553 Fang Hsüan-ling 房玄齡 (T. 喬). A.D. 578-648. A native of 臨淄 Lin-tzŭ in Shantung, who exhibited great precocity of intellect and was called 國器, i.e. something that would be of service to the State. He joined the Emperor T'ai Tsung while the latter was still Prince of Ch'in, and was at once received into favour. In 628 he became Lord High Chamberlain, and in 630 he was appointed to supervise the compilation of the History of the Chin Dynasty. Five years later, on his retiring from Court in consequence of some slight rebuke, the Emperor went in person to fetch him back; in such high estimation was he held as a loyal and able adviser. During his last illness he was attended to in the palace, and his dying request was that the disastrous war with Korea might be abandoned. He was ennobled as Duke, and canonised as 文昭. See Tu Ju-hui.
554
Fang Kuan-ch'êng 方觀承 (T. 宜田. H. 問亭). A.D. 1698-1768. His father being banished to the Amoor, Fang was brought up in a temple. In 1733 he served in a campaign against the Sungans and rose by 1749 to be Viceroy of Chihli, which post he held until his death. He devoted himself to improving the condition of the people by establishing granaries, conserving waterways, and reforming the grain-transport. In spite of Imperial progresses, and of troops for Burmah and the west passing through his province, the people were never oppressed. Many famous men of the day owed their promotion to his keen insight. And his early travels having given him a wide knowledge of the wants of the empire, he was always loth to yield to the theoretical views of the Peking Boards. Canonised as 格敏.
555
Fang Kuo-chên 方國珍. Died A.D. 1374. A farmer of T'ai-chou in Kiangsu, devoted to athletic exercises. In 1319 he took to piracy, on account of a fatal quarrel with his landlord. In 1348 he submitted and received a post; but he soon returned to piracy,
