Pei Ch'i Shu 45: Biography of Yen Chih-T'ui

This is an annotated translation, with introduction, of the biography of Yen Chih-t'ui (531-591) from -Pei Ch'i shu-. Included in Yen's biography is a long autobiographical poem which offers an unusual perspective of the important events of this turbulent period. Yen is significant because of his authorship of the -Yen-shih chia-hsun-, a translation of which has been published recently. Thus the biography provides background and setting for the -Chia-hsun-, an important social document of medieval China, and taken together, the two provide rich material for further studies of medieval China."