Yan Ruoqu was born in the 9th year of Chongzhen in Ming Dynasty (1636) and died in the 43rd year of Kangxi in Qing Dynasty (1704). He was born in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province and lived in Shanyang County, Huai 'an, Jiangsu Province. Yan Ruoqu, one of the most important representatives at the beginning of Sinology, emphasized reading, opposed empty talk and used accurate research methods. The eight volumes of Shangshu Documentary Evidence prove that the ancient prose Shangshu presented by Mei Meng in the Eastern Jin Dynasty is false, and the four books were written to correct the attachment mistakes of predecessors about ancient place names. Other works, such as Qian Qiu's Notes, have a great influence on later scholars.