About the author
Lao Li is an author about whom little public information is available. What is known is that his writing touches on documentary literature and Eastern philosophy, with two works held in the collection. Among them, The Four Eunuchs of the Late Qing takes the palace eunuchs of the late Qing as its subject and falls within documentary literature, reflecting late Qing politics and palace life through the fate of this particular group. A Brief History of Slaves, judged by its title and classification, appears to examine dependent personalities and power relations in traditional society, echoing the Eastern philosophy reading label. Overall, Lao Li's writing leans toward historical subjects and observations on institutions and human nature, mainly narrating historical facts and focusing on the inner court, status hierarchy and slave culture. Since information on the author's life, identity and creative background cannot be verified, the circumstances of composition and influence of these works await further material; readers may regard them as documentary writing centered on the late Qing court and slave culture.