DOGS OF CHINA AND JAPAN 



fierce dogs " to be sent to Constantinople as a present from 

 the Venetian Government to the Turk. He sent them 

 in 1609. 



Against the Emperor Kao Wei, of the Northern Chi 

 Dynasty, who reigned 565-577, and with Ling Ti and a few 

 others known to the Chinese as the Madcap Monarchs, it is 

 recorded : 



" In 565 A.D. the Emperor gave the name of Ch'ih Hu or 

 ' red tiger ' to a certain Persian dog. He also gave it the 

 rank and privileges of Chun Chun (closely allied to those of 

 a duke). The dog was fed with the choicest meat and rice. 

 It was granted the revenue of a Prefecture. When the 

 Emperor was mounted the dog rode upon a mat placed in 

 front of the saddle." * 



The Persian dog referred to must have been small to have 

 been able to ride on a mat in front of its master's saddle. 

 The others were very possibly sporting dogs, for it must be 

 remembered that this monarch's inordinate love of the chase 

 lost him both his kingdom and his life. It happened in 

 this way : 



" The Emperor, accompanied by a favourite concubine, left 

 Ping Yang for Hsinchow in Shansi on a hunting expedition. 

 During his absence, troops from Peichow attacked Ping Yang. 

 Three successive messengers were sent in hot haste to ask 

 for reinforcements, but the Secretary of State reproved them 

 all for wishing to interrupt the monarch's sport. The 

 Emperor was hunting one evening, and had just killed when 

 a fourth messenger brought him the news that Ping Yang 

 had fallen. Kao Wei was then minded to go back imme- 

 diately, but his concubine successfully implored him to make 

 one more drive. Upon his return he collected a great army, 

 surrounded Ping Yang and endeavoured, by day and by 



* San Kuo Tien Lueh of the T'ang Dynasty. 

 126 



