Li Diaoyuan

Li Diaoyuan (1734–1803), courtesy name Gangtang and art name Yucun, was a native of Luojiang, Mianzhou, Sichuan (present-day Deyang). A Qing-dynasty literary scholar, poet, drama theorist and bibliophile, he passed the imperial examination as a jinshi in 1763 and held posts including a position in the Ministry of Personnel and education commissioner of Guangdong, before being dismissed and returning home to devote himself to writing. His works include Yucun Quhua, Yucun Shihua and Tongshan Shiji. He also compiled the large series Hanhai and built the Wanujuan Library, housing some 100,000 volumes, contributing significantly to the preservation of texts and Sichuan culture. His Nanyue Biji records the landscape, customs and natural history of Lingnan in concise, wide-ranging notes, making it a valuable source for understanding Qing-era Guangdong.