Lang Ying was a Ming-dynasty scholar whose biography, including his birthplace and dates of birth and death, is now difficult to establish because public sources are limited. What can be confirmed is that his principal work is the Qixiu xugao (Sequel to the Seven Revisions), and two of his works are held in this collection. Judging from the surviving text, Lang Ying wrote across the classics and histories while also recording observations, miscellaneous anecdotes, and social customs; he excelled at item-by-item textual criticism, and his plain style retains the informal flavor of notebook literature. The Qixiu xugao belongs to the miscellaneous-school tradition and has long been regarded as a useful source for the study of Ming scholarship and the intellectual world of literati. Because it also discusses food, daily life, and health care, later readers have placed it among works on health and classic texts. On the whole, Lang Ying is known for broad learning and diligent record-keeping rather than literary fame, and his writings offer valuable material for understanding the notebook tradition and everyday knowledge of the Ming dynasty.
