胡仔

Hu Zi, whose dates, birthplace, and English name are unknown, is an ancient Chinese man of letters about whom public information is limited. Judging from his surviving works, he was concerned with poetry talks (shihua), ci criticism, and chronological accounts of Confucian figures. Three of his works are held in this collection: Tiaoxi Yuyin Conghua, Tiaoxi Yuyin Cihua, and A Chronology of Confucius. The first, best known among them, is a compilation of earlier discussions of poetry, arranged by period and author and interspersed with anecdotes, and it remains useful for the study of classical poetic criticism and literary appreciation. Tiaoxi Yuyin Cihua follows a similar approach, gathering comments on ci poetry. A Chronology of Confucius presents Confucius's life in annalistic form, reflecting an interest in classical and historical scholarship consistent with the category of Eastern philosophy. Hu Zi's writing thus emphasizes documentary compilation and commentary, and his influence is chiefly felt within the traditions of shihua and cihua.