and retired into private life, calling himself 隱翁. On being further pressed, he took to his bed and refused all food for fourteen days, dying at the age of 79.
1028
Kung Sui 龔遂 (T. 少卿). 1st cent. B.C. A native of P'ing-yang in Kiangsu, who served under Wang Ho at 昌邑 Ch'ang-i in Shantung. When the latter was acting in a misguided way, Kung Sui with tears in his eyes besought him to desist; and accordingly, when later on all the officials of Nan-ch'ang were put to death, he alone was spared. In B.C. 73, when over seventy years of age, he was sent as Governor to Po-hai in order to check the brigandage which prevailed. Instead however of occupying himself directly with the brigands, he set to work to foster agriculture, persuading the people to sell their knives and swords, and buy oxen and calves. He succeeded so well that he was promoted to a higher post, and died in office at a great age.
1029
Kung-sun Ch'iao 公孫僑 (T. 子產 and 子美). B.C. 581—521. A grandson of Duke Mu of Chêng, who rose to be Prime Minister of his native State. When he had ruled for three years, so great was the change effected that "doors were not locked at night and lost articles were not picked up on the highway." In 535 he compiled a Penal Code for the regulation of punishments. Confucius, who had described him as a truly benevolent man, wept when he heard of his death. The entire populace gave way to lamentation, and the women laid aside their ornaments for a space of three months. Later critics hold that though he made the people love him, he failed to teach and to elevate them. In 1857 his tablet was placed in the Confucian Temple.
1030
Kung-sun Hung 公孫弘 (T. 季少). Died B.C. 121. A poor scholar of the Han dynasty, who was a swineherd until past forty years of age when he took to the study of the Classics. In B.C. 140 he secured the first place among the scholars personally
