Active in the 1st century CE, from
会稽 山阴 (modern
绍兴). His 《
吴越春秋》 dramatizes the Spring-and-Autumn rivalry between the southern states of
吴 and
越, including the famous stories of
勾践 lying on firewood and tasting gall, and
西施. The text blends history with legend, more readable than the canonical 《
左传》.
