Page:A Chinese Biographical Dictionary.djvu/392

Rh Ko-shu-han. Died A.D. 756. A commander, of Tartar origin, under the Emperor Ming Haang of the T'ang dynasty. In 747 he waa appointed Governor of Kansnh and part of Turkestan, but was recalled to oppose the advance of the rebel An Lu-shan, by whom he was disastrously defeated at ^ ^ Ling-pao in modern Shensi, taken prisoner, and put to death.

K'o Shih. Died A.D. 1627. The notorious nurse of the Emperor ELsi Tsung of the Ming dynasty. See Wei Chung^hsien.

Kou Chien. A prince of the Yfleh State, who came to the throne in B.C. 496. Rejecting the advice of his Minister Fan Li, he made war upon the Wu State and was already before the capital when he was totally defeated at the East Gate of that city by the Wu forces under the leadership of Fu Ch'ai. Retreating with the 5000 men that remained of his army, he retired to his kingdom; and there he daily drank out of a vessel filled with gall and nightly slept upon firewood, in order to keep himself reminded of the bitterness of defeat. Then followed the famous scheme (see Hsi Shih) by which he succeeded in overthrowing the power of his rival and ^^wiping out the disgrace of the East Gate." On one occasion, some wine was presented to him; and as there was not enough for distribution among his soldiers, he threw it into a river they had to ford **so that all might have a taste." He finally annexed the State of Wu to his dominions, and gave in his allegiance to the House of Chou then ruling on the north of the Yang-tsze.

Kou I. Died B.C. 88. The title bestowed upon the Lady Chao, favourite of the Emperor Wu Ti of the Han dynasty, taken from the name of the pavilion assigned to her. In B.C. 94 she gave birth to a son called Fu Ling, for "whose sake she persuaded the Emperor that the Heir Apparent was engaged in treasonable designs against his Majesty's person. The Emperor at once caused