,

The author of the Tzu-hui, Mei Ying-tso (tzu ~~, fl. 1570-1615) was "a native of Hsiian-ch'eng '§'mlG (Anhwei). He served in the directorate of the Court of Imperial Entertainments as a steward (rank 8b), but apart from this, and the fact that his death made it necessary for his sons to oversee the completion, final checking, and printing of his dictionary, the Tzu-hui, nothing else is known of his career ... " (DMB 2:1061). From the biographies of his older cousin Mei Ting-tso W~§rl-fF (tzu ~iz:, hao ;f~T ' :k-~ 'M1~j1iA, 1549-1618) and other cousins (or brothers?) we know that the Mei family of Hsiian-ch'eng was one of the distinguished families ofthe locality (cf. DMB 2:1064).