Brave and self controlled! The accounts that come down to us through Chinese history show that Han Shin was an embodiment of these virtues. Born 2,100 years ago, where the Grand Canal now crosses the bed of the Huai river 120 miles above Chinkiang, he was early cast on his own resources. In looking out for his food he often went to the local policeman's home and sat around until rice was cooked and so got an invitation to dinner. The thrifty usewite grew tired of this and got up early and cooked rice and ate it. So when became, he had togo away disappointed. He make a hook and line and angled for fish for dinner. A washerwoman took compass sion on him and gave him some of her food. On his saying he would re-pay her some day she said: "Get along you poor rascal. How can you repay me when you cannot fill your own mouth?" He grew robust and skilful, and was noted in the district for his
Han Shin had no courage and that the next rowes. A yous fellow staked a bet that time they met he could prove it. They met on the street one evening and the young fellow said to Han Shin: "I hear yeu are a fearless and brave man. Prove it.
you are, let's have fair play with these knives, if you are not, crawl between my feet." "Han Shin looked at him a minute and got down on hands and knees and went. through as he was bid amid the jeers of the crowd. It would be instructive but tedious to follow Han Shin through the various stages of his rise to fame. How he became the chief instrument in establishing the wide sway of the Han dynasty, and how he finally fell stabbed by the Jezebel queen of the man whom he had placed on the proudest throne in the Eastern world. It is especially interesting to note that after he attained eminence and wealth, he remembered his washerwoman-benefactress and sent her 1,000 ounces of gold. It also shows another good trait in this great soldier that he sent for the bully who had shamed him on the street at Huaicheng, and said: "You see, sir, I am not a coward or I should not have attained this rank. I add self-control to bravery. I send for you not to punish you but to make you a captain of one of iny companies if you are willing." There is now alittle ting or resthouse at Huaicheng commemorating Han Shin, with the inscription, "Where Han Shin angled."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.