Qian Qianyi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Qian Qianyi or Ch'ien Ch'ien-i (1582-1664)　(銭謙益) was a famous late Ming official, scholar and social historian. His principle work and contribution to period history was the Lieh-ch'ao shih-chi Originally it was a lengthy anthology of poetry with attached biographies. Now the biographies alone are printed and the work has become an unmatched history of individuals from the middle and lower strata of 16th and 17th century Chinese society. His father gave him special instruction in a historical classic. Ch'ien showed an early interest in the classic Shih-shuo, a　work of historical anecdote. Ch'ien's classic of social history was published by his associate and printer Mao Chin, who like Ch'ien himself, showed a concern for poorer scholars. Mao used money from his printing for charitable work and poor scholars. Ch'ien knew many independent women of entertainment and artistic circles who he treated as equals. One, a Liu Ju-shih (1618-1684), became his consort. Her poetry was like preserved by Ch'ien.

[edit] References

• Goodrich and Yang in Hummel, Arthur W., Eminent Chinese of the Ch'ing Period, Washington, 1943, pp. 148-150.
• Carpenter, Bruce E., 'Ch'ien Ch'ien-i and Social History', Tezukama University Review (Tezukayama daigaku ronshū, Nara, Japan, 1987, no. 58, pp. 101-113.