Book of Jin

Book of Jin
AuthorFang Xuanling et al
Original title晉書
CountryChina
LanguageClassical Chinese
SubjectAncient Chinese history (Jin dynasty)
Publication date
648
Book of Jin
Traditional Chinese晉書
Simplified Chinese晋书

The Book of Jin is an official Chinese historical text covering the history of the Jin dynasty from 266 to 420. It was compiled in 648 by a number of officials commissioned by the imperial court of the Tang dynasty, with chancellor Fang Xuanling as the lead editor, drawing mostly from official documents left from earlier archives. A few essays in volumes 1, 3, 54 and 80 were composed by the Tang dynasty's Emperor Taizong himself. However, the contents of the Book of Jin included not only the history of the Jin dynasty, but also that of the Sixteen Kingdoms period, which was contemporaneous with the Eastern Jin dynasty.

Compilation

Over 20 histories of the Jin had been written during the Northern and Southern dynasties, of which 18 were still extant at the beginning of the Tang dynasty. Yet Emperor Taizong deemed them all to be deficient and ordered the compilation of a new standard history for the period, as part of a wider six-history project to fill in the gaps between the Records of the Three Kingdoms, the Book of Song, the Book of Qi, the Book of Wei and the Emperor's own time. As part of this ambition, its treatises cover not only the Jin but also the preceding Three Kingdoms, making up for the lack of such a section in the Records of the Three Kingdoms.

The book was hastily compiled between 646 CE and 648, by a committee of 21 people led by editor-in-chief Fang Xuanling. As some chapters were written by Emperor Taizong of Tang, the work is sometimes given the honorific "imperially authored".

The Book of Jin had the longest gestation period of any official history, not seeing the light of day until 229 years after the end of the dynasty it describes.

Contents

Annals (紀)

# Title Translation Notes
Volume 1 帝紀第1 宣帝 Emperor Xuan Sima Yi (Western Jin)
Volume 2 帝紀第2 景帝 文帝 Emperor Jing; Emperor Wen Sima Shi, Sima Zhao
Volume 3 帝紀第3 武帝 Emperor Wu Sima Yan
Volume 4 帝紀第4 惠帝 Emperor Hui Sima Zhong
Volume 5 帝紀第5 懷帝 愍帝 Emperor Huai; Emperor Min Sima Chi, Sima Ye
Volume 6 帝紀第6 元帝 明帝 Emperor Yuan; Emperor Ming Sima Rui, Sima Shao (Eastern Jin)
Volume 7 帝紀第7 成帝 康帝 Emperor Cheng; Emperor Kang Sima Yan, Sima Yue
Volume 8 帝紀第8 穆帝 哀帝 海西公 Emperor Mu; Emperor Ai; Duke of Haixi Sima Dan, Sima Pi, Sima Yi
Volume 9 帝紀第9 簡文帝 孝武帝 Emperor Jianwen; Emperor Xiaowu Sima Yu, Sima Yao
Volume 10 帝紀第10 安帝 恭帝 Emperor An; Emperor Gong Sima Dezong, Sima Dewen

Treatises (志)

# Title Translation Notes
Volume 11 志第1 天文上 Astronomy Part One
Volume 12 志第2 天文中 Astronomy Part Two
Volume 13 志第3 天文下 Astronomy Part Three
Volume 14 志第4 地理上 Geography Part One
Volume 15 志第5 地理下 Geography Part Two
Volume 16 志第6 律歷上 Rhythm and the Calendar Part One
Volume 17 志第7 律歷中 Rhythm and the Calendar Part Two
Volume 18 志第8 律歷下 Rhythm and the Calendar Part Three
Volume 19 志第9 禮上 Rites Part One
Volume 20 志第10 禮中 Rites Part Two
Volume 21 志第11 禮下 Rites Part Three
Volume 22 志第12 樂上 Music Part One
Volume 23 志第13 樂下 Music Part Two
Volume 24 志第14 職官 Government Service
Volume 25 志第15 輿服 Travel and Dress
Volume 26 志第16 食貨 Food and Commodities
Volume 27 志第17 5行上 Five Elements Part One
Volume 28 志第18 5行中 Five Elements Part Two
Volume 29 志第19 5行下 Five Elements Part Three
Volume 30 志第20 刑法 Punishment and Law

