Page:A Chinese Biographical Dictionary.djvu/793

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A Chinese Biographical Dictionary


of Fan-yang in Chihli, who rose under the Emperor YOan Ti of the Chin dynasty to be Governor of Ttl-chou. In yoath he preferred military exercises to book-learning, and became the intimate friend of Lin Eun. He was placed in command of an expedition against Shih Lo; and as he crossed the Yang-tsze, he strock the water with an oar, saying, If I come back, not having purged my coontry of its foes, may I flow away like this river I** His campaign was completely successful, Shih Lo's troops being beaten in several engagements. But the dissensions between Wang Tan and Liu Wd caused him to fear that his achievements would prove fruitless, and he fell ill from mortification and died.

2034 Tbu Yung |§.^. 8th cent. A.D. A native of Lo-yang, who graduated as chin shih about 730, and was advanced by Chang Yfieh to be secretary in the Board of Bites. He is chiefly knowo by his graceful poetry.

2035 Ts'ui Hao ^ '/^ (T. ^^ ^ ). Died A.D. 450. A statesman and scholar, also noted for his feminine beauty. He served under the Emperor T'ai Wu of the Northern Wei dynasty, and rose by 481 to be Minister of Instruction. In 436 he was ordered, together with Kao Yiin, to prepare the history of the dynasty; but his plain speaking in reference to the earlier rulers involved him in serions trouble. He was executed, and his whole family was exterminated. Himself an infatuated Taoist, in 446 he discovered a secret store of arms in a Buddhist temple at Gh'ang-an; in consequence of which the priests were put to death, their books and images destroyed, and for a time the Buddhist religion was prohibited.

2036 Ts'ui Hao |^ :ig. A native of Pien-chou, who graduated as chin shih about A.D. 730 and was noted for his love of wine and gambling. It is related, in reference to his skill as a poet, that the great Li T^ai-po had intended to write an ode on the Yellow- Crane Pagoda at Wu-ch^ang Fu; but chancing to read the lines