min's death. 81 Min was mounted on a splendid charger named Jooloong, which could run 1000 li a day I In his right hand he held a double-edged sword ; and in his left a long spear, hooked and barbed at the point. With these weapons he slew over 300 Yen men. Seeing the Yen standard floating before him; and making sure it covered the Yen commander, he dashed his horse at it When he was thus hotly engaged, apparently much more than a match for Go in single combat, — surrounded by enemies, and closely followed by his own men, all of whom had their eyes and attention eagerly directed to their Homeric chief — ^the reserve divisions of Go flew upon his flanks, and with the first charge threw them into disorder, and drove them into a disastrous flight. Another victory of brain over bravery. Wei was soon surrounded by a deep circle of foes ; through which, however, he cleft his way, and fled eastwards for twenty li, when the gallant and faithful Jooloong sickened and died. He was then seized, and with other commanders sent on to Eichow. Tsao, one of his sons, got to Lookow. Jwun saved the prince of Wei alive ; but asked him how he had dared assume the title of emperor. He replied that the empire was in utter confusion. And if, he continued, *' a barbarian like you, who are as ignorant as the birds and beasts,* can assume that title, how much more a brave Chinaman." The reply gained him the anger of Jwun, and three hundred lashes, with transportation to Loongchung, where he was shortly after put to death. But as the summer set in with a great drought, followed by swarms of locusts, which ate «p eveiything, Jwun beUeved it was the spirit of Min taking revenge, and therefore built a sacrificial temple for him ! He ofiered sacrifice to the departed and troublesome spirit, and gave him the posthumous title of "The Brave Warrior, thd Heavenly King. Almost all the cities of Wei now acknowledged Yen except
- 'Iiike the birds and beasts" is a common Chinese simile for barbarians, and
means that, like the animals, there is no knowledge of etiquette or propriety. Min would not have used that simile had the Yen men been the equals of Chinese in litecatore and civilization, and we must infer that thej were still semi-barbarons.
