Li Kaixian was a literatus of the Ming dynasty. Publicly available information about his life and other activities is limited, and what can be confirmed centers mainly on his extant works. The catalog contains one work by him, Cixue (Anecdotes and Critiques of Ci and Qu). In terms of subject matter, Cixue belongs to the genre of commentary and notes on ci and qu, offering evaluations and anecdotes concerning these genres and bearing the character of literati jottings. Writing of this kind tends to be free in form, combining appreciation, textual inquiry and record-keeping; its language values wit and propriety, revealing the author's aesthetic judgment while preserving much material on the composition and circulation of ci and qu at the time. Because reliable records of Li Kaixian's other experiences and background are lacking, this introduction makes no conjectures and focuses instead on the thematic features and documentary value of Cixue. Readers may regard it as a clue to understanding Ming-dynasty criticism of ci and qu and literati taste.
