upon as one of the guardians of the river banks, and is alluded to in official documents as Jj^ ^ ^ . Canonised as ^ ^ .
1239
Li Yftan ^ ^ (T. ;fe ^ ). A.D. 565- 685. The founder of
the T^ang dynasty, descended from a Prince of the Western Liang
State. His grandfather was ennobled as Duke under the Western
Wei dynasty, and his father obtained the same title from the
Northern Chon. He was a native of Ch'Ang-chi in Shansi, and was
Commandant at T'ai-yQan in 616 when through the counsel of
his second son, Li Shih-min, he rose against the Sui dynasty.
Pretending alliance with Li fti he adyanced eastward, and after
taking Gh'ang-an set up the puppet known in history as Rung
Ti, who abdicated in his fayour in 618. The exertions of Li Shih-
min cleared away the numerous rival pretenders to the empire,
while Li Y^an improved the government and reformed taxation
and coinage. In 626 he abdicated in favour of Li Shih-min. He is
said to have won his wife, the beautiful daughter of Ton I, by
shooting a match for her, the target being painted to resemble a
peacock, both eyes of which were put out by Li THan's arrows.
Canonised as |i( ^ ^ ^ , with the temple name of "^ |^ .
See Wei Ching.
1240 Xii YtLan-ming ^yc^- ^^^ ^^^^' A.D. A famous Magistrate of Shan-yin in Chehkiang. At the expiration of his most successful ^^rm of office, the incoming Magistrate asked for a few hints. *'Eat c^nly one pint of rice a day,*' replied Li Tuan-ming, **and drink ^o vnne."
1241
HJ YtUm-tu ^TC M (T- 3^ W)- A-^- 1821-1887. A native
^:>f P4ng-chiang in Hunan. Graduated as chu jen in 1848. In 1860
lie raised a body of 8,000 volunteers against the T'ai-p'ing rebels,
^nd rose to be Judge for the province of Fuhkien ; but in November
of the same year he was cashiered for his ill-success. Ts^ng Euo-
fan and others memorialised in his favour, and in 1865 he was
