Page:A Chinese Biographical Dictionary.djvu/948

Rh of the Eiian Tartars, who was known ^ ^ "^ {^ 0-pao-chi. Towards the close of the 9th century he succeeded in uniting the '^ ^ Nti-ch6n and other Tartar tribes of the north and south; and in 907, emboldened by the rivalry between Chu W6n and Li K'o-yung, he proclaimed himself Emperor under the title ^^ I. Canonised as ^ JlQ^, founder of the Liao dynasty.

Yeh-m Ch'u-ts'ai ^#^7f (T. #^. H. jg ^ Jg 2440 -h). A.D. 1190—1244. A descendant in the eighth generation of a prince of the House of Liao. His father, who held office under the Chin^ Tartars, died when he was three years old, and he was brought up by his mother, reading widely in all branches of literature, especially in astronomy and mathematics. In 1214 he was Governor of Peking, and when that city was taken by the forces of Genghis Ehan, he was summoned into the presence of the conqueror. He was 8 ft. in height, with a splendid beard and a voice like thunder. "You are a Eitan,*' said Genghis; "I sent my generals to take vengeance upon your enemies, the Chins^.** "Hy father and I," replied he, "have both served the Chins^; how can they be my enemies?*' He was thereupon attached to the staff of Genghis, who conferred upon him the sobriquet of Wurtusahala = Long-Beard. In 1219 he accompanied his master into western Asia on his successful campaign against Persia, an account of which he published under the title of @ ^ ||{* In 1220 he reformed the calendar, and in 1224 he set out with Genghis to conquer India. At a pass on the Karatag mountains they fell in with a strange green animal like a deer, with a single horn and a horse's tail, and able to speak several languages. "This,** said Yeh-lfl, "is the ^ ^ ^^^^ ^tiari. It is sent by God to warn us to retire;*' and Genghis retired forthwith. Upon the latter's death he secured the accession of Ogotai, and became his trusted counsellori venturing even to remonstrate with him upon his indulgence in drink. When