Li Ruzhen

Li Ruzhen (c. 1763–c. 1830), courtesy name Songshi and style name Songshi Daoren, was a native of Daxing in Zhili (present-day Beijing) and a novelist and phonologist of the Qing dynasty. He was well versed in phonology, chess, and mathematics, and was long respected for his wide learning. His representative novel, Flowers in the Mirror (Jinghua Yuan), uses exotic tales of overseas travels to satirize reality and to champion women's talent, combining foreign imagination with social criticism; it stands out among classical novels and is often classified as a social novel and a classic work. He also left Li's Phonological Mirror (Li Shi Yin Jian) and A Manual of Go (Shouzi Pu), showing that his scholarly interests went beyond fiction. This collection contains 22 of his works, mainly different editions of Flowers in the Mirror. Public information on the details of his life is limited, so readers may approach him through the themes and style of his works and appreciate his technique of embedding social commentary in fantastic journeys.