笠翁先生

Very little public information is available about Mr. Liweng, and his real name, native place, and dates of birth and death remain difficult to verify. Four of his works are held in the collection, the representative one being the thirty-four-volume Classic Novels of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, which includes such titles as The Later History of Zen Zhen, The Three Great Heroes of the Qing Dynasty, The Unofficial History of Zen Zhen, and The Joined Brocade Palindrome Tale; there are also separate volumes of The Joined Brocade Palindrome Tale. These works belong largely to Ming and Qing vernacular fiction and classical narrative literature, covering historical romance, social manners, and legend, with accessible language and intricate plots; they are commonly classified under fine fiction, classical literature, and literary appreciation. Judging from the available titles, Mr. Liweng's work focuses on the compilation and presentation of Ming and Qing fiction, offering readable texts through which readers may approach the narrative traditions of the period. His life, associations, and scholarly lineage cannot be discussed here for lack of material.