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184 his wife went and hanged herself. On his appointment to Eaei-chi , he proceeded to his post in old clothes and without any ceremony ; suddenly producing his seal of ofiSce, to the great astonishment of his disconcerted subordinates, who were spending their time in drinking. He ultimately rose to the rank of Minister of State, but became mixed up in some intrigue and was put to death.

Chu Mien  Died A.D. 1126. The son of a druggist of P4ng chiang in Hunan, who with the aid of Ts'ai Ching was enabled to present the particular precious stones which the Emperor Hui Tsung loved, and thus to obtain official rank. Placed at the head of the Tribute Office, he so oppressed the people of Chehkiang that they rose in rebellion in 1120, and T'ung Kuan was forced to abolish the office and dismiss him. Nevertheless his immense wealth, wrung from the people, enabled him to control the bestowal of offices, so that it was said there was an imitation Court in the south-east. At the close of the reign of Hui Tsung, he leagued himself with the eunuchs and was appointed to high office. His huge palaces, hosts of retainers, and fleet and bodyguard, excited the suspicion of the new monarch, and in 1126 he was disgraced and compelled to commit suicide, the whole of his vast landed property being confiscated.

Chu Shih  (T. ^|f and ^ ^). A.D. 1666-1786. A native of Kao-an, whence he is often spoken of as "^ ^ ij^ m . Graduated as chin shih in 1694, and rose by 1730 to be President of the Board of War. He was the trusted counsellor of two Emperors, whose esteem he enjoyed throoghout their lives, receiving an Imperial visit of sympathy during his last illness. He wrote on the Classics and on history. Canonised as ^ j^.

Chu Shou-ch'ang (T. J^;&). A.D. 1031-1102. One of the twenty-four examples of filial piety. His mother was his father's concubine, and gave birth to him shortly after the