現存《皇明人物考》有六卷，是一部傳記史學著作，據目前文獻指出為晚明焦竑（1540-1620，字弱侯，號漪園、澹園）所編，收入《明代傳記叢刊》。《四庫全書總目》將它列入「禁燬書」，題焦竑、翁正春（1553 -1626，字兆震）撰，未言卷數。各卷之內容，考述上自明太祖下至萬曆皇帝，兩百年間之帝王、公主駙馬、功臣將士、首輔大臣、封疆大吏、碩學鴻儒等四百一十位人物，據許多例證顯示，《皇明人物考》「考證不精，分類不明，訛誤頗多，闕失常見」，非焦竑所編纂，為時人具其名而編刻也。雖然如此，其考述諸多文獻亦為《明史》所未見，值得後人參酌，故不失其為晚明傳記史學之貢獻。

"Ming Dynasty biographies of investigation "（《皇明人物考》）,six volumes, is a biography of historical works according to the current literature indicates that Ming Dynasty biography compiled by Jiao Hong(1540-1620 ). It belongs to banned books in "Si Ku Quan Shu", and compiled by Jiao Hong and Weng Zhengchun (1553-1626), the volumes is unknow. It record two hundred years between the first Ming Dynasty Emperor Taejo to Emperor Wanli ,include princess consort prince、hero soldiers、chief minister、erudite scholar …. For many examples of , "Ming Dynasty biographies of investigation "（《皇明人物考》）shows that research is not fine, classification is unknown, a lot of mistake . It not compiled by Jiao Hong .It is in name only .However, a lot of data is not record in the "history of the Ming Dynasty", so it still has an outstanding contribution to the late Ming Dynasty Biographical History.