and rose to be keeper of the Imperial Library. He lost favour at Court by opposing an issue of iron cash in Kiangnan, and was relegated for a time to a provincial post. He was a poet of repute, and also wrote the 易傳 , a commentary on the Canon of Changes. He was known as 誠齋先生, from a term applied to him by the Emperor Kuang Tsung. Canonised 文節.
2415 Tang Wei-Chêng 楊維貞 (T. 廉夫 ). 14th cent. A.D. A native of Kuei-chi in Chehkiang, who graduated as chin shih in 1327 and served for a short time as magistrate. His disposition was unsuited however to a public career, and he retired to Shanghai where he built himself a "hanging garden" and amused himself by entertaining friends and playing upon an iron-flute. His poetry, mostly composed under the inspiration of deep potations, was much esteemed. In 1369 the Emperor Hung Wu summoned him to Court. "What!" cried he, "should an old woman of 80 get ready a second trousseau? He was kindly treated, and after 120 days was allowed to return home.
2416 Yang Wu 楊渥. Died A.D. 908. Eldest son of Yang Hsing-mi, and his successor in 907 as second sovereign of the Wu State. He soon gave himself up to a life of debauchery, in consequence of which the Minister 徐温 Hsü Wên caused him to be assassinated, and placed his brother upon the throne.
2417 Yang Yen 楊炎 (T. 公南). Died A.D. 781. A native of 天興 T'ien-hsing in Shensi , whose father 楊播 Yang Po had been an official, popularly known as 元靜先生. He was noted for his splendid beard and eyebrows, as well as for a spirited disposition; and after the death of his father he received an appoint- ment in the public service. Becoming a protégé of Yüan Tsai, when the latter fell he was banished to a petty post in Hunan, from which he was recalled at the accession of the Emperor Tê Tsung in 779, and rose to share with Lu Ch*i the full control of the