No More Learning

At the beginning of the period Sh? n-lung[4] the family returned and
settled in Pa-hsi. [5] At his birth Po's mother dreamt of the planet
Ch'ang-k? ng [Venus], and that was why he was called Po. [6]

[2] _I. 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.