Page:A Chinese Biographical Dictionary.djvu/978

Rh

like other advisers of unplesksant reforms, he turned flatterer and concealed the impending rain from his sovereign. He at once became first favonrite, and amassed vast sums by the sale of office, until at length he perished with his master at the hands of Yfl-w£n Hua-chi and his fellow-conspirators.

YUl Shih-nan j^ tft ^ (T. i^ M). A.D. 558-638. A native 2529 of Y^-yao in Chehkiang, who served under the Ch'£n dynasty and afterwards under the Emperor Yang Ti of the Sui dynasty. His sense of honour prevented him from obtaining the same share of favour as his brother, Yd Shih-chi, with whom he had studied for 10 years under Eu Yeh-wang. Failing to save his brother's life, he was then forced to serve for a time under Ton Chien-t6, and ultimately joined the Emperor T^ai Tsung, who was then Prince of Ch4n, and became his trusted adviser. He was appointed President of the Imperial Hall of Study, a kind of Academy of the most brilliant literati of the day, nomination to which was familiarly spoken of as ^^joining the Immortals.** It is recorded that on one occasion, when desired by his Majesty to transcribe the text of the ^J "^ "^ Biographies of Eminent Women upon a screen, having no copy of the work at hand, he wrote the whole off from memory without a single mistake. On another occasion when the Emperor was about to start on a tour of inspection, some official submitted that it would be well to pack up the Imperial Library. ^^Oh no!" cried his Majesty, ^^Yil Shih-nan is my walking note-book!'* The Emperor was accustomed to declare that he possessed five surpassing qualifications: virtuous conduct, loyalty and straightforwardness, profound learning, a polished style, and an elegant handwriting. Canonised as ^ ^.

YH Ta-yu ^i^^ (T. ^>|||). Died A.D. 1573. A native 2630 of Ghin-chiang in Fuhkien, who in youth was fond of study but more so of sword-exercise. His family was poor, and he began life