振(zhen)興。他(ta)(ta)還注重實業,督導興修(xiu)水利,疏(shu)通(tong)白(bai)公渠;發放蠶種(zhong)(zhong)紙,鼓勵百姓(xing)種(zhong)(zhong)桑養(yang)蠶,使(shi)陜(shan)(shan)(shan)西(xi)絲織業大(da)興。光(guang)緒元年(nian)(nian)(nian)三月(yue)十五(wu)日(1875年(nian)(nian)(nian)4月(yue)20日)實授陜(shan)(shan)(shan)西(xi)巡(xun)撫(fu),賞一品(pin)頂(ding)戴并賞頂(ding)戴花翎(ling)。三年(nian)(nian)(nian)(1877年(nian)(nian)(nian))陜(shan)(shan)(shan)西(xi)大(da)旱(han)。譚(tan)鐘麟奏請緩征蒲城(cheng)、綏(sui)德(de)等49廳州縣本年(nian)(nian)(nian)未征和舊欠錢糧(liang);急調(diao)各州縣社倉庫糧(liang)賑(zhen)濟(ji)災民;本省賑(zhen)糧(liang)不敷(fu),他(ta)(ta)通(tong)過朝廷向閩、粵(yue)海關借銀,解(jie)決向外省購糧(liang)、運糧(liang)所(suo)需(xu)經(jing)費。賑(zhen)災中(zhong)(zhong),他(ta)(ta)嚴(yan)禁囤積居奇(qi),嚴(yan)懲肥私官(guan)吏,使(shi)災年(nian)(nian)(nian)平穩(wen)渡過。
光緒五年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1879年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))秋調(diao)任浙江(jiang)巡撫,加兵部尚書銜。他(ta)派人清查土地,核實漕平,更定厘稅,治浚河(he)(he)道,鼓勵商(shang)運,修筑炮(pao)臺,重(zhong)建文(wen)瀾閣(ge)并珍藏乾隆帝(di)賜(si)予的“四(si)庫(ku)全書”,名(ming)震一(yi)方。兩(liang)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)后,調(diao)任陜甘(gan)總督。為準備(bei)新(xin)疆(jiang)建立行省,他(ta)于(yu)八年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1882年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))曾奏(zou)請(qing)在新(xin)疆(jiang)南(nan)路設置丞倅牧令道員(yuan);十(shi)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1884年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))新(xin)疆(jiang)正式建省后,他(ta)為改變每年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)向(xiang)新(xin)疆(jiang)調(diao)運糧餉征(zheng)用大(da)批民車的做法(fa),專(zhuan)設官車局,減(jian)輕了(le)百(bai)姓負擔。為解決鹽販哄抬鹽價問(wen)題(ti),他(ta)制訂就場征(zheng)課法(fa),使食鹽價格下降。還在蘭州(zhou)創建求古書院,在甘(gan)州(zhou)(今甘(gan)肅張掖)創建河(he)(he)西精舍,選拔文(wen)人學者著書講學。十(shi)一(yi)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1885年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))中法(fa)戰(zhan)爭爆發(fa)(fa)。他(ta)上奏(zou)朝廷,請(qing)求率軍(jun)迎敵,未(wei)允。十(shi)四(si)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1888年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))黃河(he)(he)決口,主動籌集(ji)60萬兩(liang)白(bai)銀(yin)援助河(he)(he)南(nan)修堤、賑災。任陜甘(gan)總督六(liu)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)半(ban),陜甘(gan)文(wen)化和經(jing)濟均有發(fa)(fa)展,庫(ku)儲銀(yin)百(bai)余(yu)萬兩(liang),各州(zhou)縣積谷(gu)數百(bai)萬石,比他(ta)就任時增(zeng)長(chang)十(shi)倍以上。同年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1888年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))以目疾(ji)開缺回籍養病(bing)。
十(shi)(shi)七年(nian)(1891年(nian))春奉旨入京(jing),以尚書(shu)銜補吏部左侍郎,后歷(li)任戶部左侍郎、工(gong)部尚書(shu)、閩浙總督(du)、四川總督(du)等職。二十(shi)(shi)年(nian)(1894年(nian))加賞太(tai)子少(shao)保(bao)銜。二十(shi)(shi)一年(nian)(1895年(nian))春調(diao)任兩(liang)廣總督(du),殘酷(ku)鎮壓了孫中山領導的乙未廣州起義。二十(shi)(shi)五年(nian) (1899年(nian)),上(shang)諭令譚鐘麟赴(fu)北(bei)京(jing)覲見,次年(nian)李鴻(hong)章實授(shou)兩(liang)廣總督(du)。三(san)十(shi)(shi)一年(nian)(1905年(nian)),譚鐘麟逝世,終年(nian)83歲(sui),謚文勤。