(1795). During these years, spent in alternate travel and quiet seclusion, he came to be known as one of the most skillful poets of his time. His generous patronage and hospitality brought to him friends and students from all parts of the country, and many of them he elevated to public recognition by commenting on or editing their works. Among his most intimate friends were Chiang Shih-ch'üan whose funerary inscription he wrote, Yao Nai who later composed Yüan Mei's funerary inscription, and Ch'êng Chin-fang [qq. v.]. Upon the death of the last-mentioned Yüan Mei rendered great service to the family, burning a mortgage for five thousand taels silver which the deceased had owed him.
The writings of Yüan Mei show that he had a broad knowledge in various fields of learning, particularly history; that he possessed considerable genius as a poet; and that he took a keen interest in life, which he interpreted with a lightness of touch and a whimsical humor that lend to his writings unusual charm. The collection of his works, entitled Hsiao-ts'ang shan fang ch'üan-chi (房全集, 1775), in 60 chüan, was widely read by foreigners as well as by Chinese. It was steadily enlarged, and now includes forty works under the title Sui-yüan ch'üan-chi (全集, 1931). Included are his poems in 39 chüan, prose-essays in 35 chüan, miscellaneous notes (隨筆) in 28 chüan, letters in 10 chüan, rhythmic prose in 8 chüan, pa-ku essays in 1 chüan, discourses on literary criticism in 26 chüan, short stories comprising 34 chüan, an essay on cooking, Sui-yüan shih-tan (食單), 1 chüan, and some twenty collections of selected verse by his friends, relatives and acquaintances. His discourse on cooking, written in a vein of charming banter, has been translated into several Western languages.
Yüan Mei was a contemporary of Shên Tê-ch'ien [q. v.] whose biography he wrote. The two competed three times in the same examinations and received the chin shih degree in the same year. But they differ greatly, both as men and as poets, and became the exponents of two important schools of literary criticism which in their day frequently stood in opposition to each other. Shên demanded of poetry that it should have a moral purpose and that it should adhere, for the most part, to standard forms. Yüan maintained that the function of poetry is to delight, and that great verse does not depend primarily upon adherence to fixed form, but upon the poet's knowledge, genius, and individuality. He stressed the importance of the free expression of natural emotions in life, and did not hesitate to affirm that sexual love plays an important role.
Yüan Mei demonstrated his liberality and breadth of view in other matters as well. In his attitude toward history and the Classics he was as outspoken as Ts'ui Shu [q. v.], recognizing no authority, even in the most ancient classical tradition, if it seemed to him unfounded. Hence he opposed the tao-t'ung 道統 or "Truth Succession" doctrine of Han Yü (see under Mao Chin) asserting that tao is there and every one may lay hold on it without it having to be transmitted through what Westerners might call the "apostolic succession" of a Confucian school. In his attitude toward women, Yüan Mei broke away from the traditional view that "absence of talent in a woman is synonymous with virtue" (女子無才便是德) and insisted that women should be given opportunity to develop their native intelligence. Disregarding harsh criticism and the epithet "libertine" hurled at him by reactionary scholars and stern moralists, he encouraged many women in their efforts to write poetry. He received them as pupils, and published their works. Thirteen of these students are portrayed in a painting, entitled 十三女弟湖樓請業圖 Shih-san nü-ti hu-lou ch'ing-yeh tu. The best known were Chin I 金逸 (T. 纖纖) whom he mentioned in a sheaf of poems, entitled 後知己詩 Hou chih-chi shih, as one of his good friends of later years; and Hsi Pei-lan, wife of Sun Yüan-hsiang [q. v.]. Two of his sisters—Yüan Chi 袁機 (T. 素文, 1720–1759) and Yüan Chu 袁杼 (T. 靜宜, H. 綺文)—and a cousin, Yüan T'ang 袁裳 (T. 雲扶, H. 秋卿, 1734–1771), were writers of verse. Yüan Mei encouraged them with his appreciation and published their works. A number of his granddaughters also became well-known in the same field.
A grandson of Yüan Mei, named Yüan Tsu-tê 袁祖惪 (H. 又村, 1811–1853), was a magistrate of Shanghai who lost his life there (1853) defending the city against the Taiping Rebels. Another grandson, Yüan Tsu-chih 袁祖志 (T. 翔甫, H. 倉山舊主, 1827–1898), was a talented writer in Shanghai in the last quarter of the nineteenth century In 1883 he accompanied T'ang T'ing-shu 唐廷樞 (H. 景星) on a tour of Europe; and upon his return, early in the following year, wrote down his observations in a sketch entitled 談瀛錄 T'an-ying lu, 4 chüan. Two other works by him may be mentioned: miscellaneous notes, entitled Sui-yüan so-chi
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