Biographies (列傳)

# Title Translation Notes
Volume 31 列傳第1 后妃上 Empresses and Consorts Part One
Volume 32 列傳第2 后妃下 Empresses and Consorts Part Two
Volume 33 列傳第3 王祥 鄭沖 何曾 石苞 Wang Xiang; Zheng Chong; He Zeng; Shi Bao
Volume 34 列傳第4 羊祜 杜預 Yang Hu; Du Yu
Volume 35 列傳第5 陳騫 裴秀 Chen Qian; Pei Xiu
Volume 36 列傳第6 衛瓘 張華 Wei Guan; Zhang Hua
Volume 37 列傳第7 宗室 Imperial Clan Sima Fu, Sima Quan, Sima Tai, Sima Sui, Sima Sui, Sima Xun, Sima Mu, Sima Ling, and their sons
Volume 38 列傳第8 宣5王 文6王 Five Princes of Xuan; Six Princes of Wen Sima Gan, Sima Zhou, Sima Jing, Sima Jun, Sima Rong (sons of Sima Yi); Sima You, Sima Zhao, Sima Dingguo, Sima Guangde, Sima Jian, Sima Yanzuo (sons of Sima Zhao)
Volume 39 列傳第9 王沈 荀顗 荀勖 馮紞 Wang Chen; Xun Yi; Xun Xu; Feng Dan
Volume 40 列傳第10 賈充 郭彰 楊駿 Jia Chong; Guo Zhang; Yang Jun
Volume 41 列傳第11 魏舒 李憙 劉寔 高光 Wei Shu; Li Xi; Liu Shi; Gao Guang
Volume 42 列傳第12 王渾 王濬 唐彬 Wang Hun; Wang Jun; Tang Bin
Volume 43 列傳第13 山濤 王戎 郭舒 樂廣 Shan Tao; Wang Rong; Guo Shu; Yue Guang
Volume 44 列傳第14 鄭袤 李胤 盧欽 華表 石鑒 溫羨 Zheng Mao; Li Yin; Lu Qin; Hua Biao; Shi Jian; Wen Xian
Volume 45 列傳第15 劉毅 程衛 和嶠 武陔 任愷 崔洪 郭奕 侯史光 何攀 Liu Yi; Cheng Wei; He Jiao; Wu Gai; Ren Kai; Cui Hong; Guo Yi; Hou Shiguang; He Pan
Volume 46 列傳第16 劉頌 李重 Liu Song; Li Zhong
Volume 47 列傳第17 傅玄 Fu Xuan
Volume 48 列傳第18 向雄 段灼 閻纘 Xiang Xiong; Duan Zhuo; Yan Zuan
Volume 49 列傳第19 阮籍 嵇康 向秀 劉伶 謝鯤 胡毋輔之 畢卓 王尼 羊曼 光逸 Ruan Ji; Ji Kang; Xiang Xiu; Liu Ling; Xie Kun; Huwu Fuzhi; Bi Zhuo; Wang Ni; Yang Man; Guang Yi
Volume 50 列傳第20 曹志 庾峻 郭象 庾純 秦秀 Cao Zhi; Yu Jun; Guo Xiang; Yu Chun; Qin Xiu
Volume 51 列傳第21 皇甫謐 摯虞 束皙 王接 Huangfu Mi; Zhi Yu; Shu Xi; Wang Jie
