drank at the time. He was distinguished as a letter-writer, but still more famous for his love of good company. He used to keep his guests with him, even against their will, by throwing the linch-pins of their carriages into a well.
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Ch'ên T'uan 陳摶 (T. 圖南. H. 希夷). Died A.D. 989. A native of Po-chou in Anhui, who when three or four years old received suck from a strange woman as he was playing on the banks of a stream. From that moment his mental powers quickened, and he could readily learn anything by reading it over once. He soon acquired distinction as a poet, and in 932 went up for his chin shih degree. Failing to succeed, he retired to the 武當 Wu-tang mountains in Hupeh, and remained there in seclusion for over twenty years. Five supernatural beings, who came to hear his teaching, are said to have transported him thence in the twinkling of an eye to the Hua mountain in Shensi, where they taught him the art of hibernating like an animal so that he would sometimes go to sleep for a hundred days at a time. In 956 the Emperor Shih Tsung of the Later Chou dynasty, who was fond of the alchemistic art, summoned him to Court, and kept him a month at the palace. But Ch'ên T'uan said, "Your Majesty, as lord of all within the Four Seas, should think only of the administration. What has your Majesty do with transmutations of the yellow and the white?" Refusing all offers of employment, he returned to his mountain refuge; but twice more visited the Court during the reign of the Emperor T'ai Tsung of the Sung dynasty, who showed him much kindness and bestowed upon him the designation of 希夷先生. In 988 he bade his disciples prepare a rock chamber for him, saying, "My hour for rest is at hand;" and in the autumn of the following year, as soon as it was finished, he said, "My days are numbered," and quietly passed away. His body remained
