Ding Wei was a figure of the Song dynasty. Publicly available information is limited, and his life and official career are difficult to examine in detail. His works, however, span different genres, including literature and miscellany. The library holds two of his works: Tianxiang Zhuan and Ding Jingong Tanlu. Tianxiang Zhuan centers on incense culture while touching on local products, connoisseurship, and anecdotes; its style is meticulous and reflects a refined interest in elegant objects. Ding Jingong Tanlu belongs to the category of miscellaneous notes, recording court and local observations and conversations of figures; its narration is concise and carries the dual character of historical material and conversational lore. Though different in subject, both works show a tendency toward the careful study of names and things and the preservation of observations through informal writing. They are thus often classed among works of literary appreciation and classics, and may be consulted by those interested in ancient incense culture, the tradition of miscellaneous notes, and the tastes of scholar-officials. Their influence lies mainly in the continued transmission of incense-related texts and miscellaneous writing.
