Money Contained Chronicle

Qian Zai(1708-1793),also known in courtesy names as Kunyi, Tuoshi, Wansong Jushi, was born in Xiushui county, Jiaxing prefecture, Zhejiang province. He was an outstanding poet and a literati painter famous in the reign of Qianlong Emperor. He learned basic skills of painting after Chenshu in his youth. While living in Jiangpu's mansion at Peking as a tutor, he got instructions on painting from Jiangpu occasionally. Qianzai's paintings were focused on plant subjects, mainly trees and flowers such as orchids, plum blossoms, bamboos, pines etc., and formed a notable style marked by free brushworks and properly added percentage of water. In Qian Weicheng's opinion, Zhang Guyu was the best of his contemporary landscape painters, as to paintings in casual styles, he named Qianzai. Qianzai's contributions to poetry are regarded much greater than painting, although his poems were undervalued by his contemporaries. Besides, he was a rather successful statesman. After obtaining Jinshi degree, Qianzai was admitted into Hanlin Academy, from which he started his service to imperial court and finally reached at a high position as the vice president of Board of Rites. Most of the people he acquainted with therefore were elites in his times, such as prince Yongxing, Jiangpu, Zou Yigui, Dong Bangda, Yinglian, Zhanggeng, Luopin, Jinnong, Weng Fanggang, Zhang Zongchang, Yuanmei, Shen Deqian, Qian Chenqun, Liang Tongshu, Chen Zhaolun, Ma Yueguan, Shen Dacheng, Wangchang, Wang Mingsheng, Qian Daxin, Zhuyun and etc.. This chronology is a complete record of Qianzai's whole life, which includes every written piece of information about whatever he said or did, with emphasis on his interactions between contemporary people, events and social trends. A simple biography is written to every person mentioned, and more details are given if concerning intimate friends or significant events. Although needed as much as possible, materials we use are chosen from confirmed sources, so as to make details clear and accurate, and to obtain completeness and clarity on the whole. Being a remarkable figure in the arts of poetry, calligraphy and painting, it's a pity there is no chronology of Qianzai yet. Our writing is intended to make a good start. In the reign of Qianlong Emperor, the Qing Dynasty entered a golden time that affected many aspects of China, and is of significance to history studies. Following Qianzai's personal experience, this chronology also makes researches into the politics, cultures and societies of that time, which may contribute to related forthcoming studies.