Wang Shizhen

Wang Shizhen was a Chinese scholar who lived through the transition from the Ming dynasty to the Qing dynasty. He was a descendant of the famous painter Wang Wei and the son of Wang Shimin, one of the Four Masters of the early Qing. He was well-versed in various fields of study, such as history, literature, philosophy, astronomy, and medicine. He was also a prolific writer and poet, producing more than 300 volumes of works. He is best known for his historical writings, such as the Yanshan Collection (燕山集), a comprehensive chronicle of the Ming dynasty, and the Draft History of the Ming (明史稿), a critical revision of the official history of the Ming. He also wrote biographies, essays, commentaries, and anthologies. He was a loyal supporter of the Ming dynasty and refused to serve the Qing government. He was appointed as the premier of the Republic of China in 1912 by Sun Yat-sen, who admired his patriotism and scholarship. He died in 1711 at the age of 77. He is regarded as one of the greatest historians and poets of China.