Page:A Chinese Biographical Dictionary.djvu/41

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A Chinese Biographical Dictionary

ultimately as Duke. In 1427 he was honoured with the title of Grand Preceptor, and in 1438 he received a salary for preparing the biography of the Emperor Hsüan Tsung. In 1449 he accompanied the Emperor Ying Tsung on his ill-fated campaign against the Wara or Oirad, and perished in the battle in which his master was captured. He was canonised as 忠烈, and received the title of Prince.

53Chang Han 章邯. 3rd cent. B.C. A famous general under the Ch'in dynasty. In B.C. 208 he defeated Hsiang Liang in a terrible encounter at 定陶 Ting-t'ao, in which the latter was slain. While laying siege to Chü-lu, the city was relieved by Hsiang Chi, who inflicted such serious reverses upon his army as to call forth the displeasure of the "Second Emperor," at that time completely under the influence of the eunuch Chao Kao. He began to fear for his life, and shortly afterwards deserted with his whole army to Hsiang Chi, who made him Prince of 雍 Yung. The successes of Liu Pang reduced him once more to despair, and this time he put an end to his troubles by suicide.

54Chang Han 張翰 (T. 李鷹). 3rd cent. A.D. A poet under the Chin dynasty, who took office with Prince 冏 Ching of Ch'i, but resigned because he could not do without the salad and fish of 松江 Sung-chiang in Kiangsu. As the Ch'i State soon afterwards came to grief, people attributed his secession to foresight. He was a wild harum-scarum fellow in his youth, and was nicknamed 江東步兵. He professed to despise all worldly honours, and said that he would rather have one cup of wine during life than any amount of fame after it. He was however a model of filial piety, and found time to write essays and poems which were highly esteemed in his day.

54Chang Hêng 張衡 (T. 平子). A.D. 78–139. An eminent astronomer and mathematician of the Han dynasty, said by