Huashi huizhuan 畫史彙傳

Lidai huashi huizhuan 歷代畫史彙傳 "Collected biographies of the history of painting", also abbreviated as Huashi huizhuan 畫史彙傳 and called Lidai huajia shi huizhuan 歷代畫家史彙傳 or Lichao huashi huizhuan 歷朝畫史彙傳, is a history of painters compiled by Peng Yuncan 彭蘊璨 (fl. 1820-1850, or simply Peng Can 彭燦), courtesy name Langfeng 朗峰, from Changzhou 長洲 (today part of Suzhou 蘇州, Jiangsu).

The book has a length of 72 juan, with an introductory fascicle and an appendix of 2 juan, and presents biographies of no less than 7,500 painters through history. The introductory chapter includes biographies of painting emperors and princes of the Qing dynasty 清 (1644-1911). The core part begins (1 Gu diwang men 古帝王門) with sovereigns and princes in history. The greatest part of the book (2-61 Huashi men 畫史門) is dedicated to famous or less famous masters, and is practically a history of Chinese painting. Anonymous artworks or such whose creators are only known by name are discussed in juan 62 (Pianque men 偏闕門). The next chapter (63 Waifan men 外藩門) explains the artworks of foreigners and non-Han people. It is followed by a section on Buddhist painters (64-65 Shishi men 釋氏門), empress painters (66 Houfei men 后妃門). The book closes with female painters of common status (67-70 Nüshi men 女史門). Below the level of chapters, artists are arranged phonologically (see rhymes) according to their family name, and below that level, chronologically.

Shi Yunyu 石韞玉, who wrote the preface, explains that the most important parts of the book were the chapters on painters of common status, males and females. Peng's book was the largest collection of biographies of painters up to date (until the publication of the Zhongguo huaji renming cidian 中國畫家人名辭典 in 1934) and uses a huge amount of more than 1,200 sources, from history books to local gazetteers, books on painting, collected writings or "brush-notes"-style essays (biji 筆記). Peng also adds critical remarks to some statements.