seals of office, he remarked that one of his late lictors had seized the opportunity to get drank, and said to him, "When I come back here, I will punish you!" Thereupon the drunken man laughingly retorted
- Your Honour may come back again
- And iron ships may cross the main.
Strange to say Chia Yü was re-appointed to fHsien-yu, and detected the said lictor embezzling public money. He added to his sentence these words:— "Copper cash are not cast for purposes of peculation; there are iron ships, not made with hands, which are able to cross the sea."
329
Chiang Ch'ên 姜宸 (T. 西溟 and 湛園). A.D. 1627-1699. A native of Chehkiang, noted in his youth for poetical
talents, calligraphy, and general knowledge of ancient literature.
Summoned to Court, he was employed upon the history of the
Mings; besides which, he wrote works on river conservancy and
sea-walls, poems, and essays. He graduated only in 1697, when
he was already 70 years of age.
330 Chiang Chung-i 江忠義 (T. 味根 1884-1868. Volunteered in 1852 to fight against the T'ai-p'ing rebels in Hunan, and raised himself by his own exertions to the rank of Taot'ai, receiving the distinction of baturu in 1859. In 1860—61 he successfully opposed Shih Ta-k'ai, and kept him out of Hunan. Was then appointed acting Governor of Kueichon, but did not proceed. In 1862 he acted as Commander-in-chief in Kueichon and Kuangsi. In 1868 he crushed the rebels in Kangsi and won great victories in Anhui, which services were rewarded with the Yellow Jacket. He died on his way to Nan-ch'ang. Was canonised as 誠恪
331
Chiang Chung-yüan 江忠源 (T. 岷樵). A.D. 1811-
1854. A native of Hunan, who was Education Officer at 新甯
