laid tip a store of merit which was shortly to stand him in good stead. Graduating with his brother as chin shih he rose to the highest offices of State, and was ennobled as Doke. Canonised as 元獻.
1833 Song Hung 宋弘 (T. 仲子 ) 1st cent. B.C. and A.D. A native of Ch'ang-an, who was in the public service before Wang Mang usurped the throne, and afterwards served him as Minister of Public Works. He became Minister of State under the Emperor Kuang Wu Ti, and in A.D. 26 was ennobled as Marquis. His Majesty now wished him to put away his wife, who was a woman of the people, and marry a Princess; to which he nobly replied, "Sire, the partner of my porridge days shall never go down from my hall." Five years later he fell into disfavour, and was compelled to retire into private life.
1834 Sung I 宋義. 2nd and 3rd cent. B.C. A Minister of the Ch'u State, who when Hsiang Liang was too elated by his successes against the Ch'ins, warned him not to give way to pride. "Cride in a commander," said he, "begets negligence among his troops, and defeat follows." His words were fulfilled at the battle of Ting-t'ao (see Chang Han), after which Prince 懷 Huai appointed him Generalissimo of the northern army, and sent him to the relief of Chü-lu. For some unaccountable reason he delayed his troops no less than forty-six days at An-yang, until at length Hsiang Chi, who was second in command, remonstrated with him on such loss of time. This not seeming to produce any effect, Hsiang Chi proceeded next day to his tent and cut off his head, immediately proclaiming himself Commander-in-chief in his stead. Sung I was nicknamed by his troops the 卿子冠軍 Civilian Soldier.
1835 Sung Jo-Ohao 宋若昭. Died A.D. 825. A female scholar and authoress of the T'ang dynasty. She was one of five clever sisters, all of whom, except herself, entered the palace of the Emperor
