Romance of the Two Jin Dynasties - Popular Historical Romances of China (Illustrated Edition)

Author: Cai Dongfan
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2007-01-01
Features: The Jin Shu (Book of Jin) comprises 130 volumes, traditionally attributed to Fang Qiao and others during the Tang Dynasty. It is believed to have compiled works from eighteen different authors of the Jin Dynasty, as well as Cui Hong's Shi Liu Guo Chun (Spring and Autumn Annals of the Sixteen Kingdoms), among others, to form this comprehensive text. However, the chronicles of the two Emperors Xuanwu and the biographical discussions of Lu Ji and Wang Xizhi were personally penned by Emperor Taizong of Tang, hence they are collectively referred to as "imperial compositions" to demonstrate reverence for the monarchy. The purpose is to uphold the legitimacy of the ruling dynasty, which is not surprising. Later scholars have offered numerous critiques on the strengths and weaknesses of the Jin Shu, and it is also noteworthy that works like the Shishui Tongjian (Comprehensive Mirror to Aid in Government) and the Ziyang Gangmu (Comprehensive Mirror of the Ziyang School) narrate Jin-era events, often diverging in their historical accounts from the Jin Shu.
In my opinion, in the present era, when we look to the past for lessons, we need not dwell on the accuracy or inaccuracies of historical records but should instead focus on the changes in historical events. The history of the two Jin dynasties is indeed complex, and even the intricacies of internal strife and external invasions are too numerous for me to detail comprehensively here. The troubles in the imperial palace originated with Emperor Wu Yuan, the conflicts among princes began with Prince Yu Nan, and the invasions by nomadic tribes stemmed from Yuan Hai. Ultimately, the capital fell into disrepair, marked by desolation and sorrow, as the mountains crumbled and the empire was swallowed whole. The emperors and empresses suffered humiliation at the hands of subordinates, and the imperial family endured debauchery. This was the general outline of the internal strife and external invasions faced by Western Jin.
Among the internal conflicts of Eastern Jin, Wang Dun, Su Jun, Chen Min, Du Tao, and Zou You were notable figures, while Hu Xuan stands out as the most rebellious and treacherous. As for external invasions, the two Zhao states, the three Qin states, the four Yan states, the five Liang states, and the Cheng Xia state were all significant, but the Tuoba Wei (Northern Wei) emerged as the most formidable among the nomadic powers. Throughout the 156 years of the two Jin dynasties, excluding the roughly twenty years of Western Jin's establishment under Emperor Wu, every other year was marked by turmoil—either internal strife or external invasions. It is truly a tragedy that in all of history, no period has witnessed such intense chaos as the two Jin dynasties.
When internal governance falters, internal conflicts are bound to arise, and once internal conflicts erupt, external invasions exploit the opportunity to strike. Just as rotten wood breeds insects and cracks in a wall allow ants to enter, this has been the case throughout history, and the Jin dynasties were merely the most prominent examples. Though I humbly admit my lack of expertise in historical analysis, I have compiled numerous volumes of historical narratives, spanning from the Southern and Northern Dynasties to the Republic of China, totaling over ten works. The overarching purpose is to draw lessons from the past to illuminate the present, to punish evil and encourage virtue. In particular, when I began writing The Romance of the Two Jin, I paid special attention to the origins of both internal conflicts and external invasions.
The greatest crisis of our time lies not in external threats but in internal strife, which persists without respite. I fear that the disasters of the Five Barbarians and Sixteen Kingdoms were not confined to the Jin dynasties alone, but rather, the Jin dynasties serve as a cautionary tale for our own era. How can the world avoid the situation where, in the struggle between two factions, a third party profits? As for distinguishing between loyalty and treachery, virtue and vice, clarity and obscurity, and truth and falsehood, these are merely the additional moral lessons embedded in the narrative. I do not claim to match the caliber of the original authors, but I offer these reflections as a means of offering admonition and caution.
Given the haste in completing this work, errors are inevitable. I hope the readers will kindly correct my shortcomings.
Summer and Autumn of the 13th Year of the Republic of China,
Cai Dongfan of Ancient Yue writes this in the Lingjiang Guesthouse.