Page:A Chinese Biographical Dictionary.djvu/932

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A Chinese Biographical Dictionary
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1087, behaving towards him with the atmost deference. On one oecasioix, when the Master had dozed off, Tang Shih would not wake him, but remained standing at the door so long that a foot (some say three feet) of snow fell in the interval before the sleeper awaked. After that he held several appointments as Magistrate, and his administration was uniformly successful. He was an opponent of Wang An-shih, aod it was through his denunciation that Wang's lublet was removed from the Confucian Temple. The peace arranged with the Chin^ Tartars in 1126 caused him to resign the important posts to which he had been appointed, and he retired into private life to continue awhile the course of study and teaching which had always been his chief solace and enjoyment. Canonised as ^ J|| , in 1495 his tablet was placed in the Confucian Temple. Yang Shou-ohih >^ ^ ^ (T. 3^ {^ ). 18th cent. A.D. Grandson 2406 of Yang Yung-chien, and author of the collection of poems styled

Yang Ssu-ch'ang ^ |^ g (T. ^|g). A.D. 1588-1641.2407

Graduating in 1610, he came into notice when Peking was besieged in 1629, and rose to be President of the Board of War in 1637. He promptly set about reforming the military administration, suggesting an elaborate and expensive plan of campaign against the rebels. Unfortunately, he put complete trust in ^ ^ ^ Hsiung Wdn- ts'an. Governor of Fuhkien, who had done much towards suppressing piracy, and he urged peace with the Manchus. The repeated ill- success of Hsiung Wfin-ts*an roused the Emperor's suspicion, and Yang had to take the field in person. Finding the Emperor deaf to his defence of Hsiung, Yang appointed ^ ^ 35 Tso Liang- y^ to be Commander-in-chief, and in 1640 Chang Hsien-chung was driven into Sstich^uan and reduced to great straits. But the Imperialist generals proved incompetent, and he was allowed to break out and ravage Sstlch^uan at will, posting in Chungking a counter proclamation

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