Page:A Chinese Biographical Dictionary.djvu/496

Rh upon as one of the guardians of the river banks, and is alluded to in official documents as Jj^ ^ ^. Canonised as ^ ^.

Li Yftan ^ ^ (T. ;fe ^ ). A.D. 565- 685. The founder of the T^ang dynasty, descended from a Prince of the Western Liang State. His grandfather was ennobled as Duke under the Western Wei dynasty, and his father obtained the same title from the Northern Chon. He was a native of Ch'Ang-chi in Shansi, and was Commandant at T'ai-yQan in 616 when through the counsel of his second son, Li Shih-min, he rose against the Sui dynasty. Pretending alliance with Li fti he adyanced eastward, and after taking Gh'ang-an set up the puppet known in history as Rung Ti, who abdicated in his fayour in 618. The exertions of Li Shih- min cleared away the numerous rival pretenders to the empire, while Li Y^an improved the government and reformed taxation and coinage. In 626 he abdicated in favour of Li Shih-min. He is said to have won his wife, the beautiful daughter of Ton I, by shooting a match for her, the target being painted to resemble a peacock, both eyes of which were put out by Li THan's arrows. Canonised as |i( ^ ^ ^, with the temple name of "^ |^ . See Wei Ching.

Xii YtLan-ming ^yc^- ^^^ ^^^^' A.D. A famous Magistrate of Shan-yin in Chehkiang. At the expiration of his most successful ^^rm of office, the incoming Magistrate asked for a few hints. *'Eat c^nly one pint of rice a day,*' replied Li Tuan-ming, **and drink ^o vnne."

HJ YtUm-tu ^TC M (T- 3^ W)- A-^- 1821-1887. A native ^:>f P4ng-chiang in Hunan. Graduated as chu jen in 1848. In 1860 lie raised a body of 8,000 volunteers against the T'ai-p'ing rebels, ^nd rose to be Judge for the province of Fuhkien ; but in November of the same year he was cashiered for his ill-success. Ts^ng Euo- fan and others memorialised in his favour, and in 1865 he was