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A Chinese Biographical Dictionary

長社 Ch'ang-shê in Anhui, famous for his skill as a calligraphist in the li style. After studying for a couple of years under 劉勝 Liu Shêng, he had returned home when he chanced to see at the house of the calligraphist 韋誕 Wei Tan a specimen of the handwriting of the great Ts'ai Yung. Wei Tan refused to part with it; but on his death his coffin was broken open by thieves and the precious document passed into the possession of Chung Yu. The latter further distinguished himself by arranging the escape of the Emperor Hsien Ti after his capture at Ch'ang-an by Li Ts'ui; after which he was employed by Ts'ao Ts'ao on a campaign against the Hsiung-nu, whom he defeated in battle, killing their Khan. Under the Emperor Wên Ti of the Wei dynasty he was raised to high office, and ennobled as Marquis, his Majesty declaring that he and Hua Yin and Wang Lang were "the three great giants of the age." Canonised as 成.


522 Chung Yu (T. ^ ^). B.C. 543^480. A native of "^ Pien in the State of Lu. For some time he was one of the most intimate of the disciples of Confucius, but fiually entered upon a public career and became Magistrate at ^ ^ P'u-i. His family was poor, and he had been accustomed to fetch rice from a distance for his parents while living chiefly on bishopwort himself. When his parents had died and he himself was "sitting on double cushions and eating from an array of dishes,'* he grieved that the days of rice-carrying and bishopwort would never return again. Hence he has been enrolled as one of the twenty-fonr examples of filial piety. Upon the discovery of a plot against his chief, the ruler of Wei^, he boldly espoused the cause of the man whose pay he tuok, and met his death at the hands of the conspirators. He was rash to a fault; and Confucius, who

dreaded his impetuosity, foretold that he would come to a violent