Page:A history of Chinese literature - Giles.djvu/149

 CLASSICAL SCHOLARSHIP

IN the domains of classical and general literature HUANG- FU Mi (A.D. 215-282) occupies an honourable place. Beginning life at the ploughtail, by perseverance he became a fine scholar, and adopted literature as a pro- fession. In spite of severe rheumatism he was never without a book in his hand, and became so absorbed in his work that he would forget all about meals and bedtime. He was called the Book-Debauchee, and once when he wished to borrow works from the Emperor Wu Ti of the Chin dynasty, whose proffers of office he had refused, his Majesty sent him back a cart-load to go on with. He produced essays, poetry, and several important biographical works. His work on the Spring and Autumn Annals had also considerable vogue.

SUN SHU-JAN, of about the same date, distinguished himself by his works on the Confucian Canon, and wrote on the Erh Ya.

HstJN Hsu (d. A.D. 289) aided in drawing up a Penal Code for the newly-established Chin dynasty, took a leading part in editing the Bamboo Annals, which had just been discovered in Honan, provided a preface to the Mu T l ien Tzii Chuan, and also wrote on music.

Kuo HsiANG (d. A.D. 312) occupied himself chiefly with the philosophy of Lao Tzu and with the writings

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