A Chineae Biographical Dictionary 307
Pin, who when his father was sick, cared him by reciting the Canon of Filial Piety for three consecutive days and nights. Canonised as
781 Hsü Mien (T. ). Died A.D. 585. A native of modern Eiangsu, who took a high degree and rose in 507 to be President of the Board of Civil Office under the Liang dynasty. As a child he was extremely precocious, and when only six years old composed a prayer for fine weather. ^ ^ ^ Hsfl Hsiao-ssti said of him, "He is a unicorn among men, and will certainly travel far;" meaning that he would rise high in the public service. His powers of application were marvellous. He could carry on a conversation while writing dispatches. He was so rarely at home ihat the dogs barked at him as at a stranger. He despised wealth, and distributed his salary among his poorer friends and relatives. He was fond of exclaiming, "Others bequeath to their children wealth; to mine I bequeath an unsallied reputation." Canonised as MM-
782 Hsü Mo (T. ^ ^f ). Died A.D. 249. He was a secretary in a Board under the great Ts'ao Ts'ao, and served under the two Emperors who succeeded him , rising to the highest offices of State. In 242 he was appointed President of the Board of Works, but was prevented by age and infirmity from accepting the post and retired into private life. He was contemporary with Ts'ai Yung, whose fame as a winebibber he rivalled i if not eclipsed. Even when the use of liquor was altogether forbidden under the severest penalties, he was unable to resist the temptation of getting occasionally drunk. Canonised as
783 Hsü Mo . A.D. 343-397. A native of ;^ ^ Tung- kuan in Shantung, and elder brother of Hsfl Euang. He was of Tery prepossessing appearance and of marked literary capacity, and
became a prime favourite with the Emperor Hsiao Wu of the
