A Chinese Biographical Dictionary/Chang Yüan-chên
133 Chang Yüan-chên 張元禎 (T. 延祥). Died A.D. ?1506. A native of Kiangsi, who wrote verses at five years of age. Han Yung greatly admired him, and chose his name. Graduating as chin ahih in 1460, he remonstrated in vain on the prevailing abuses of the Government, and soon had to retire on account of a dispute over the biography of the Emperor Ying Tsung. After twenty years spent in studying philosophy, he was charged in 1488 with the preparation of the biography of the Emperor Hsien Tsung; and though he protested against the new Emperor's heterodoxy, avarice, love of amusement and of favourites, he was treated with great consideration, and placed on the Commission to revise the 通鑒纂要 Compendium of History. The Emperor Wu Tsung on his accession appointed him Vice President of the Board of Civil Office, and entrusted him with the preparation of Decrees and patents. His long retirement had made him old-fashioned; he did not get on with the younger generation, and was obliged to retire. In 1621 he was canonised as 文裕.