Ranking and Appraisal
Tags
Summary
Editor's review
Who it's for
A good fit for
- General readers interested in Wei-Jin figures and the culture of pure conversation
- Beginners seeking an entry to A New Account of Tales of the World through short chapters
- Enthusiasts of ancient character appraisal and the discourse of public opinion
- Commuters who want classical short texts in fragmented time
Not a good fit for
- Readers expecting a systematic historical narrative of the Wei-Jin period or complete translation and annotation
- Readers who prefer long, continuous plots and are unused to note-form short chapters
- Researchers requiring strict scholarly collation and in-depth annotation
Reading tips
- Read three to five entries at a time; first look at the character appraisal, then revisit the surrounding context to sense the measure of grading.
- Keep a pen handy and note keywords such as "offending superiors" and "controlling subordinates," linking similar entries.
- Read alongside other categories of A New Account of Tales of the World to observe how the same figure differs across chapters.
- After reading, try retelling one appraisal in your own words to test whether you have grasped its evaluative logic.
About the publisher
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.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 品藻第九
FAQ
Is this book a complete translation of A New Account of Tales of the World?
How should "offending superiors is difficult, controlling subordinates is easy" be understood?
Can I read it without a foundation in classical Chinese?
Comments
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About the author
Liu Yiqing, courtesy name Jibo, was a member of the Southern Song imperial clan and a man of letters from Pengcheng (present-day Xuzhou, Jiangsu). He inherited the title Prince of Linchuan and served in posts such as governor of Jingzhou. Of simple temperament and few desires, he liked to gather literary talents around him and presided over the compilation of A New Account of the Tales of the World (Shishuo Xinyu); he also wrote the Youming Lu and other works. As public information on details of his life, including his birth and death years, is limited, his image emerges mainly through his writings. Shishuo Xinyu records in note form the words and deeds of scholars from the late Han to the Eastern Jin, with concise and memorable language that captures character in a few phrases; it has had a lasting influence on later note-style fiction and literati aesthetics. Dozens of related works are held in the collection, commonly classified under classical literature, literary appreciation, and Eastern philosophy, showing the continued circulation of his writings in later reading and research.
