Page:A Chinese Biographical Dictionary.djvu/521

502

mysteries of creation, which he at once proceeded to do by the light of his staff, which he blew into a flame like that of a torch.

Liu Hsieh ^^. A.D. 181-234. Son of Lin Hang and younger brother of Liu Pan, whom he succeeded in 190 as twelfth Emperor of the Eastern Han dynasty. He was placed on the throne by Tung Cho, from whose domination he was freed by that statesman's tragic death two years later. His reign was overshadowed by the formation of societies or '^associations of friends," in con- sequence of which many of the most notable men of the day were thrown into prison. Then followed the Yellow-Turban rebellion, which ultimately led to the downfall of the great Han dynasty after an existence of 400 years, and to the partition of the empire into the Three Kingdoms. In 220 he resigned the throne to Ts'ao P'ei, then Prince of Wei, receiving the titie of Duke of Shan-yang together with a liberal allowance, and also being exempted from prostration before the new monarch and from the use of derogatory forms of speech. In this style he lived for fourteen years, and at death was canonised as ^ J^ ^ ^. Also known as ^ ^«

Liu Hsieh ^ ^ (T. ^ ^). 6th cent. A.D. A noted author of the Liang dynasty. Being left an orphan at an early age, he was too poor to marry, and lived with a Buddhist priest for ten years, thus gaining an insight into the sacred books of Buddhism. These he is said to have been the first to classify^ and he is also said to have been the real author of the famous Canon known as ^ /^ ^ JJS ^ • In the guise of a hawker, with his ^ j(^ W^ ]||| critique upon literature in his hand, he planted himself before the chariot of ShSn Yo, and succeeded in attracting his attention; and in 502 he entered the public service and rose to some distinction. He was a great favourite with the son of the founder of the Liang dynasty; but before long he threw up his career, and became a Buddhist priest under the religious designation