History and Biography

Liu XieNanhai Publication Company · ChinaJun 2024

4.6

Word count: 1.8K words
Chapters: 2

Summary

Liu Xie (c. 465–520), courtesy name Yanhe, lived in the Liang dynasty of the Southern Dynasties period and was a literary theorist and critic in Chinese history.

Editor's review

Liu Xie is a highly important theorist in the history of Chinese literary criticism, and his Wenxin Diaolong (The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons) is tightly organized and deeply influential. "Shizhuan" (History and Biography), as a discussion of one genre within it, concentrates his systematic thinking on the writing of history, the selection of historical materials, and narrative conventions. This edition presents the piece on its own, allowing readers to focus on a single generic topic without first entering the vast structure of the whole work. The value of reading such a text lies not in obtaining ready-made writing templates but in understanding how the ancients defined the boundary between "history" and "biography" and how they handled the tension between factual record and praise or blame. For readers who want a solid foundation in classical literary theory while entering through a specific genre, this is a relatively friendly entry point. The 2024 Nanhai Publishing House edition serves well as a desk reference for focused reading; it is most rewarding when read closely alongside annotations.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Students and researchers in classical Chinese literary theory and criticism
Readers who want to understand the Wenxin Diaolong system by entering through a specific genre
History enthusiasts interested in the conventions of historical writing and narrative tradition
Teachers who need a focused text for course readings or book-club materials

Not a good fit for

General readers who only want light storytelling and lack patience for theoretical analysis
Beginners with no classical Chinese who are unwilling to use annotations
Those expecting a practical guide to modern journalism or nonfiction writing

Reading tips

Read the original through once, marking difficult passages, then go back line by line with annotations, avoiding getting stuck in philology from the start.
As you read, organize Liu Xie's key judgments on the history-and-biography genre into three to five points in your own words.
Cross-check his arguments against specific chapters of the Shiji and Hanshu to ground abstract concepts in actual texts.
If time is limited, read only a short passage at a time and write a hundred-word note after each—more rewarding than a single full read-through.

About the publisher

Nanhai Publication Company China · Founded in 1988

Nanhai Publication Company is a comprehensive publisher known for its literature and arts titles, covering fields such as classical poetry, martial arts fiction, and folk literature. Judging from the more than 1,600 books in the database, the company has released classical poetic works including the Nineteen Old Poems and the Nine Songs, as well as multiple volumes of Huanzhulouzhu's series The Swordsmen of Mount Shu, along with related writings by authors such as Guan Hanqing, Qu Yuan, Zuo Si, and Wang Zhihuan. Its publishing character lies in balancing the organization of classic texts with the dissemination of popular literature, placing poetry anthologies alongside long martial arts novels and presenting a relatively diverse literary profile. Public information is limited, and further details about its editorial practices and series planning remain to be supplemented.

版权信息
史传第十六

FAQ

Can I read the "Shizhuan" chapter directly without having read the whole Wenxin Diaolong?

Yes. As a standalone piece it is relatively independent, discussing the writing principles and conventions of the history-and-biography genre without relying on the full sequence of chapters. It does involve theoretical terms Liu Xie uses often, so looking up key concepts as you go will make for smoother reading.

Does this text still have practical value for writing today?

Its value is mainly conceptual: how to treat materials, how to handle the relationship between narrative and evaluation, how to understand the constraints of genre. These questions transcend their era, but do not expect directly applicable writing steps—it is better used as a reference for reflecting on your own writing habits.

My classical Chinese is weak—what should I keep in mind reading this?

Use annotations as a crutch; first aim to grasp the general meaning rather than memorizing terms. Summarize each paragraph's central judgment in one or two sentences of modern Chinese, then check back against the original. If possible, read alongside a version with vernacular translation, which noticeably lowers the barrier.

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About the author

Liu Xie Author · Chinese

Liu Xie (c. 465–520), courtesy name Yanhe, was a literary theorist and critic of the Liang dynasty in the Southern Dynasties. His ancestral home was Ju County in Shandong, and he was born in Jingkou. Orphaned young and poor, he was nonetheless devoted to learning and long stayed with the monk Sengyou at Dinglin Temple, where he took part in collating Buddhist scriptures. From about the age of thirty-two, Liu Xie spent five years completing The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons (Wenxin Diaolong), a work of broad scope and deep thought that examines genres, creative conception, style and rhetoric, and literary criticism. It is the most systematic treatise on literary theory in ancient China. Chapters such as “Preface and Motives,” “History and Biography,” “Cutting and Tailoring,” “General Technique,” and “Prayers and Oaths” discuss aims in writing, the genre of history and biography, organization and arrangement, principles of composition, and the forms of prayers and oaths, showing his concern with the origins of genres and the practice of writing. In his later years he became a monk and changed his name to Huidi. Public information about the details of his life is limited, but The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons has had a profound influence on later literary appreciation, Eastern philosophy, and cultural studies.