Yue Man Tang Diary (1-18)

Author: Li Cimeng (Qing Dynasty)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-05-01
Features: Li Cimeng (1829–1894) was a renowned historian and literary scholar of the late Qing Dynasty, known by the sobriquets Chenke and Yue Manlaoren, and his study was named Yue Man Tang. He was a scholar of great prestige during the Tongguang era of the late Qing, hailed by later generations as the "Guardian of Old Literature." Despite his struggles in officialdom and a life marked by hardship, he was known for his integrity and unorthodox demeanor, earning the nickname "a man of fierce independence and a sharp tongue." Yet, he devoted his life to relentless study, achieving profound expertise in poetry, textual research, and classical studies, gaining widespread acclaim.
The Yue Man Tang Diary is the culmination of Li Cimeng's four decades of dedication, meticulously compiled over time. It comprises nine parts: Jiajin Diary, Yue Man Tang Diary (Yi to Jin), Mengxue Zhai Diary, Shouliu Diary, Xiangqin Room Diary, Xita An Diary, Taohua Shengjie An Diary, Xunxue Zhai Diary, and Xunxue Zhai Diary (Post-Series). Spanning millions of words, the diary not only records the political and social events, friendships, character critiques, antiquities research, calligraphy and painting appreciation, travels, and local customs from the Xianfeng to Guangxu eras but also preserves his extensive notes on reading, "roughly following the style of the Siku Quanshu prefaces but even more detailed," making it of immense academic value.
Thus, the diary can also be regarded as the pinnacle of Li Cimeng's scholarly pursuits and is celebrated as the foremost of the "Four Great Diaries of the Late Qing" (the others being Yuan Diary, Xiangxi Tower Diary, and Weng Tonghe Diary). After its photolithographic publication in the 1920s and 1930s, it became immensely popular, with scholars vying to read it. It has been highly regarded by scholars both in its time and later, including Lu Xun, Hu Shih, Huang Chang, and Sun Li, who all wrote extensively about it.