Qian Yong

Qian Yong (1759–1844), courtesy names Liqun, Taixian and Meixi, was a native of Jinkui in Jiangsu (present-day Wuxi). A Qing-dynasty scholar, calligrapher and epigrapher, he lived through the reigns of Qianlong, Jiaqing and Daoguang and spent many years serving as a private secretary in various parts of the country, which gave him wide acquaintance and rich experience. He was especially versed in epigraphy and stone inscriptions, skilled in poetry and in seal and clerical script, and his writings cover anecdotes and old lore, textual criticism, calligraphy and painting, rubbings and collecting. His best-known work, the L"uyuan conghua, is a notebook in which materials are arranged by category; broad in scope yet clearly organized, it is an important source for the social and cultural history of the Qing and reflects his deep knowledge of epigraphy, calligraphy and painting. The 28 works held here are mostly sections of that book, showing its central place in his output.