No More Learning

e. _, Li Kao.

[3] A. D. 581-618.

[4] A. D. 705-707.

[5] In Szechwan.

[6] "Po," "white," was a popular name of the Planet Venus.

At ten he had mastered the Book of Odes and Book of History. When he
grew up he retired to the Min Mountains, and even when summoned to the
provincial examinations he made no response. When Su T'ing[7] became
Governor of I-chou, he was introduced to Po, and was astonished by
him, remarking: "This man has conspicuous natural talents. If he had
more learning he would be a second Ss? -ma Hsiang-ju.
"[8] However, he
was interested in politics and fond of fencing, becoming one of those
knight-errants who care nothing for wealth and much for almsgiving.

[7] Giles, Biog. Dict. , No. 1,789.

[8] Giles, No. 1,753.

Once he stayed at J? n-ch'? ng[9] with K'ung Ch'ao-fu, Han Chun, P'ei
Ch? ng, Chang Shu-ming, and T'ao Mien. They lived on Mount Ch'u Lai, and
were dead drunk every day. People called them the Six Hermits of the
Bamboo Stream.

[9] In Shantung.

At the beginning of the T'ien-pao period[10] he went south to Kuei-chi,
and became intimate with Wu Yun. Wu Yun was summoned by the Emperor,
and Po went with him to Ch'ang-an.