Page:A Chinese Biographical Dictionary.djvu/664

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
A Chinese Biographical Dictionary
645

Ch'n State. When the latter came to the throne, he was appointed tutor to the Heir Apparent; but his pupil hated books and made his position irksome. After the death of Prince Yuan, he was treated with such contumely that he retired to his native State and devoted himself to teaching the Odes, an edition of which, known as the 魯詩, is attributed to him. He was already over eighty when the Emperor summoned him to Court, sending for him a comfortable chariot drawn by four horses, its wheels bound with rushes. His Majesty asked him how to deal with disorder; to which he could only reply, "Government does not consist in saying much, but in acting according to the means at control." For this dark maxim he was made a Minister of State, but declined the office and returned home, where he died a few years later.

Shen Lin-shih 沈驎士 (T. 雲禎), 5th cent. D. A native 1693 of Wu-k'ang in Chehkiang, who was so poor that he was obliged to spend all his time in weaving door-screens. He managed howerer to educate himself meanwhile, and became known in the neigh- bourhood as 織簾先生. By and by he retired to a mountain in Eiangsi, where he had several hundred disciples. He was often summoned to Court, but he preferred a life of retirement, gathering his own fuel and drawing his own water, in which condition he died at the age of 86.

Shen Lnn 沈倫 (T. 順儀)• A.D. 909-986. A native of 1694 太康 T^ai-k'aog in Honan , who served as secretary to the founder of the Sung dynasty in his early career, and on his accession was sent on various missions. He was accused of taking bribes; nothing however was to be found in his boxes save pictures. In 973 he had risen to be a State Councillor, and he was left in charge of the capital during the Emperor's expedition to Shansi. In 982 he was implicated in the disgrace of Lu To-hsfin, and retired. As Minister he maintained his purity; but it is a reproach