Wèi Xiùrén 魏秀仁 (1818–1873), courtesy name Zǐān 子安, was a Qīng dynasty man of letters from Fújiàn 福建, best known as the author of the romantic novel Huā Yuè Hén 花月痕 (KR4k0144). He was born in Jiāqìng 23 (1818) and died in Tóngzhì 12 (1873); the CBDB entry (id 91826) confirms these dates from Qīngdài rénwù shēngzú niánbiǎo and Xiè Zhāngtíng’s 謝章鋌 grave inscription (Mùzhìmíng 墓誌銘). An alternative date of birth (1819) and death (1874) sometimes appears in secondary literature but is erroneous according to the Qīngdài rénwù shēngzú niánbiǎo.
Despite his literary talents, Wèi Xiùrén never passed the jìnshì 進士 examination and spent much of his adult life as a private secretary (mùyǒu 幕友) in official yamen in Fújiàn, Sūzhōu, Tàiyuán, and other postings. The novel Huā Yuè Hén is substantially autobiographical and is the principal source for reconstructing his biography. He also left manuscript miscellaneous writings (zájù chāoběn 雜著鈔本), and a genealogical supplement (Xù Wèishì shìpǔ 續魏氏世譜) is among the sources confirming his dates. His literary circle included the critic and poet Xiè Zhāngtíng 謝章鋌, who saw Huā Yuè Hén through posthumous publication (1888) and composed Wèi’s epitaph.