Fifty Years of the Universal Alliance -- The Biography of Qian Qianyi

Author: Pei Shijun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-07-01
Features: Qian Qianyi was the literary leader of the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, holding the titles of the leader of the Donglin Party and the literary high priest. Despite suffering repeated persecution—“initially hampered by factional strife, then by cabinet intrigue, and finally by censorship”—his reputation grew, his status became prominent, and his romantic relationship with Liu Rushi at the age of sixty became a widely known tale of romance. However, before and after the fall of the Ming dynasty, he compromised, allied with remnants of the eunuch faction, engaged in political deals, and then voluntarily surrendered, disgracing himself by serving the enemy and destroying his lifelong reputation. He also had a more significant side: a scholar, poet, classical prose writer, and literary critic, with deep studies in Confucian classics, history, Buddhism, and Taoism, achieving remarkable accomplishments that could be ranked alongside Gu Yanwu, Huang Zongxi, and Wang Fuzhi as the three great masters. Yet, burdened by his political stains, few mention or value him. This book, based on historical facts, records his life journey through major events, showcasing the social and historical landscape of the late Ming and early Qing dynasties.