Page:A Chinese Biographical Dictionary.djvu/213

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494
A Chinese Biographical Dictionary

under which taxation was r^ulated; and fixed the coinage upon a proper basis, government notes and cash being equally current. Eunuchs were prohibited &om holding official posts. Buddhism and Taoism were made State religions. Suzerainty was asserted over Korea, which on a dynastic reyolution in 1892 became known as ^ j^ Chao-hsien. On the other hand, the Japanese made frequent descents all through the reign upon the coast of Chehkiang, necessitating a special system of coast defence. By his wife, who had been the adopted daughter of Euo TzH-hsing and was afterwards known as Ma Hon and by four concubines he had twenty-four sons. All of these became Princes, and nine of them were set oyer nine separate divisions of the empire. In his old age he grew very suspicious, and many of the able men who had aided him in early days were accused of treason and perished on the scaffold. Popularly known as the ^'Beggar King,** in allusion to the poverty of his early days , he was canonised as ^ j^ ^ ^ , with the temple name of "^ ]j^ , and is sometimes spoken of as the Golden Youth.

484 Chu Yün (T. ^). 1st cent. A.D. A native of modern Shantung, who led the life of a swashbuckler until he was 40, when he reformed and entered upon a public career. His life was a chequered one, and he was more than once sentenced to death. On one occasion, he asked the Emperor Yflan Ti to lend him his Imperial sword that with it he might slay a certain traitor. At this his Majesty was very angry and ordered him to be beheaded at once. But he clung to the railings, demanding to be cut open like Pi Ean, which so touched the Emperor that he was pardoned. Instructions were then given that the railings, broken in the scuffle, were not to be replaced but to be left there as a tribute to a loyal official.

485 Chu Yün (T. J|t H and ft #• H. ^ f^). A.D.