Page:A Chinese Biographical Dictionary.djvu/898

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A Chinese Biographical Dictionary
879


of the Wei State, and one of the ^ ^ Four Heroes who banded together to resist the growing power of the Gh4n State. In B.C. 258 he was in command of the army of Wei, under the title of ^ 1^ ^ Prince of Hsin-ling; and proceeding to the relief of Han-tan, capital of the Chao State, which was then besieged by the Ch4ns, defeated their famous general ^ ^ Wang Ho and raised the siege. In B.C. 247 he took command of the armies of the fiye allied States and inflicted a crushing defeat upon Mdng Ao, another of the generals of Ch4n, pursuing him as far as the ^ ^ Han-ku pass. While he lived, the power of the Ch4ns was completely held in check, although in his later years he retired from public life in disgust and gave himself up to wild debauchery. He is sometimes spoken of as |^ ^ -^ . See Chu Hau Wu Ch'i ^^. Died B.C. 381. A native of the Wei» State, 2821 who in early life was a pupil under TstogTs'an, but the philosopher conceived a dislike for him and banished him from his presence. Proceeding to the Lu State he studied the art of war, and soon gained great proficiency therein; and when hostilities broke out between Lu and Ch4, he was anxious to take command of the army of the former State. The prince however hesitated to appoint . him, because his wife was a native of Ch4; whereupon Wu Ch4 at once put her to death in token of his loyalty , and entered upon what proved to be a most successful campaign. Later on he entered the service of the Wei State, and for some time enjoyed the favour of the Marquis |^ Wu. On one occasion, while navigating the West River, the latter remarked upon the splendid natural defences of that region; to which Wu Ch4 replied that the virtue of its ruler is a still greater safeguard to a State than a frontier of inaccessible clifb. Finally, in B.C. 387, having fallen into disfavour and believing his life to be in danger, he entered the service of the Ch^n State, where he became Chancellor, and occupied himself