Chen Shou and Pei Songzhi: A Critical Biography

Author: Yang Yaokun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-01-01
Features: The Chinese nation is one that values history. Since the invention of writing, there have been records of history. After Sima Qian of the Western Han Dynasty created the annalistic style, each subsequent dynasty continued the tradition. Chen Shou, a renowned historian who lived during the Wei and Jin periods, faced a turbulent life and a checkered career, leading him to dedicate himself to writing. After the brief unification of the Western Jin Dynasty, he began writing Records of the Three Kingdoms. He was meticulous in his scholarship and wrote in a concise style. Upon completion of Records of the Three Kingdoms, he received praise from his contemporaries, who hailed him as a master storyteller with the talent of a great historian. Over the subsequent two thousand years, Records of the Three Kingdoms has been highly regarded and has become the primary source for understanding and studying the history of the Three Kingdoms. This is precisely Chen Shou's wish, leaving behind an immortal work for future generations.