Biography of Yuan Mei -- Chinese Thinkers Biography Series

Author: Wang Yingzhi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-05-01
Features: Yuan Mei was the leader of the Qianlong-Jiaqing poetic circle in the Qing Dynasty, the main figure of the Xinglin school, and a prose and fiction writer. He dedicated most of his life to literary creation. His thoughts were based on Confucianism, Mencius, and Zhuangzi. Yuan Mei inherited the legacy of late Ming enlightenment thought, revering Confucius while questioning him, belonging to the masses yet transcending them, clinging to old customs yet embracing intellectual liberation. He was an outstanding literary figure and critic of feudal society's transition to modern society. This book's transmission primarily explores Yuan Mei's performance during critical periods in his life and the trajectory of his intellectual development, interspersed with comments on various aspects of his thought. This book's critique focuses on elucidating the core themes of Yuan Mei's thought, his philosophy of life, literary views, the ideological value of his literary creation, and his profound influence. The book is rich in sources and detailed, with clear and lucid arguments. Building upon existing research, it strives to expand content and innovate insights. It is the first academic monograph since the founding of the People's Republic of China to comprehensively and deeply study Yuan Mei's life and thought.