Guo Maoqian

Also known as Zi Decan

Guo Maoqian, styled Decan, came from Xucheng in Yunzhou (now Dongping, Shandong), with family roots in Taiyuan. His grandfather Guo Quan was an assistant prefect of Laizhou and his father Guo Yuanming an erudite of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. In 1084 he served as judicial officer of Henan prefecture. His hundred-juan Yuefu shiji collects pre-Qin songs and yuefu from the Han through the Tang and Five Dynasties in twelve classes, from temple hymns and drum-and-pipe songs to Xianghe, Qingshang, dance, qin and new yuefu pieces, each with a headnote. The Siku editors praised its wide citation and careful sourcing. He died in 1099, aged fifty-nine.