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A Chinese Biographical Dictionary
109

mad after an outburst of wrath in consequence of his eldest son Chêng Chin having been installed in his stead, and that he had caused his own death by biting off his fingers. On the 15th February 1875, the Peking Gazette contained a memorial from the Imperial Commissioner appointed to reside in Formosa during the Japanese invasion of 1874, requesting that the spirit of 朱成功 Chu Ch'êng-kung, known as Prince of 延平 Yen-p'ing — a title conferred upon him in 1657 by Prince 桂 Kuei of the Ming dynasty, who was then in Yünnan — should be fittingly canonised, and a temple erected in his honour in T'ai-wan (now T'ai-nan) Fu. It was pointed out that the Emperor K'ang Hsi had declared this man to be merely one of the supporters of the Ming dynasty, and not a revolting rebel against the Manchus. Also that the literati of T'ai-wan Fu had put the following facts on record about him: "Devoted to scholarship in his youth, he became involved, on reaching the age of manhood, in the troubles which befell the State; and imbued with the prevailing sentiments of heroic devotion, he postponed the obligations of filial mourning to the duties of patriotism. He founded in the midst of the waste of waters a dominion which he transmitted to his descendants, and which was by them surrendered to the Imperial sway. His former opposition being condoned, his name was admitted to a place in the record of the loyal servants of the dynasty; and in the ensuing ages his supernatural intervention has been granted when cries of distress have arisen in times of national calamity." The memorial was granted.

265 Chêng Ch'iao 鄭樵 (T. 漁仲. H. 夾漈). A.D. 1108-1166. A native of 蒲田 P'u-t'ien in Fuhkien, and one of the most famous men of letters of the Sung dynasty. For a long time he lived in studious seclusion at 夾漈山 Chia-chi-shan, cut off from all human intercourse. Then he spent some time in visiting various places of interest, devoting himself to searching out marvels,