< A Chinese Biographical Dictionary


2176 Wang Hsien-chih 王獻之 (T. 子敬). A.D. 344-388. Son of Wang Hsi-chih, and like his father famous as a calligraphist and a scholar. He used to visit the great Hsieh An, who predicted his celebrity. "Successful men are generally sparing of their words," he said; "and Wang Hsien-chih does not talk much." He was a great reader and had a large library. As he could not carry it about with him, he had miniature copies made, which he packed in a cloth case; hence the proverbial expression 王氏布箱之學. On one occasion robbers broke into the study where he was sleeping. "Gentlemen," said he, pointing to a square of felt carpet used by teachers, "that rug is an heirloom in my family. I should feel obliged if you would leave it." He was employed for some time in the department of historiography. Canonised as 憲.

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