Liu E

This article is about the Qing Dynasty official and writer. For the Han Zhao empress, see Empress Liu E.
Liu E
劉鶚 / 劉鉄雲 / 鴻都百煉生
Born (1857-10-18)18 October 1857
Dantu, Jiangsu
Died 23 August 1909(1909-08-23) (aged 51)
Dihua, Xinjiang
Pen name Hong Du Bai Lian Sheng
Chinese: 鸿都百炼生
Occupation Writer, scholar, politician
Language Chinese
Nationality Chinese
Period late Qing era
Genre Illustrated fiction
Notable works The Travels of Lao Can

Literature portal

This is a Chinese name; the family name is Liu.

Liu E (simplified Chinese: 刘鹗; traditional Chinese: 劉鶚; pinyin: Liú È; Wade–Giles: Liu E; also spelled Liu O; 18 October 1857 – 23 August 1909), courtesy name Tieyun (simplified Chinese: 铁云; traditional Chinese: 鐵雲; pinyin: Tiěyún; Wade–Giles: T'ieh-yün), was a Chinese writer, archaeologist and politician of the late Qing Dynasty.

Government and politics

Liu was a native of Dantu (modern day Zhenjiang). In the government he worked with flood control, famine relief, and railroads. He became disillusioned with official ideas of reform and became a proponent of private economic development modeled after western systems. During the Boxer Uprising he speculated in government rice, distributing it to the poor. He was cashiered for these efforts, but shrewd investments had left him wealthy enough to follow his pioneering archaeological studies and to write fiction.

Literature

The language in Liu E's novels borrowed illusions and images from classical Chinese literature and Liu E used symbolism in his novels. Therefore, his works appealed to readers who had a classical education and were considered sophisticated in their society.[1]

One of Liu's best known works is The Travels of Lao Can.

Oracle bone archeology and scholarship

Liu collected five thousand oracle bone fragments, published the first volume of examples and rubbings in 1903, and correctly identified thirty-four oracle bone script characters.

Exile and death

Liu was framed for malfeasance related to his work during the Boxer Rebellion and was exiled in 1908, dying within the next year in Dihua of the Xinjiang Province (today known as Ürümqi).

Notes

  1. Doleželová-Velingerová, p. 724.

References

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 5/6/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.