About Authorship
Although not considered official author for the production, the chief compiler for the genealogy should receive credit for his contribution. Often genealogy prefaces inform us a great deal about such figures. While in some cases, professional genealogy masters (pushi) were hired to supervise the entire project, in the case of Clan Li, a single figure can be identified. In the 1756 version, Li Peiyuan 李培源, wrote a preface “A Brief Account for Compiling the Genealogy”, in which he expressed the honor of being selected to shoulder the project by the entire clan. He claimed to take an active role in the compiling of the texts, seeking all the braches dispersed across the country and fully compiling the texts through referring to official histories and gazetteers of all bureaucratic levels. Li Peiyuan also worth the credit for asking Chen Zufan 陳祖范 (1675-1754), (recognized for his expertise in calligraphy and rejecting the top rank in the exam offered by Chen’s townsman) to write the genealogy preface on behalf of Clan Li. Li built this connection through his classmate, a son of Chen. Judging the aesthetics of the format of the pages (clear and beautiful hand-writings using kaishu style and the spacious layout of each page), the organization of the contents covering twenty-three themes including family tree, imperial grants, poetry etc.) and attempts to incorporate as many branches as possible, Li Peiyuan’s arduous commitments are visible. Besides the short piece explaining his function in the project and another piece supplements some information about the source, Li Peiyuan is scantly recorded in other documents. From a local gazetteer, we can know that in 1745 he passed the prefectural examination and thus became qualified to study in the imperial university (ba gong). He was also recognized by a local calligrapher, applauding Li’s skills being incomparable in the range of 300 years. Li Peiyuan can also be traced in the titles of some poems, showing his social networks around the area. Other than this, Li Peiyuan was mostly a historically anonymous figure.
Prefaces to earlier versions of genealogies of the Clan Li are also included, which record another two systematic compilations before this. Li Weizhen 李维桢, nephew of Li Chunfang wrote the preface for the compilation in 1605. In this preface, Li emphasized a Confucian tradition of compiling genealogy and a necessity for a literati family like Clan Li to employ this principle. Kong Zhenyun 孔贞运, a claimed indirect descendant of Confucius and long-term friend of the Clan Li, wrote for the one produced in 1636. This preface resembles the last one in terms of the contents. In addition, it addresses the responsibility of a large lineage to respond to the state by ordering the lineage through compiling a genealogy. It also notes a distinction between orthodox and barbarian, in comparison with inside and outside (of a family). Among the three prefaces tracing the reasons for genealogies, the tone of this piece is the most presumptuous, which is interesting as it is written by a so-called outsider.