Jiang Tingxi was born in Changshu, Jiangsu, and was the son and grandson of two distinguished court scholar-officials. Jiang later became a court painter, his speciality being works depicting plants and flowers. Despite failing the metropolitan exam, the Kangxi emperor allowed him to sit for the palace test, and he obtained the jinshi degree in 1703. In addition to his artistic practice, Jiang Tingxi also served as editor of several imperially-commissioned histories and encyclopedias. The 5020-volume encyclopedia Gujin Tushu Jicheng ('Complete Collection of Illustrations and Writings from the Earliest to Current Times') was published in 1726, and was compiled by Chen Menglei and Jiang Tingxi during the reigns of both the Kangxi a...