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right at a sacrificial vase, and shortly afterwards caaght hold of an official seal. Serving for some years under the sovereigns of the Later Chou dynasty, he transferred his allegiance to the founder of the Sung dynasty whose empire he materially helped to consolidate. From A.D. 961 he followed the campaigns of ^ ^ j^ Wang CV^an-pin, accompanying him in 964 npon his expedition into modern Sstich^uan and distinguishing himself both by military skill and by the zeal with which he sought for books while others were intent Upon ordinary plunder. In 975 he was seut to reduce Nanking, then held by Li Yii; but he did not hurry on his operations, hoping all the while that Li Yii would surrender. At length, when all was ready for an attack, Ts^ao Pin pretended to fall ill. His lieutenants were in the utmost consternation and hastened to his teut to see what was the matter. "If only you will all promise me,** he said, "not to slay any one unnecessarily in the assault upon this city, I shall soon be well again.*' The promise was formally given; whereupon Ts^ao Pin arose from his sick bed, and the next day the city was taken without bloodshed. Ennobled as Duke, and canonised as |^ ]^.

2010 Ts*ao Shan-ts^ai ^ ^ 7t" . A famous guitar-player of the T'ang dynasty.

2011 T8*ao Shuang W H (T- flS iti )• ^i®^ ^..D. 249. A scion of the Imperial House of Wei, who had been an intimate friend of the Emperor Ming Ti while the latter was Heir Apparent, and who was subsequently raised by his Majesty to high office. Persuaded by his friends to seek military renown, he led an expedition against the rival House of Shu, but was forced to beat an ignominious retreat. After the death of Ming Ti he gave himself up to extravagance and riotous living, even appropriating some of the concubines of the late Emperor. He also mixed himself up in some treasonable conspiracy, on the discovery of which he was put to death together with all his family.