A Chinese Biographical Dictionary/Chang Li-hsiang
85Chang Li-hsiang 張履祥 (T. 吉人 and 老夫). A.D. 1611–1634. A native of 楊園 Yang-yüan in Chehkiang, from which he came to be known as 楊園先生. His father died when he was only eight years old, and the family was left in poverty; but through his mother's assiduous care he was enabled to study, and soon became a man of profound learning. His life was spent in education and authorship. He took no part in the political struggles of his day, though his sympathies were entirely with the Mings. His house was burnt down by the rebels, and with it was destroyed the coffin containing the body of his grandfather, — an act which nearly caused him to commit suicide. His chief works were the 近古錄, in which virtue is illustrated by examples from history, the 補農書, a work on agriculture, commentaries upon the Classics, and many philosophical treatises. He was admitted to the Confucian Temple in 1871.