王嘉

Wang Jia's biographical details are not recorded in the available materials: his nationality, dates of birth and death, and English name are all unknown, and public information is limited. Two of his works are held here, the representative one being Shiyiji (Records of Things Left Behind), along with another edition titled Shiyiji (with Three Other Works). Judging from the texts that survive, Wang Jia's name is chiefly associated with the composition of Shiyiji, a collection that brings together legends, anecdotes, myths, marvels, and curiosities from remote antiquity through the Wei and Jin periods. It blends the styles of zhiguai tales and miscellaneous history, with concise language and rich imagination, and remains an important source for understanding early supernatural fiction and ancient legends. The library classifies it under Eastern philosophy and literary appreciation, reflecting both its intellectual content and its literary value. Since verifiable facts about his life are so few, no inferences are made about his biography; this note focuses instead on the subject matter, style, and later influence of his work.