retirement in 858, as President of the Board of Punishments, he demoted himself to copying oat the Classics and dynastic histories, a task which he accomplished without a single iU-written character.
1297
Liu Fu-Ung ^%^. B.C. 94-73. Youngest son of Liu Ch'e,
whom he succeeded in B.C. 86 as scTenth soToreign of the Han
dynasty. He was the son of the Lady Eou I, who instigated the
murder of the Heir Apparent and afterwards suffered death for her
crime, and he was left by his father under the guardianship of
Ho Eiiang aud Chin Mi-ti. The wise statesmanship of the former
relieyed the people from burdensome taxation and other grievances;
peace was made with the Hsiung-nu, and the country in general
was prosperous. Canonised as ^1 ^ ^ ^ .
1298
Liu Hdng ^ j|[. Died B.C. 157. Son of Liu Pang by a concubine,
and younger brother of Liu Ying. He succeeded in B.C. 180 as
fourth sovereign of the Han dynasty. He had been made Prince
of Tai by his father, and during the reign of Lii Hon he lived
quietly in retirement. At the death of the latter, her family
attempted a coup (VAat; but the Liu family were too strong for
them, and Liu HSng was placed upon the throne. He ruled well
and wisely for over twenty years; and although his reign was
much troubled by the growing power of the Hsiung-nu, he left
the country in a fair state of prosperity. He built no palaces and
laid out no parks, in order that his subjects might not be oppressed
by taxation. With his dying breath he asked that the people might
not be forced to observe the inconvenient ceremonies of national
mourning, but be allowed to marry and give in marriage as usual,
not wasting too much energy on such an unworthy creature as
himself. He is one of the 24 examples of filial piety, haring waited
on his sick mother for three years with exemplary patience and
without either leaving her room or changing his clothes. Canonised
