The Qing dynasty commentator Bi Yuan (畢沅; 1730–1797), who published the 1789 Shiming shuzheng (釋名疏證; "Exegetical evidence for Shiming") critical edition, believed that the work was begun by Liu Zhen and completed by Liu Xi who added his preface. Another Qing scholar Qian Daxin (錢大昕; 1728–1804) concurred that Liu Xi was the author based upon studies of his students' biographies. Based on internal evidence, Bodman concludes, "It is not impossible that Liu Zhen did compose such a work and that Liu Xi might have used some of its material in his work, but the chance of this having happened is very small."
The commentator Bi Yuan believed that the work was initiated by Liu Zhen and concluded by Liu Xi, whereas another scholar Qian Daxin concurred that Liu Xi was the author based on his students' biographies. However, Bodman suggests that it is unlikely that Liu Zhen created the original work.