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A Chinese Biographical Dictionary
395

examined by the Emperor Wu Ti; but on being sent on a mission to the Hsiung-nu, he failed to satisfy his Majesty's expectations. He subsequently rose to be a Privy Councillor, and was ennobled as Marquis. He still continued to live in most frugal style, giving all his salary to poor and deserving strangers, for whom he opened a kind of guest-house. He is even said to have used the same cotton quilt for ten years. He was impeached as a traitor by Chi An, but this only resulted in attaching the Emperor more strongly to him. Noted also for his filial behaviour to his stepmother, for whom he wore mourning during the fall period of three years.


1031 Kung-sun Lung 公孫龍. 3rd cent B.C. Said by Tsou Yen to be the wisest man in the State of Chao. He was also noted for his skill in arguing on the "hard and white" (see Hui Tzŭ).


1032 Kung-sun O 公孫閼 (T. 子都). A very handsome man, who lived about 700 B.C. He won the prize of a chariot, offered to whosoever should prove the strongest man in the army of the Earl of Chêng.


1033 Kung-sun Shu 公孫述 or 公孫叔 (T. 子陽). Died A.D. 86. The conqueror of Shu, modern Ssŭch'uan, where he established himself under the title of the 白帝 White Emperor. The son of a former Governor of Honan, he was himself Governor of Shu between A.D. 14—22. In A.D. 23 he invited the rebel 宗成 Tsung Ch'êng to Ssŭch'uan; but finding him to be a mere bandit, he slew him and received the submission of his followers. In 24 he proclaimed himself Prince, and in 25 Emperor of Shu, with white as his Imperial colour and his capital at Ch'êng-tu. His rule was acknowledged by Wei Hsiao, to whom he sent 10,000 troops to fight against the Emperor Kuang Wu Ti. In 33 he captured 巫山 Wu-shan, I-ch'ang, and 夷都 I-tu. But in 37 the Han generals Wu Han and 岑彭 Ts'ên P'êng forced the passage, and invested Ch'êng-tu. The White Emperor died of a wound he