Page:A Chinese Biographical Dictionary.djvu/437

418 he was called Lao Tzti, the Old Boy. He now occopies the first place in the ^ ]^ Trinity of modern Taoisp, the other two being P'an En and YQ Hnang Shang Ti.

Lei Huan  An astrolc^er of the 3rd cent. A.D. Being asked by Chang Hna the meaning of a pnrple vaponr which showed itself continuonsly between two constellations, Lei Hoan replied that it was the essential spirit of a magic sword which existed at ^ ^ Fdng-ch^fing in Eiangsi. He was thereupon sent as Governor to that district; and on reaching his post, he dng under the prison and brought to light a stone chest in which were lying two swords. One had |||| ^ engraved upon it, and the other had "jf^ Jfjf. Both disappeared after the death of Chang Hna.

Lei I (T. >(^ ^ ). 2nd cent. A.D. Famous for his friendship with Ch^Sn Chung. Upon taking the first degree, he wished to resign his place to his friend, but this was not permitted. Thereupon he went about with his hair streaming down his back, pretending to be mad. Ultimately the two friends both rose to the highest offices of State. On one occasion, as a Magistrate, he pardoned a criminal condemned to death. Full of gratitude, the latter brought him a present of two pounds* weight of silver, which he refused to accept The man then threw the silver furtively into his dust-bin, where it was found some time afterwards and credited to the governmenft^ account.

Lei Kung. (1) One of the assistants of the Yellow Emperor ,1..^ B.C. 2698, said to have been associated with ChS Po in perfecting^S the art of healing. (2) The God of Thunder, who is believed to laanch ^ his bolts only against wicked people. He is accompanied by a Gk>ddeuu-^ (see Tien ifti), who with the aid of a mirror flashes light {q.d. lightning) on to the intended victims. He is generally represented by a human figure in the guise of a warrior standing by a pile or drums. His left hand is resting on the drums, and with his right