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The Two Recluses of Lu [Biographies of Noble Scholars]
Two orthodox Lu Confucians rejected Shusun Tong’s summons to draft Han court rituals. They criticized him for pushing rites amid post-war chaos, arguing proper rituals need a century of virtue. Unwilling to compromise ancient principles, they sent him away to preserve their integrity.
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The Yellow Stone Sage [Biographies of Noble Scholars]
The hidden Yellow Stone Sage tested Zhang Liang’s humility three times on a bridge. Satisfied, he gave Zhang the military text Strategies of Tai Gong. The sage said he would appear as a yellow stone years later. Zhang treasured the stone and buried it with himself upon his death.
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The Four Elders [Biographies of Noble Scholars]
Known as the Four Elders of Mount Shang, four virtuous Daoist scholars fled Qin’s tyranny and hid in mountains. They composed a song praising reclusive freedom over official worries. Even Han Emperor Gaozu’s summons failed to draw them out; they kept their integrity in seclusion.
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Master Gai [Biographies of Noble Scholars]
Master Gai, a Huang-Lao hermit and Yue Chengong’s pupil, rejected official posts. He taught Cao Can governance through tranquility and non-interference. Cao followed his wisdom to govern Qi and later the whole Han Empire well, while Master Gai remained a private recluse till his peaceful old age.
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Yue Chengong [Biographies of Noble Scholars]
Yue Chengong, a Huang-Lao scholar from Song, shunned officialdom unlike his famed military kinsman Yue Yi. Fleeing Zhao’s fall to Qin, he settled in Qi, won renown for mastering the Dao De Jing, and was revered as a worthy teacher by local elites.
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The Elder of the River [Biographies of Noble Scholars]
The Elder of the River, an anonymous Daoist sage well-versed in Laozi’s thought, dwelt by the Yellow River and wrote a commentary on Dao De Jing. Amid chaotic Warring States strife, he lived in seclusion, kept his virtue intact, and passed his Daoist teachings to An Qisheng.