A Chinese Biographical Dictionary 169

ABnam was left to itself, and the north-western frontier which he occasionally visited was withdrawn to a point in ^ ^ Hsflan-hna in Chihli. A well-meaning monarch, he lightened the grain tribute, allowed commutation in rice for all penalties, and in 1429 established custom-houses at important centres. By organising within the palace a school for youthful eunuchs, he fostered their growing power. His favourite concubine, who palmed off on the childless monarch a supposititious son, succeeded in displacing the Empress. Canonised as ? .

433 Chu Ch'ang-lo A.D. 1582-1620. Son of Chu I- ch^n, whom he succeeded in 1620 as fourteenth Emperor of the Ming dynasty. On his accession the mining taxes were abolished, and the eunuch collectors were recalled. He died after a reign of two months under suspicious circumstances, and his father's favourite, the concubine ChSng, in vain tried to retain power by taking possession of his eldest sou. She was forced to retire, and two eunuchs, of whom one was the infamous Wei Chung-hsien, obtained control of the Emperor. Canonised as ^fe ^ ^ ^ ^'

434 Chu Chi-wêng The surname and sobriquet of an 434 old hermit, who lived under the Cbou dynasty and amused Inmself by breeding chickens.

435 Chu Chi-chên . A.D. 1427—1464. The supposititious 436 son of Chu Chau-chi, whom he succeeded in 1435 as sixth Emperor of the Ming dynasty. The Empress, acting as Regent, left the administration to the Grand Secretariat. The Emperor fell ^nder the malign influence of Wang Chen, a eunuch who had ^en his constant companion as a boy, and became a devout Buddhist, spending vast sums on temples. The Oirads gave continual trouble, to say nothing of three expeditions against H jlj Lu-ch*uan in Ydunau, and in 1449 the Emperor led an

army against them. He was routed and captured by their