Volume 52 列傳第22 郤詵 阮種 華譚 袁甫 Xi Shen; Ruan Zhong; Hua Tan; Yuan Fu
Volume 53 列傳第23 愍懷太子 Crown Prince Minhuai
Volume 54 列傳第24 陸機 Lu Ji
Volume 55 列傳第25 夏侯湛 潘岳 張載 Xiahou Zhan; Pan Yue; Zhang Zai
Volume 56 列傳第26 江統 孫楚 Jiang Tong; Sun Chu
Volume 57 列傳第27 羅憲 滕修 馬隆 胡奮 陶璜 吾彥 張光 趙誘 Luo Xian; Teng Xiu; Ma Long; Hu Fen; Tao Huang; Wu Yan; Zhang Guang; Zhao You
Volume 58 列傳第28 周處 周訪 Zhou Chu; Zhou Fang
Volume 59 列傳第29 汝南文成王亮 楚隱王瑋 趙王倫 齊王冏 長沙王乂 成都王穎 河間王顒 東海孝獻王越 Liang, Prince Wencheng of Ru'nan; Wei, Prince Yin of Chu; Lun, Prince of Zhao; Jiong, Prince of Qi; Ai, Prince of Changsha; Ying, Prince of Chengdu; Yong, Prince of Hejian; Yue, Prince Xiaoxian of Donghai
Volume 60 列傳第30 解系 孫旂 孟觀 牽秀 繆播 皇甫重 張輔 李含 張方 閻鼎 索靖 賈疋 Xie Xi; Sun Qi; Meng Guan; Qian Xiu; Miao Bo; Zhang Fu; Li Han; Zhang Fang; Yan Ding; Suo Jing; Jia Ya
Volume 61 列傳第31 周浚 成公簡 苟晞 華軼 劉喬 Zhou Jun; Cheng Gongjian; Gou Xi; Hua Die; Liu Qiao
Volume 62 列傳第32 劉琨 祖逖 Liu Kun; Zu Ti
Volume 63 列傳第33 邵續 李矩 段匹磾 魏浚 郭默 Shao Xu; Li Ju; Duan Pidi; Wei Jun; Guo Mo
Volume 64 列傳第34 武13王 元4王 簡文3子 Thirteen Princes of Wu; Four Princes of Yuan; Three Sons of Jianwen
Volume 65 列傳第35 王導 Wang Dao
Volume 66 列傳第36 劉弘 陶侃 Liu Hong; Tao Kan
Volume 67 列傳第37 溫嶠 郗鑒 Wen Jiao; Chi Jian
Volume 68 列傳第38 顧榮 紀瞻 賀循 楊方 薛兼 Gu Rong; Ji Zhan; He Xun; Yang Fang; Xue Jian
Volume 69 列傳第39 劉隗 刁協 戴若思 周顗 Liu Wei; Diao Xie; Dai Ruosi; Zhou Yi
Volume 70 列傳第40 應詹 甘卓 鄧騫 卞壼 Ying Zhan; Gan Zhuo; Deng Qian; Bian Kun
Volume 71 列傳第41 孫惠 熊遠 王鑒 陳頵 高崧 Sun Hui; Xiong Yuan; Wang Jian; Chen Yun; Gao Song
Volume 72 列傳第42 郭璞 葛洪 Guo Pu; Ge Hong
Volume 73 列傳第43 庾亮 Yu Liang
Volume 74 列傳第44 桓彝 Huan Yi
Volume 75 列傳第45 王湛 荀崧 范汪 劉惔 Wang Zhan; Xun Song; Fan Wang; Liu Tan
