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1748 Ssti-ma Ch^eng-cheng ^ s% ^ ^ (T. -f- fifc )• 7th and

8th cent. A.D. A native of Lo-chou in Honan, who studied the black art under |^ 010 JE P^an Sbih-chteg, and then settled on the ^ "^ T4en-t^ai mountains in Chehkiang. As he b^an to gain a reputation the Empress Wu Hou sent for him, but he did not obey the summons. Later on the Emperor Jui Tsung caused him to be brought to Ck)urt, and held a long conference with him on the art of ruling a State. He declared that it was governed precisely in the same way as ouq's own body is govemed, viz. by keeping absolutely and dispassionately negative, and by falling into a natural harmony with one's environment. The Emperor Ming Huang also summoned him to Court, and availed himself of Sstt- ma's great calligraphic skill, all the time treating him with much distinction. He died at the age of 89, and was canonised as J^

1749 Ssti-ma Chien ^ iS| ^. 3rd cent. A.D. Son of Seil-ma Chung, second sovereign of the E. Chin dynasty. He was very precocious, and when only five years of age drew back his grandfather, the Emperor Wu Ti, who was watching a fire, into a dark comer, for fear lest the features of the Son of Heaven should be exposed

to the public gaze. He was poisoned by the Empress Chia Hou and canonised as

1750 Ssu-ma Ch*ien SJ || ^ (T. ^ ^Y Born about B.C. 145,, and died between B.C. 86—74. A native of Lung-m£n in modern Shensi, and son of Ssil-ma T^an. At the age often he was already

a good scholar, and at twenty set forth upon a round of travel which carried him to all parts of the empire. Entering into the public service, he was employed upon a mission of inspection to the newly-conquered regions of Ssuch^uan and Yiinnan; and not long after his return from this, B.C. 110, his father died and he stepped into the hereditary post of 6rand Astrologer. After