Yuan Mei's representative works include "Xiaocang Shanfang Poetry Collection", "Suiyuan Poetry Talk", "Supplement", "Suiyuan Food List", "Zi Buyu", "Xu Zi Buyu", etc.
Introduction to Yuan Mei
Yuan Mei (March 25, 1716 - January 3, 1798), courtesy name Zicai, nicknamed Jianzhai, in his later years he was named Cangshan Jushi and Suiyuan The owner, whose ancestral home is Cixi, Zhejiang, was born in Qiantang (now Hangzhou, Zhejiang). He was a representative poet, essayist, literary critic and gourmet during the Qianjia and Qianlong periods of the Qing Dynasty. One of the three great masters of the Qianjia and Qianjia sects, and one of the three great masters of the Xingling sect, together with Ji Yun, they are called "Southern Yuanbei Ji".
Yuan Mei was a Jinshi in the fourth year of Qianlong's reign (1739), and was awarded the title of Shujishi by the Hanlin Academy. In the seventh year of Qianlong's reign (1742), he was transferred to Jiangsu and served as county magistrate in Lishui, Jiangning, Jiangpu, and Shuyang for seven years. He was well-known for his political diligence as an official, but his official career was not smooth and he had no intention of getting a salary; in the fourteenth year of Qianlong's reign (1749) ) resigned from office and lived in seclusion in Suiyuan, Xiaocangshan, Nanjing, where he chanted poems and gained many poetry disciples, especially female disciples.
The "Xingling Theory" proposed by Yuan Mei is one of the most important poetic theories in the poetry world of the Qing Dynasty. He created at least 6,300 poems in his life.
Main works
Collections of works: "Collection of Poems and Essays of Xiaocang Shanfang", "Suiyuan Poetry" in 16 volumes and "Supplement" in 10 volumes, "Suiyuan Food List", prose, More than 30 kinds of rulers and tablets;
Note novels: 24 volumes of "Zi Buyu" (also known as "Xin Qixie") and 10 volumes of "Sequel to Zi Buyu";
Prose : "Essays on Sisters' Worship", "Records of Feiquan Pavilion of Xijiang Temple", "Huang Sheng's Notes on Borrowing Books", "Records of Suohaoxuan", etc.;
Parallel prose: "Books with Jiang Yusheng", "Reworked in Zhongsu Temple Stele", etc.;
Notes: "Notes to You Yin"; the calligraphy is smart and elegant, without any need for carving, natural and leisurely, which is in line with Yuan Mei's idea of ??"spiritual nature". Although the law is a little lacking, it is full of talent and is also a masterpiece.