374 A Chinese Biographical Dictionaryhis son and many other innocent persons to be put to death,

upon which Fu Ling became Heir Apparent; bat in B.C. 88 the plot was discovered, and the Lady Eon I perished by the hand of the execntioner.

984 K'ou Ch'ien-chih 5th cent. A.D. A native of Gh*ang-p4ng in Chihli, who fell in with a Taoist Immortal named J^ ^ J^L Ch*6ng Eung-hsing, and retiring with him into seclusion obtained from him the elixir of life. His body emitted a heavenly radiance; and he was appointed to be the ^ 0j0 Divine Teacher or ^Tope" of the Taoists, in succession to Chang Tao-liug of old. About A.D. 424 he was summoned to Court; but one day he said to a disciple, *1 dreamt last night that my master, Ch^Sng Eung-hsing, beckoned me to the Palace of Immortality/' Thereupon dissolution began to set in. A blue, smoke-like vapour issued from the lips of the dying man and vanished in mid-aif <i after which his body gradually shrank to nothing.

985 K'ou Chun (T. ^#). Died A.D. 1023. A native ~J% ^ Hsia-kuei in Shensi, who graduated as chin shih and r to high office under the second Emperor of the Sung dynasty, the early age of eight he distinguished himself by the excellenc^^ of his poetical compositions, and his Aiture greatness was foretolc^^ In 1004 he persuaded the Emperor Ch£n Tsung to proceed in person ^ to yQ Shan-chou to oppose the raid made by the Eitan Tartars^^ The Emperor confided to him the entire direction of the campaign #:^ which at once made him an object of jealousy. '^Does joxrc^ Majesty understand gambling?" asked Wang Ch4n-jo. A gambled < who has lost heavily, he continued, "will stake his all upon ^^ last chance. Your Majesty is E^ou Chun's last chance.** His tactic^ however were successful. There was a bloody battle in which on half of E^ou Chan's men were either killed or taken prisoner, aud^

consternation prevailed. Yet E*ou Chun was found to be drinking