Mao Chang

Also known as Lesser Master Mao

Mao Chang, a Western Han man of Zhao, was known as the Lesser Master Mao. The Book of Han says a Master Mao specialised in the Songs and served King Xian of Hejian as erudite, and the Book of the Later Han names him: Mao Chang of Zhao transmitted the Songs, and this became the Mao recension. Tradition says he learned from Mao Heng and later governed Beihai. The Book of Han also records that the King of Hejian and a Master Mao gathered writings on music to compile the Record of Music and presented an eight-file dance. The Mao text, with its glosses and Zheng Xuan's later commentary, is the only complete recension of the Book of Songs to survive.