Page:A Chinese Biographical Dictionary.djvu/604

Rh

was appointed Governor of Liang^-cbon in Eananh, in retnm for a jar of wine presented by bim to'tbe powerful eanucb Cbang Jang.

Meng Tsung ^^ or Meng Jen ^^ (T. ^ ^). 3rd 1528

cent. A.D. A native of Cbiang-bsia in Hnpeb, who served as keeper of the fisb-ponds under the Emperor Wu Ti of the Cbin dynasiy. He was one of the 24 examples of filial pieiy. He would never taste anytbing just as it came into season before offering some to his mother. On one occasion the latter expressed a wisb for some bamboo sboots; but it was too early in the year, and none were to be got. M^Dg Tsung was strolling in the woods, lamenting bis inability to please his mother, when suddenly bamboo shoots began to spring up around him.

Meng Yeh £ H (T. ^ H ). 6tb cent. A.D. A native of ^ 1529 ^ An-kuo in Cbibli, who rose to be Governor of j^ ^ Tung- chfln, and governed so wisely that several ears of com — in one instance nine — grew upon one stalk.

MiPei :)(t^ (T. TC ^). A.D. 1051 --1107. A native of 1530 Kiangsu, wbose mother bad been in attendance upon the Empress and who received in consequence a military appointment in Anbui. Summoned to be Court painter, he became a secretary in the Board of Rites, and subsequently went again into the provinces where he died. As a writer, bis style was exaggerated and unconventional to the last degree; but as an artist be excelled, especially in landscape and figures of men and animals. He was a monomaniac on the subject of cleanliness, refusing to use towels or plates and bowls which had served for any one else. He spoke of a large and curiously-shaped boulder as "bis brother,'* and altogether he was decidedly eccentric, a fact which considerably interfered with bis success in official life. He was the author of the ^ ^, a work on the science of drawing, and also of the ^ ^ ^ -^ ^. He gave himself the following sobriquets: J^ P^ J§ i» 1^*^