learning and ability soon brought him to the front; and by 1726 he had risen to be a Grand Secretary. He was one of the first Ministers of the Grand Council, instituted in 1729. He was tutor to the Imperial princes under the Emperors Yung Chêng and Ch'ien Lung, and enjoyed extraordinary favour. In 1734 he was ennobled as Viscount, and in 1738 as Earl; but he lost his title for not presenting his thanks in person on his retirement. From 1706 to 1737 he was virtually Prime Minister of China, in addition to which he was entrusted with the preparation of the History of the Mings, a work which he and his colleagues laid before the Emperor in 1742. His 傳經堂集 was destroyed by fire, but his 潑懷園文 survives. He was canonised as 文和 .
116 Chang Tsai 張載 (T. 孟陽). 3rd cent. A.D. A native of 安平 An-p'ing, famous for an inscription he wrote in A.D. 280 at 劍閣 Chien-ko, on the top of the pass into modern Ssŭch'uan, calling on the people of that province to trust more to virtue than to their mountain walls. This inscription was brought to the notice of the Emperor Wu Ti, who caused it to be engraved on the face of the mountain at the pass. Chang received a government appointment, and rose to be secretary in the establishment of the Heir Apparent. But political disturbances caused him to weary of office, and he retired into private life. He was also noted for his ugliness, which was so exaggerated that whenever he went out of doors the children used to pelt him with stones.
117 Chang Tsai 張載 (T. 子厚 H. 橫渠). A.D. 1020-1076. Son of Chang Ti, who died when he was quite young, and a native of 大梁 Ta-liang in Honan. As a boy he was devoted to military studies; but at the age of twenty he came under the notice of Fan Chung-yen, who urged him to study the Doctrine of the Mean. He then became a public teacher, and used to lecture, sitting upon a tiger's skin. Confucianism failing to satisfy his
