Wu Diaohou

Wu Diaohou (1657–1701), whose given name was Dazhi and whose courtesy name was Diaohou, was a native of Shanyin in Zhejiang (present-day Shaoxing) and a private tutor in the Qing dynasty. He taught students over many years and understood the reading level of beginners. Together with his clan uncle Wu Chucai, he compiled the twelve-volume Guwen Guanzhi, an anthology of 222 prose pieces from the pre-Qin period to the Ming dynasty. The selections balance narrative, argumentative and lyrical writing, are moderate in length and are accompanied by concise commentary, making them easy to recite and study; the work thus became a widely circulated primer for classical Chinese prose. Very little is known about the details of his personal life, and public sources are limited. Besides Guwen Guanzhi itself, the collection also includes twenty-nine editions of the work, such as separate volumes and recommended reading editions for Chinese language courses. He once passed the examination as a National Academy student and was appointed county assistant magistrate.