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Yuan Hong [Biographies of Noble Scholars]
Ascetic Yuan Hong secluded himself in a courtyard chamber, keeping plain clothes and wooden clogs. He honored his mother indoors yet skipped formal mourning rites after her death. Twice summoned by the court, he declined, earning high praise from Fan Pang for balancing filial piety and integrity.
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Guo Tai [Biographies of Noble Scholars]
Erudite Guo Tai excelled at judging talents and drew countless scholars. His rain-dampened folded headwrap became a widespread fashion. He declined official posts, and Xu Zhi honored him with fresh grass at his mother’s funeral.
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Xia Fu [Biographies of Noble Scholars]
Upright scholar Xia Fu was falsely framed as a partisan by corrupt eunuchs. To spare others from disaster, he cut his beard, disguised himself and labored as a metalworker in mountains. Even after amnesty, he stayed in exile until the governor fetched him after three attempts.
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Xu Zhi [Biographies of Noble Scholars]
Virtuous scholar Xu Zhi repeatedly turned down all official nominations and imperial summons. Yet he held deep gratitude to officials who valued him, once trekking three thousand Li on foot to mourn Huang Qiong, and attended all his patrons’ funerals till his death.
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The Old Man by the Han River [Biographies of Noble Scholars]
While crowds watched Emperor Huan’s lavish tour, an unnamed Han River elder kept plowing. He rebuked official Zhang Wen, criticizing the emperor’s wasteful travels that burdened folk, contrasting frugal ancient sage kings. He left without revealing his name.