Wang Ji was a poet in ancient China. Only limited public information is available about him: his dates of birth and death, native place, and life experiences are all unknown, and the library holds only one of his works, “To Recluse Cheng.” Judging from the title and content, the poem is a gift poem addressed to a recluse surnamed Cheng, that is, a scholar who did not take office and lived in seclusion. This suggests that Wang Ji’s writing was connected with the social exchanges of ancient literati and with themes of reclusive life. The work belongs to ancient poetry, and its language is plain and natural, its feeling sincere, with a tone of farewell and personal reflection. Wang Ji’s poetic style avoids elaborate ornamentation and tends to express personal feelings through everyday life and friendly intercourse, an orientation akin to the tradition of ancient poetry that values genuine emotion and naturalness. Because public information is limited, his life, official career, acquaintances, and the full range of his writings cannot be described in detail; only a brief introduction based on the work preserved in the library is possible, and there is insufficient material to explain how later generations received him and his poetry.
