Six Records of a Floating Life

Content Warning: This section of the guide discusses suicide and alcohol addiction.

Shen Fu (Chinese: 沈復, literary name: Sanbai) is the author of Six Records of a Floating Life. The text is written from his point of view and recounts his reminiscences and meditations on events and periods in his life. He paints a nuanced and unvarnished picture of himself, acknowledging his flaws and failures both implicitly and explicitly without shying away from his successes or virtues. Shen Fu’s perspective is shaped by the values and expectations of his culture and upbringing; he believes in Confucian ideologies of filial piety, adherence to rites and social rules, and loyalty even as he fails to fully live up to all but the latter quality. He experiences many hardships in his life, both self-made and not, but shows resilience in his ability to endure adversity and continue pursuing happiness.

In the highly stratified and hierarchical society of Qing Dynasty China, Shen Fu was born into a position of significant privilege as the eldest son of a wealthy minor official. He was well educated, with every opportunity to succeed in the prestigious but rigorous official examinations for entrance into civil service.