Xu Yuan

Xu Yuan (, ), courtesy name Xiaoshu(小淑), was a Ming dynasty child prodigy and poet during the reign of the Wanli Emperor (1563–1620). Born in Suzhou to the imperial retainer Xu Shitai, she became regarded as one of the foremost female poets from Suzhou. Little about Xu Yuan's early life is recorded, as the exact year of her birth and death is unknown. Born to a family of scholars, she was provided instruction from a young age and it is recorded that she was such a prodigy in the literary arts that she was praised as a reincarnation of Xie Daoyun. She lived a relatively carefree life in childhood, and often exchanged poems with her siblings and cousins.

Fan Yunlin's studies would pay off and he would be given a number of official positions such as vice-commissioner, secretary in the Ministry of War, and in the Ministry of Works Though her poetry was well received by her readers, the work was not without its contemporary critics. The poet Fang Mengshi wrote that Xu Yuan's writing was mediocre and without talent, while poet and artist Liang Mengzhao believed the odd language Xu Yuan used in her poetry was the result of trying to censor what was on her mind which made it dull. The criticism did not appear to hinder her readership, nor did the critics make any overt mention of her writing about courtesans and gējì. Collection of Poems by Famous Women: Thirty-six Volumes (edited by Chung Sing-chi). Late Ming Dynasty (1621–1644) [名媛詩歸﹕三十六卷(鍾惺點次)。明末(1621–1644)] Ancient and Modern Women's History: 12 volumes, Poetry Collection: 8 volumes, with Details of Surnames and Characters: 1 volume (edited by Zhao Shijie, Ming Dynasty). Ming Chongzhen (1628–1644) [古今女史﹕十二卷﹐詩集﹕八卷﹐附姓氏字里詳節﹕一卷(明趙世杰輯)。明崇禎(1628–1644)] The First Compilation of Poetry by Famous Women (edited by Wang Duanshu, Qing Dynasty). Qing Dynasty (1667)[名媛詩緯初編(清王端淑輯)。清康熙六年(1667)] Historical Famous Women: A Compendium of Literature in Two Volumes (edited by Wang Xiuqin and selected by Hu Wenkai, Republic of China). The Commercial Press, Republic of China, February 1947, first edition. [歷代名媛文苑簡編:二卷(民國王秀琴編,胡文楷選訂)。商務印書館民國三十六年(1947)二月初版]