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A Chinese Biographical Dictionary
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length on the duties of members of the Han-lin College, and the 文忠集, a collation of various issues of the writings of Ou-yang Hsiu. Was ennobled as Duke, and canonised as 文忠.

421 Chou Po-ch'i 周伯琦 (T. 伯溫). Died A.D.? 1370. A native of Jao-chou in Kiangsi, who by 1352 had risen to be Vice President of the Board of War, and in 1357 was sent to put down the rebellion of Chang Shih-ch'êng. He was detained in the rebel lines for over ten years; and on the collapse of the movement before the arms of the first Emperor of the Ming dynasty, he returned to his home, where he shortly afterwards died. A man of profound learning, he was the author of the 六書正譌, a work on orthography, and also of the 說文字原, on the sources of the characters in the Shuo Wên.

422 Chou P'o 周勃. Died B.C. 169. A native of 卷 Chüan in Honan, who removed to P'ei in Kiangsu, where he supported himself by composing popular songs, blowing the trumpet at funerals, etc. Attracting the notice of Liu Pang, future founder of the Han dynasty, he soon received a command, and by his unflinching integrity ere long obtained the full confidence of his patron, honours and rewards being showered upon him. Upon the death of the Empress Lü Hou in B.C. 179, there was a conspiracy among the members of her family to raise one of their own number to the throne. Chou P'o thereupon proceeded to the army and notified the soldiers that all in favour of the Empress's family were to bare their right arms, while all in favour of the direct Imperial line were to bare their left arms. To a man the soldiers declared in favour of the latter, and Chou P'o at once caused the Princes of the Lü family to be put to death. Placing the rightful heir upon the throne, he served as Minister of State for eighteen months, and then retired; but on the death of Ch'ên P'ing he again took office. Later on he was accused of treason,