laid tip a store of merit which was shortly to stand him in
good stead. Graduating with his brother as chin shih he rose to the highest offices of State, and was ennobled as Doke. Canonised as (
Chinese characters).
1833
Song Hung (Chinese characters) (T. (Chinese characters) ) 1st cent. B.C. and A.D. A
native of Ch'ang-an, who was in the public service before Wang
Mang usurped the throne, and afterwards served him as Minister
of Public Works. He became Minister of State under the Emperor
Kuang Wu Ti, and in A.D. 26 was ennobled as Marquis. His
Majesty now wished him to put away his wife, who was a woman
of the people, and marry a Princess; to which he nobly replied,
"Sire, the partner of my porridge days shall never go down from
my hall." Five years later he fell into disfavour, and was compelled to retire into private life.
1834
Sung I (Chinese characters). 2nd and 3rd cent. B.C. A Minister of the Ch'u
State, who when Hsiang Liang was too elated by his successes
against the Ch'ins, warned him not to give way to pride. "Cride
in a commander," said he, "begets negligence among his troops,
and defeat follows." His words were fulfilled at the battle of Ting-t'ao (see Chang Han), after which Prince ^ Huai appointed him
Generalissimo of the northern army, and sent him to the relief of
Chü-lu. For some unaccountable reason he delayed his troops no less than forty-six days at An-yang, until at length Hsiang Chi, who was second in command, remonstrated with him on such loss of time. This not seeming to produce any effect, Hsiang Chi
proceeded next day to his tent and cut off his head, immediately
proclaiming himself Commander-in-chief in his stead. Sung I was
nicknamed by his troops the (Chinese characters) Civilian Soldier.
1835
Sung Jo-Ohao (Chinese characters). Died A.D. 825. A female scholar and
authoress of the T'ang dynasty. She was one of five clever sisters,
all of whom, except herself, entered the palace of the Emperor
