About the author
Yu Yan is an ancient Chinese author with only a small body of surviving work, and public information about him is limited: neither his dates nor his native place are clearly recorded. What can be confirmed is that two works by him have come down to us, Xishang Futan (Casual Talks over the Banquet) and Shuzhai Yehua (Night Talks from the Study). Judging from their titles and their common classification, his writing touches on two areas, literary appreciation and Eastern philosophy. The former seems to center on remarks, allusions, and critical comments made among men of letters at gatherings, partaking of the nature of miscellaneous notes; the latter leans toward reflection and discussion in the study, showing a reader's observations on life and human affairs. One looks outward at the world, the other inward at nightly reading, and both appear to be note-style essays, concise in language and broad in range. Because few copies and little research material survive, Yu Yan has long remained little known to the general public; his value lies more in the ancient literati's tastes in reading and habits of thought reflected in his works.