A Chinese Biographical Dictionary/Ch'ên Hsien (陳咸)

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2056636A Chinese Biographical Dictionary — Ch'ên Hsien (陳咸)Herbert A. Giles

222 Ch'ên Hsien 陳咸. 1st cent. B.C. and A.D. A high legal official under the Emperors Ai Ti and P'ing Ti of the Han dynasty. Unable to countenance the changes introduced by Wang Mang, he tendered his resignation; and when Wang Mang usurped the throne, he and his three sons all declined to hold office, and retired into private life. He concealed all his legal books and documents in a wall, and continued to use the old calendar of the Hans, declaring that he could not recognise the new calendar of the Wang family. His reputation had been that of a just judge, and he strongly impressed upon his sons the desirability of erring on the side of leniency.