Family Bookshelf · Issue 2 -- Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Author: Chen Shou
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: The Records of the Three Kingdoms is a historical chronicle written by Chen Shou during the Jin Dynasty, documenting the period of the Three Kingdoms (Wei, Shu, and Wu) when they were in contention. It provides a detailed account of the history from the first year of Emperor Wen of Wei (220 AD) to the first year of Emperor Wu of Jin (280 AD), spanning six decades. The work consists of 30 volumes of The Book of Wei, 15 volumes of The Book of Shu, and 20 volumes of The Book of Wu, totaling 65 volumes. Chen Shou was a court official during the Jin Dynasty, and since Jin succeeded Wei to the throne, The Records of the Three Kingdoms regards Wei as the legitimate dynasty. The Records of the Three Kingdoms includes a chronicle for Cao Cao, while The Book of Shu and The Book of Wu feature biographies of Liu Bei titled The Biography of the First Emperor and Sun Quan titled The Biography of the Wu Emperor, respectively. There are only biographies (zhuans) and no chronicles (jì). The Records of the Three Kingdoms is not only a monumental work of history but also a masterpiece of literature. Based on respect for historical facts, Chen Shou used concise and elegant language to paint vivid portraits of the figures from the Three Kingdoms era. The characters are portrayed with life and depth, making them remarkably lifelike.