Page:A Chinese Biographical Dictionary.djvu/983

964

and foond his chief pleasare io playing the guitar. Abont the jear 310 he was secretary in the establishment of the Heir Apparent He held the belief that there are no snch things as bogies, and was one day arguing the point rather warmly with a stranger, when the latter jumped up in a rage and cried out "I am a bogy myself!** The stranger then assumed a hideous shape, and finally Tanished. Yiian Chan was greatly upset by this, and died within the year.

2543 Ytian Chen JC ^ (T. tK :2!)- ^D- 779-831. A native of Ho-nan Fu, who was able to compose at nine years of age, and at fifteen was already holding an official post. In 806 he came out first at a public competition, and received the post of Super- vising Censor. After some ups and downs, including dismissal to a petty post for having come to blows with a personal enemy, he was appointed secretary in the Imperial Banqueting Court. His beautiful poetry had gained him the friendship of Po Chi!-i and other influential persons who interested themsdves in his behall It was known as the jf^ ^ ^ Yiian Ho style, Y^au Ho being the year-title from 806 to 821 ; and under the Emperor Mu Tsung the ladies of the Imperial seraglio were never weary of repeating the poems which had gained for their writer the distinction of a special school. Yiian Chin rose to the highest offices of State, dying, at the close of a career chequered by failure and disgrace, as (Governor of Wu-ch*ang in Hupeh. Among other works he was author of the ^ ^ pBt a story which furnished the groundwork of the ^

2544 Ytian Chi gfc H (T. j^ ^). A.D. 210-263. A native of ^ p^ Yu-shih in Houau. His youth was a strange mixture of wild- ness and hard study. Sometimes he would wander away on the hills and forget to return, and at length come back crying bitterly: at other times he would shut himself up with his books and see no one for months. The age was unsuited for steadiness and