Page:A Chinese Biographical Dictionary.djvu/751

732

Ch^^Dg-ssti, lieutenant under An Ln-shan. Upon the submissioD of the former, he was made Viceroy of portions of Shantung and Chihli, and at his death in 779 T^en Ydeh succeeded to his uncle in what was practically an independent Principality. In 781 he threw off his allegiance and styled hiniself Prince of Wei; and although his forces were defeated by Ma Sni and he was e?en besieged in his capital, he managed to hold out and was left in peace until he voluntarily returned to his allegiance in 784. He was assassinated by his first cousin Q ^ T^ien Hsu, 1929 Timur Khan ^ ?K ]^- ^-^^ 1267-1307. Grandson of Kublai Ehan, whom he succeeded in 1294. He was an honest mler and energetic in promoting the welfare of his people, until falling into ill-health he became a prey to flatterers and the Court was torn aHUuder by rival aspirants to the throne. He laboured to improve the administration, reforming the system of selecting officials, curbing the tyranny of the great nobles, punishing bribery, and bringing all land owned by wealthy proprietors or by temples under taxation, which hn fixed in 1298 at 3.3 per cent. He sent special Commis- sioucfH throughout the empire to correct abuses, and they succeeded in 1303 in expelling 18,473 corrupt officials. Soon afterwards he was coufined to his bed, and all power was engrossed by the palace ladies or by the high-^officers. Korea caused some trouble; and in 1301 Heyduk renewed his inroads, but was beaten and died. An ill-advised expedition against a tribe in YUnnan led to a general rising in that province and Kueichou, which was suppressed with much difficulty two years later. In 1302 the favourite Ministers were found guilty of a wholesale system of bribery, and in the following year an attempt was made to check the nepotism prevalent at the capital by ordaining that metropolitan officials should after a certain term exchange posts with provincial officials. Many super- fluous offices were at the same time abolished. Constant scarcity