赵翼

Zhao Yi (1727–1814), courtesy name Yunsong, was a prominent scholar-official of the Qing dynasty. Born in Yanghu (now Changzhou, Jiangsu), he passed the imperial examinations and held various official posts, but his lasting fame rests on his literary and historical scholarship. A prolific poet, he was grouped with Yuan Mei and Zhang Wentao as one of the "Three Masters of Qianlong-era Poetry." His major critical work, the "Oubei Shihua" (Oubei's Remarks on Poetry), is a landmark in Chinese poetry criticism, offering detailed evaluations of major poets from the Tang and Song dynasties, with a particular emphasis on innovation and individual expression. Zhao Yi also wrote significant historical works, including the "Nian'er Shi Zhaji" (Notes on the Twenty-Two Histories), which combined rigorous textual analysis with insightful commentary. His literary legacy endures through his balanced, perceptive criticism that bridged classical tradition and personal creativity, influencing later generations of poets and critics.