Page:A Chinese Biographical Dictionary.djvu/198

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A Chinese Biographical Dictionary
179

454 Chu Ju 侏儒. A dwarf of the Chou dynasty. The Chinese "Tom Thumb."


455 Chu Jung 祝融. A legendary being, said by some to have been a Minister under Huang Ti; by others, to be identical with Ch'ung li, a descendant of Chuan Hsü; while a third account makes him contemporary with Fu Hsi. He is the God of Fire and rules over the south; hence he is sometimes called 南方君 and 南方赤帝. He is also known to the Taoists as 赤精成子 and is represented as an animal with a human face.


456 Chu Kao-chih 朱高熾. A.D. 1878-1425. The eldest son of the Emperor Yung Lo. He reigned as fourth sovereign of the Ming dynasty for one year. He released all political prisoners, and set to work to lighten the heavy burdens which had been imposed on the people by the splendour and enterprise of his father. Canonised as 仁宗昭皇帝.


457 Chu Kao-hsü 朱高煦. Died A.D. ? 1426. The second son of the Emperor Yung Lo. He gained fame and favour during his father's successful rebellion, and aspired to succeed him on the throne. In 1404 his hopes were disappointed through the representations of Yang Shih-ch'i, Hsieh Chin, and other counsellors; and for the rest of the reign he took every opportunity of attacking them and the Heir Apparent. In 1417 his father, discovering that during his absence on an expedition against A-lu-t'ai, the Prince of Han (the title of Chu Kao-hsü) had enrolled some 3,000 men and rioted at will in Nanking, wished to degrade him; but at the tearful entreaty of his brother, he was merely sent to 樂安 Lo-an in Shantung. There in 1426, on the accession of his nephew, he raised the standard of revolt; but the prompt appearance of the Emperor with artillery forced him to submit. He was shackled and manacled like a criminal; and when the Emperor went to see him, his Majesty