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706 A Chinese Biographical Dictionary


Euo-fan , and became one of his lieatenants. For a splendid rictoiy at ^ )!P Hsiang-t'an he was made a btUuru and was appointed Commander-in-chief in Hunan. He assisted in driving the rebels from Yo-chou and from Wn-ch'ang; and was present at the siege of Kiukiang, before which place he died. Canonised as J^ ;^.

1848 Tai Chen MiM ("^MM ^°^ ^#)* ^-^^ 1722-1777. A native of ^ Hui-chou in Anhui, and author of commentaries on Mencins and on the Great Learning ^ in which he oppoees the interpretations of Chu Hsi. As a mere yonth he declined to accept current literary dogmas on authority, and later on used his vast stores of learning to test the exegesis of the school of the Sungs. In 1744 he published a work, entitled ^ ^, on the use of Napier's Bones, a mechanical device for shortening the processes of multiplication aud division, superseded later on by logarithms. In 1773 he entered the Imperial Library, and edited several works on mathematics and astronomy. He also wrote essays, notes on the Odes J treatises on Rhymes, and issued a new edition of the ^ '^ ascribed to Tang Hsiung.

1849 Tai Fu-ku ^^ llr (T. ^ ^ • H. ;5^). 12th and 18th cent. A.D. A poet of the Southern Sung dynasty, who spent over 20 years in travelling about and visiting famous spots. He thus made great strides in the art of poetry, and latterly he was con- sidered quite equal, in point of technique^ to M^ng Hao-jan. He is generally known by his style.

1860 Tai K*uei ^ ^ (T. ^^). Died A.D. 895. A native of || PI Ch'iao-kuo in Anhui, devoted to literature and music. He studied under Fan Hsdan, whose niece became his wife. Summoned by the Prince of Wu-ling to give an exhibition of his skill as a musician, he broke his lute in the messenger's face, saying ^'Tai An-tao (his hao) is not a Prince's mime!'* He then retired to a distant part of Chehkiang, and occupied himself with questions of Ceremonial.