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Tzti Ying, and he himself took the post of Regent. Three yean later he set aside this child, giving him the title of ^^ ^^i and proclaimed himself Emperor under the style of ^j^ ^^ ^ ; hence he is often spoken of as ^ 3E ^^ j^ Wt BE ^^- After a prolonged contest with Liu Hsiu and other insurgents « in which his troops were repeatedly defeated, he was at length driven firom power. The army of E£ng Shih entered Ch'ang-an in triumph, and Wang Mang was killed in a revolt of his own troops. His head was cut off by a man named i^ ^ Tu Wu, and forwarded to the victor.

2204 Wang Meng 3£ ^ (T. ^9^). A.D. 325-875. A native of J^ Chi in Shantung, who was a poor basket-seller, but of fl martial disposition and fond of reading works on military subjects. He retired into seclusion on the Hua-yin mountains in Shensi, and when Huan W£n passed through with his army, he visited him, dressed in rough serge clothes; and all the time they were discussing the affairs of the age, he sat there quietly cracking lice. Refiosing to accompany the general on his campaign, he subsequently accepted an invitation from Fu Chien (2), who was said to have been as overjoyed at securing his services as Liu Pei was when he secured the aid of Chu-ko Liang. He remained for many years the trusted adviser of the latter potentate, holding under him the highest offices of State. When he fell sick, Fu Chien went in person to visit him, and asked his advice as to the future. Wang M£ng begged him, almost with his last breath, to cease from hostilities against the House of Chin, and to the neglect of this advice has been attributed the disastrous downfall which ensued. He was deeply lamented by Fu Chien, who cried out in his grief, "If God wanted me to give peace to all within the six points of the compass, why did He rob me of Wang Mfing?" Canonised as '^.

2205 Wang Ming-sheng ^ R| ^ (T. Jjg l^.E. gg ii). A.D.