Volume 76 列傳第46 王舒 王廙 虞潭 顧眾 張闓 Wang Shu; Wang Yi; Yu Tan; Gu Zhong; Zhang Kai
Volume 77 列傳第47 陸曄 何充 褚翜 蔡謨 諸葛恢 殷浩 Lu Ye; He Chong; Chu Se; Cai Mo; Zhuge Hui; Yin Hao
Volume 78 列傳第48 孔愉 丁潭 張茂 陶回 Kong Yu; Ding Tan; Zhang Mao; Tao Hui
Volume 79 列傳第49 謝尚 謝安 Xie Shang; Xie An
Volume 80 列傳第50 王羲之 Wang Xizhi
Volume 81 列傳第51 王遜 蔡豹 羊鑒 劉胤 桓宣 硃伺 毛寶 劉遐 鄧岳 朱序 Wang Xun; Cai Bao; Yang Jian; Liu Yin; Huan Xuan; Zhu Si; Mao Bao; Liu Xia; Deng Yue; Zhu Xu
Volume 82 列傳第52 陳壽 王長文 虞溥 司馬彪 王隱 虞預 孫盛 干寶 鄧粲 謝沉 習鑿齒 徐廣 Chen Shou; Wang Changwen; Yu Pu; Sima Biao; Wang Yin; Yu Yu; Sun Sheng; Gan Bao; Deng Can; Xie Chen; Xi Zuochi; Xu Guang
Volume 83 列傳第53 顧和 袁瑰 江逌 車胤 殷顗 王雅 Gu He; Yuan Mei; Jiang You; Che Yin; Yin Yi; Wang Ya
Volume 84 列傳第54 王恭 庾楷 劉牢之 殷仲堪 楊佺期 Wang Gong; Yu Kai; Liu Laozhi; Yin Zhongkan; Yang Quanqi
Volume 85 列傳第55 劉毅 諸葛長民 何無忌 檀憑之 魏詠之 Liu Yi; Zhuge Changmin; He Wuji; Tan Pingzhi; Wei Yongzhi
Volume 86 列傳第56 張軌 Zhang Gui
Volume 87 列傳第57 涼武昭王李玄盛 Li Xuansheng, Prince Wuzhao of Liang
Volume 88 列傳第58 孝友 Filial Piety
Volume 89 列傳第59 忠義 Loyalty and Righteousness
Volume 90 列傳第60 良吏 Good Officials
Volume 91 列傳第61 儒林 Confucian Scholars
Volume 92 列傳第62 文苑 Writers
Volume 93 列傳第63 外戚 Imperial Affines
Volume 94 列傳第64 隱逸 Hermits and Recluses
Volume 95 列傳第65 藝術 Arts
Volume 96 列傳第66 列女 Exemplary Women
Volume 97 列傳第67 4夷 Four Barbarian Tribes
Volume 98 列傳第68 王敦 桓溫 Wang Dun; Huan Wen
Volume 99 列傳第69 桓玄 卞范之 殷仲文 Huan Xuan; Bian Fanzhi; Yin Zhongwen
Volume 100 列傳第70 王彌 張昌 陳敏 王如 杜曾 杜弢 王機 祖約 蘇峻 孫恩 盧循 譙縱 Wang Mi; Zhang Chang; Chen Min; Wang Ru; Du Zeng; Du Tao; Wang Ji; Zu Yue; Su Jun; Sun En; Lu Xun; Qiao Zong

