A Chinese Biographical Dictionary/Fu Ch'ien

by Herbert A. Giles

580 Fu Ch'ien 服虔 (T. 子真). 2nd cent. A.D. A native of 滎陽 Jung-yang in Honan, who distinguished himself by his scholarship and wrote a famous commentary on the Tao Chuan. He had previously taken service as cook in the house of Ts'ui Lieh who was then lecturing on the subject, but found that he had nothing to learn. After a while Ts'ui Ldeh suspected who he was; and one morning, before Fu Ch'ien was awake, shouted to him by his right name. Fu Ch'ien, taken thus unawares, promptly answered; after which the two became fast friends. In 189 he was Governor of Kiukiang, but lost his post in the political troubles which ensued and died shortly afterwards, leaving behind him a collection of miscellaneous writings.