chang, who declared that he was ^*a banished angel*' and introduced him to the Emperor Ming Huang. The latter was charmed with his verses, prepared a bowl of soup for him with his own hands, and at once appointed him to the Han-lin College. Li Po then gave himself up to a career of wild dissipation, to which Ming Huang's Coart was well suited. On one occasion, when the Emperor sent for him, he was found lying drunk in the street; and it was only after having his face well mopped with cold water that he was fit for the Imperial presence. His talents however did not fail him. With a lady of the seraglio to hold his ink-slab he dashed ofiP some of his most impassioned lines; at which the Emperor was so overcome that he made the powerful eunuch Eao Li-shih go down on his knees and pull ofiP the poet's boots. Eao of course could not brook this insult. He set to work to persuade* Yang Euei-fei, the reigning favourite, in whose honour Li Po had penned some immortal lines, that she was all the time being held up to ridicule. Consequently when the Emperor vrished to appoint Li Po to some important post , Yang Euei-fei intervened , whereupon Li.Po, together with Ho Chih-chang, Li Shih-chih, Li Chin, Ts'ui Tsung-chih, Sa Chin, Chang HsiQn, and Chiao Sui, begged to be allowed to withdraw from the Court. Their request was granted by the Emperor, who gave them a large present of money; and tbey went off to form the new coterie known as the ^ (or '0^) ifl /V f [1| Eight Immortals of the Winecup. Subsequently Li Po drifted into the service of Prince Lin of Yung, and when the latter failed in his deigns, he came near losing his head. However he was pardoned, and sought refuge with his relative Li Yang- ping; but on his way thither he was drowned from leaning one night over the edge of a boat , in a drunken effort to embrace the reflection of the moon. 1182 Li Po-yao ^ W H (T. MM)- A.D. 565-648. Son of Li
