jin shi 999 Yi Qian

Born into the Wuyue royal family, he was the son of Qian Chu, the last king of Wuyue, and later served as an official in the Northern Song dynasty. He was known as a learned scholar as well as a political figure.

His most famous book is Nanbu Xinshu (南部新書), a ten-volume collection of notes and anecdotes. The work brings together material on institutions, festivals, music, performances, and court and social life, and it has long been valued for preserving details that standard histories leave out.

Later readers and scholars continued to treat the book as an important source for Tang and Five Dynasties history. Even though it is anecdotal in style, it has been appreciated for the historical details it saves and for the lively glimpse it offers into the world behind official records.