The Records of the Three Kingdoms: Book of Wu

Description

“”The Records of the Three Kingdoms”” is authored by Chen Shou, a historian of the Western Jin Dynasty. It chronicles the annalistic history of the states of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu during China’s Three Kingdoms period and is rated as one of the top four histories among the twenty-four dynastic histories. “”The Records of the Three Kingdoms”” consists of three parts: thirty volumes of the “”Book of Wei,”” fifteen volumes of the “”Book of Shu,”” and twenty volumes of the “”Book of Wu,”” totaling sixty-five volumes. This book is the second part. The work is known for its narrative skill and concise writing; Chen Shou was hence acclaimed for his talent as a historian. After “”The Records of the Three Kingdoms”” was published, other writings documenting the history of the Three Kingdoms disappeared over time, leaving only Chen Shou’s work to be passed down through the generations. The influence of “”The Records of the Three Kingdoms”” has been profound in later eras. For instance, Liu Yiqing of the Southern Song Dynasty compiled some anecdotes about Three Kingdoms personages in “”A New Account of the Tales of the World.”” From Li Shangyin’s poem, “”Some jest Zhang Fei’s beard, some laugh at Deng Ai’s gluttony”” (“”Poems of a Proud Child””), it can be seen that by the late Tang Dynasty, stories of the Three Kingdoms had deeply permeated into popular culture. During the Song Dynasty, there were storytelling performances and shadow plays of the Three Kingdoms tales, including puppet shows. It is said that there were as many as fifty varieties of plays about the Three Kingdoms stories in the Yuan Dynasty. Later, during the transition from Yuan to Ming Dynasties, Luo Guanzhong, drawing from the mass creation, and referencing historical materials based on his own life experiences, wrote “”The Romance of the Three Kingdoms.”” Hence, it is evident the long-term significant impact “”The Records of the Three Kingdoms”” has had on ancient Chinese literature and art creation. The Book of Wu (吳書), also known as the Wu Wenzhi (吳文志), is one of the three main sections of the Records of the Three Kingdoms (三國志), a chronicle-biographical history of the Three Kingdoms period (220-280 AD) of China. Written by Chen Shou, a Jin dynasty historian, the Book of Wu covers the history of the Sun Wu kingdom, one of the three major powers that emerged during the Three Kingdoms period. The work consists of 20 volumes and records the events of the Sun Wu kingdom from its founding in 222 AD to its fall in 280 AD. The Book of Wu is divided into 10 biographies, each of which focuses on a notable figure from the Sun Wu kingdom. The biographies are arranged in chronological order, starting with the biography of Sun Quan, the first emperor of Sun Wu, and ending with the biography of Sun Hao, the last emperor of Sun Wu. In addition to the biographies, the Book of Wu also includes a number of other sections, such as a chronology of events, a gazetteer of Sun Wu territory, and a treatise on the Sun Wu military system. The Book of Wu is an important source of information about the Sun Wu kingdom. It provides valuable insights into the political, military, and social history of the kingdom. The work is also known for its literary style, which is characterized by its conciseness and clarity. —- ISBN: 9798326820464