Li Changzhi

Li Changzhi (1910–1978), originally named Li Changzhi and Li Changzhi, was a modern Chinese writer, literary critic, and literary historian from Lijin, Shandong. He graduated from the Department of Philosophy at Tsinghua University in 1936 and later taught for many years at Beijing Normal University. His writing combines scholarly research with biographical narrative, and he was skilled at understanding his subjects' temperaments and historical circumstances on the basis of solid source materials. Representative works such as The Personality and Style of Sima Qian, A Biography of Sima Qian, A Biography of Tao Yuanming, The Daoist Poet Li Bai and His Suffering, The Story of Confucius, and A Biography of Li Bai mostly take literary figures as their subjects, examining their lives while appraising their spiritual character, in clear and insightful prose. His Critique of Lu Xun and A Brief History of Chinese Literature also reflect his concerns as a critic and literary historian. Thirteen of his works are included in the collection, covering categories such as general biography, classic works, and inspirational growth, offering readers an entry point into his biographical writing.