One critic speaks of T‘ao Ch‘ien as “drunk with the fumes of spring.” Another says, “His heart was fixed upon loyalty and duty, while his body was content with leisure and repose. His emotions were real, his scenery was real, his facts were real, and his thoughts were real. His workmanship was so exceedingly fine as to appear natural; his adze and chisel (_labor limae_) left no traces behind.” Much of his poetry is political, and bristles with allusions to events which are now forgotten, mixed up with thoughts and phrases which are greatly admired by his countrymen. Thus, when he describes meeting with an old friend in a far-off land, such a passage as this would be heavily scored by editor or critic with marks of commendation:-- “_Ere words be spoke, the heart is drunk; What need to call for wine?_” The following is one of his occasional poems:-- “_A scholar lives on yonder hill, His clothes are rarely whole to view, Nine times a month he eats his fill, Once in ten years his hat is new. A wretched lot!--and yet the while He ever wears a sunny smile._ _Longing to know what like was he, At dawn my steps a path unclosed Where dark firs left the passage free And on the eaves the white clouds dozed._ _But he, as spying my intent, Seized his guitar and swept the strings; Up flew a crane towards heaven bent, And now a startled pheasant springs.... Oh, let me rest with thee until The winter winds again blow chill!_” PAO CHAO was an official and a poet who perished, A.D. 466, in a rebellion. Some of his poetry has been preserved:-- “_What do these halls of jasper mean, and shining floor, Where tapestries of satin screen window and door? A lady on a lonely seat, embroidering Fair flowers which seem to smell as sweet as buds in spring. Swallows flit past, a zephyr shakes the plum-blooms down; She draws the blind, a goblet takes her thoughts to drown. And now she sits in tears, or hums, nursing her grief That in her life joy rarely comes to bring relief... Oh, for the humble turtle’s flight, my mate and I; Not the lone crane far out of sight beyond the sky!_” The original name of a striking character who, in A.D. 502, placed himself upon the throne as first Emperor of the Liang dynasty, was HSIAO YEN. He was a devout Buddhist, living upon priestly fare and taking only one meal a day; and on two occasions, in 527 and 529, he actually adopted the priestly garb. He also wrote a Buddhist ritual in ten books. Interpreting the Buddhist commandment “Thou shalt not kill” in its strictest sense, he caused the sacrificial victims to be made of dough. The following short poem is from his pen:--