Records (載記)

# Title Translation Notes
Volume 101 載記第1 劉元海 劉宣 Liu Yuanhai; Liu Xuan
Volume 102 載記第2 劉聰 劉粲 陳元達 Liu Cong; Liu Can; Chen Yuanda
Volume 103 載記第3 劉曜 Liu Yao
Volume 104 載記第4 石勒上 Shi Le Part One
Volume 105 載記第5 石勒下 石弘 張賓 Shi Le Part Two; Shi Hong; Zhang Bin
Volume 106 載記第6 石季龍上 Shi Jilong Part One
Volume 107 載記第7 石季龍下 石世 石遵 石鑒 冉閔 Shi Jilong Part Two; Shi Shi; Shi Zun; Shi Jian; Ran Min
Volume 108 載記第8 慕容廆 裴嶷 高瞻 Murong Hui; Pei Yi; Gao Zhan
Volume 109 載記第9 慕容皝 慕容翰 陽裕 Murong Huang; Murong Han; Yang Yu
Volume 110 載記第10 慕容儁 韓恆 李產 Murong Jun; Han Heng; Li Chan
Volume 111 載記第11 慕容暐 慕容恪 陽騖 皇甫真 Murong Wei; Murong Ke; Yang Wu; Huangfu Zhen
Volume 112 載記第12 苻洪 苻健 苻生 苻雄 王墮 Fu Hong; Fu Jian; Fu Sheng; Fu Xiong; Wang Duo
Volume 113 載記第13 苻堅上 Fu Jian Part One
Volume 114 載記第14 苻堅下 王猛 苻融 苻朗 Fu Jian Part Two; Wang Meng; Fu Rong; Fu Lang
Volume 115 載記第15 苻丕 苻登 索泮 徐嵩 Fu Pi; Fu Deng; Suo Pan; Xu Song
Volume 116 載記第16 姚弋仲 姚襄 姚萇 Yao Yizhong; Yao Xiang; Yao Chang
Volume 117 載記第17 姚興上 Yao Xing Part One
Volume 118 載記第18 姚興下 尹緯 Yao Xing Part Two; Yin Wei
Volume 119 載記第19 姚泓 Yao Hong
Volume 120 載記第20 李特 李流 李庠 Li Te; Li Liu; Li Xiang
Volume 121 載記第21 李雄 李班 李期 李壽 李勢 Li Xiong; Li Ban; Li Qi; Li Shou; Li Shi
Volume 122 載記第22 呂光 呂纂 呂隆 Lü Guang; Lü Zuan; Lü Long
Volume 123 載記第23 慕容垂 Murong Chui
Volume 124 載記第24 慕容寶 慕容盛 慕容熙 慕容雲 Murong Bao; Murong Sheng; Murong Xi; Murong Yun
Volume 125 載記第25 乞伏國仁 乞伏乾歸 乞伏熾磐 馮跋 Qifu Guoren; Qifu Gangui; Qifu Chipan; Feng Ba
Volume 126 載記第26 禿髮烏孤 禿髮利鹿孤 禿髮傉檀 Tufa Wugu; Tufa Lilugu; Tufa Rutan
Volume 127 載記第27 慕容德 Murong De
Volume 128 載記第28 慕容超 慕容鍾 封孚 Murong Chao; Murong Zhong; Feng Fu
Volume 129 載記第29 沮渠蒙遜 Juqu Mengxun
Volume 130 載記第30 赫連勃勃 Helian Bobo

Legacy

The book has been criticized for being more reflective of the court politics in the Tang dynasty that compiled it, rather than the realities of the Jin dynasty itself.

Despite Fang's team having at their disposal not only the pre-existing Jin histories, but also a large body of actual Jin primary sources, it appears that the book was primarily based on Zang Rongxu's (臧荣绪) identically-titled Jinshu from the Southern Qi, and further incorporates material from fictionalized novels. The Tang historian Liu Zhiji (661–721) accused the editors of generally selecting the sources that had the most vivid and compelling language, rather than the ones that were the most historically reliable.

The collaborative nature of the project coupled with the rushed production time unsurprisingly leaves the book with a number of internal contradictions and editorial errors; such as misspelled personal and place names, draft-like and unpolished language, and "cross-references" to non-existent chapters that were presumably planned but never finished in time for publication.

In spite of these shortcomings, the Book of Jin is recognized as the most important primary source for the Jin dynasty and Sixteen Kingdoms, because the pre-existing histories and other sources it was compiled from have all been lost – save for a few stray quotations in other works.

Translations

No complete translations are known at this time. The astronomical chapters (11, 12 & 13) were translated by Ho Peng Yoke. Choo translates the biography of Huan Wen in volume 98 and the biography of Sun Chuo in volume 56. Knapp translates biographies of Liu Yin in volume 88 and Huangfu Mi in volume 51.


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