Qian Jibo

Qian Jibo (1887–1957), courtesy name Ziquan and style name Qianlu, was a native of Wuxi, Jiangsu. A prominent modern scholar of classical prose, literary and historical studies, and education, he was the father of Qian Zhongshu. He taught for many years at St. John's University, Tsinghua University, Guanghua University, and Zhejiang University, and after the victory of the War of Resistance taught at Huazhong University; he died in Wuhan in 1957. His scholarship spanned literature and history. His works include A History of Chinese Literature, A History of Modern Chinese Literature, A General Treatise on Classical Studies, A General Meaning of Editions, and Essential Readings in Ancient Books, and he compiled Essential Readings in National Studies. In The Academic Spirit of Hunan over the Past Century, he traced the regional scholarly tradition, reflecting his emphasis on classical, historical, and textual studies. His writing is rigorous and solid, skilled in tracing origins and developments, and his works remain important references for the study of Chinese literary history, academic history, and the foundations of national studies.