the i^mrpation of Wang Mang he had taken refiige at ^ jj^ Ping-lin, where he managed to collect a band of followers. Upon the defeat of the usurper, who was* then attacked by Liu Hsin and his brother, he received the title of the J^ ffy King Shih General , and was immediately afterwards proclaimed Emperor with E6ng Shih as his year-title. He transferred his capital from Lo- yang to Ch^ang-an, and there gave himself up to debanchery, resigning the administration into the hands of his father-in-law, ^ ^ Chao M6ng. When the high officials came to receive instructions, he was always too drunk to meet thero. The result was a conspiracy , and he was obliged to flee for his life and throw himself upon the mercy of Fan Ch'ung, the Red-Eyebrow Rebel. He was welcomed at first with open arms, but shortly afterwards was put to death. Is known in history as |f^ ^ £ ^^ ^ ife/ and also as King Shih.
Ilia Hstian-ying ^9} :& ^ (T. jf^illf). 10th cent. A.D. A 1309
native of Euang-ling, who was vulgarly called ^ jf^ Liu Hai and who was Minister to Liu Shon-kuang, the ruler of Yen. He was a student of Taoism, and otherwise famous for his learning. One day a Taoist sage called upon him and asked for 10 eggs and 10 pieces of gold. These the stranger piled one upon another in the form of a pagoda; whereupon Liu cried out in fear lest the 'whole should topple over. Then the sage turned upon him and said, ^Tor him who dwells amid the pomps and vanities of the world, the danger is even greater!'* Saying this, he dashed the pagoda into two parts and bade his host farewell. Deeply impressed with this scene, Liu doffed his official garb and betook himself to jthe life of a recluse. He is popularly represented as a lad, with one foot resting on a three-legged frog (the emblem of money- making) and holding in his hand a ribbon upon which five pieces
of gold are strung.
