Wen Chi Tian Xia: The "Roguish" Life of Ji Xiaolan

Author: Chen Lianying
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-10-01
Features: His extraordinary talent and various "eccentric" behaviors in daily life led people to speculate and legend him as an incarnation of a monkey or snake spirit, even saying he was a fire spirit (female) reborn. He was dedicated and upright in his actions and treatment of others; he had lofty aspirations, studied tirelessly, and was rigorous in scholarship, becoming a leading figure in the literary world of his time. He traveled extensively, promoting the value of literary culture to its peak. He was deeply emotional and sentimental, still remembering his first love even in his advanced years. At the age of 80, he even submitted a memorial to the emperor on behalf of a falsely accused woman who had been raped, shocking the world. Mr. Lu Xun called him a "man of extraordinary courage." He was witty, humorous, and enjoyed a high reputation among the officials and scholars of the Qianlong era. His folk image was that of a literary retainer and a key minister in two reigns. The monumental cultural project he led in compiling the Siku Quanshu (Complete Library of the Four Treasuries) is unparalleled in history. He personally edited the General Catalogue of the Siku Quanshu, which is considered a foundational work in the field of Chinese bibliography. His meticulously compiled Notes from the Reading Strategy Study in his later years became a must-read for households during the Qing Dynasty, often compared to the Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio by Pu Songling as two masterpieces with a similar theme. He is the "learned man of all ages" and the "" (literary master of his generation) in the history of Chinese culture—the "charming and talented scholar"—Cihou Lalan.