Page:A Chinese Biographical Dictionary.djvu/180

Rh Chou Hsin Died B.C. 1122. llie title of ^ Shoa , last Emperor of the Yin dynasty. His career was one course of extrafagance, lust, and cruelty. To please his infamous concubine, T'a Chi, he constructed a Tast pleasaunce, known as the j^ g^ , in which there was a lake of wine and a garden with meat hanging on the trees. There all kinds of the wildest orgies were carried on, until he was finally overthrown by Wu Wang, and perished in the flames of his palace, which he had himself caused to be destroyed. See Pi Kan.

Chou Hsing Died A.D. 691. A native of Wau-nien in Eiangsu, who by studying law rose from a mere clerk to be a Judge under the Empress Wu. His memory is execrated, inasmuch as he condemned many innocent people to death (see Lai Chun-ch^in). He was ultimately banished to Kuangtung, and slain by an enemy on his way thither.

Chou Hsing-ssŭ (T. J^^). Died A.D. 521. A scholar of the Southern Ch4 dynasty, who graduated as hsiu ts^ai in 494, and was appointed sub- Prefect of Euei-yang in Honan. He was dismissed by the first Emperor of the Liang dynasty; whereupon he addressed a poem to his Majesty, which so enchanted the latter that he was re-employed and rose to be a supervising Censor. The story that he composed the ^ ^ ^ Thousand Character Essay in a single night, and that his hair turned white under the effort, appears to be apocryphal.

Chou I (T. i^iZy Died A.D. 322. One of the  officials who helped to consolidate the empire of the Emperor Ydan Ti of the Chin dynasty. At first a man of great promise, he developed iuto a dranken sot, and was once cashiered for drunkenness. As Lord Chamberlain, he gained the uickname of the ^ '^ ll^j* Three-days' Chamberlain. He was ultimately taken prisoner by Wang Tan, and put to death.