dragon." He is said to have invented the modern clerkly style; and on one occasion he made a copy of the Tao Tê Ching for a Taoist priest, receiving in return the present of a flock of rare geese. He was the father of seven sons, two of whom, Wang Hui-chih and Wang Hsien-chih, rose to distinction. One of his chief delights was to play with his grandchildren, whom he used to carry about and stuff with sweets. He and Wang Ch'êng and Wang Yüeh were known as the 王氏三少.
2175 Wang'Hsiang ^^ (T. ^'^). A.D. 185-269. A native
of Lin-i in Shantung, distinguished as one of the 24 examples of filial piety. His stepmother was extremely fond of fresh fish; and once when owing to a frost there was none to be got from the pond, he went and laid himself down naked on the ice in order to thaw a hole. The ice opened, and out jumped two beautiful carp which he carried home in triumph. And to this day, whenever that pond freezes, the silhouette of a man can be distinctly traeed on the ice. He was appointed to a magistracy by § ^ Lfl Gh^eo, who gave him a wonderful sword which he said would lead its owner, if deserving, to success. He ultimately rose to high oflBce under the Emperor Wu Ti of the Chin dynasty and was ennobled as Duke. Canonised as tjQ.
2176
Wang Hsien-chih 王獻之 (T. 子敬). A.D. 344-388. Son of Wang Hsi-chih, and like his father famous as a calligraphist and a scholar. He used to visit the great Hsieh An, who predicted his celebrity. "Successful men are generally sparing of their words," he said; "and Wang Hsien-chih does not talk much." He was a great reader and had a large library. As he could not carry it about with him, he had miniature copies made, which he packed in a cloth case; hence the proverbial expression 王氏布箱之學. On one occasion robbers broke into the study where he was sleeping. "Gentlemen," said he, pointing to a square of felt carpet used by
