Book of Jin

房玄龄Qunyan Publishing House · ChinaJun 2024

Rating 4.3

Word count: 1.4M words
Chapters: 133

Summary

The Book of Jin, in 130 juan, was compiled by Fang Xuanling and others under the Tang. It comprises 10 juan of imperial annals, 20 of treatises, 70 of biographies, and 30 of records of the Sixteen Kingdoms. Its narrative begins with Sima Yi's early years in the Three Kingdoms period and ends in the second year of Yuanxi (420), when Liu Yu deposed the Jin emperor and founded the Song.

Editor's review

The Book of Jin is one of the official histories compiled in the early Tang under the supervision of Fang Xuanling. In 130 juan it comprises imperial annals, treatises, biographies, and records. Its distinctive feature is the use of “records” to cover the Sixteen Kingdoms, offering a systematic text for understanding the complex coexistence of the two Jin dynasties and the northern regimes. The narrative runs from Sima Yi's early years to the second year of Yuanxi, spanning a vast period dense with figures and institutional threads. For general readers it is both a basic source for Jin political change, elite clan society, and institutional evolution, and a window onto early Tang historians' reflections on the rise and fall of preceding dynasties. Read it alongside chronological tables and maps: grasp the main line through the annals first, then select biographies and records, lest the many names and offices disrupt you. As a desk reference for the study of Wei-Jin history, it suits patient readers willing to take notes rather than those seeking light narrative.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Students of Chinese ancient history needing systematic reference to Jin sources and institutions
Enthusiasts of the Wei-Jin and Northern-Southern dynasties interested in the Sixteen Kingdoms and elite clan politics
Scholars in literature and history citing the annals, treatises, biographies, and records
Readers with classical Chinese who will read slowly alongside chronological tables and maps

Not a good fit for

Readers with no classical Chinese who will not consult annotations—the barrier is high
Casual readers seeking light stories and heroic tales
Primary and secondary students needing modern vernacular rewrites or abridged editions

Reading tips

Read the annals first to trace the main line of Jin rise and fall, then choose biographies and records by interest
Keep chronological tables and maps of the two Jin and Sixteen Kingdoms at hand to track regime changes and geography
Make figure cards for offices and clan ties to reduce confusion over names
Read the treatises separately for institutional evolution and early Tang historians' judgments

About the publisher

Qunyan Publishing House China · Founded in 1989

Founded in 1989, Qunyan Publishing House has long been committed to publishing academic and educational books for mid- and high-level readers, and has built up a certain presence in Eastern philosophy, classical literature, and classic works. Representative titles available in the database include Records of the Grand Historian, Dream of the Red Chamber, Selections of Refined Literature, Complete Song Ci, Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, Record of Daily Knowledge, Taiping Huimin Hejiju Fang, and The Collected Works of Wang Yangming, covering common categories such as ancient poetry, medicine, and examinations. Its author resources include Sima Qian, Cao Xueqin, Xiao Tong, Li Shan, Pu Songling, and Gu Yanwu. The press also offers distinctive series such as the Biographical Series of the China Democratic League and the Historical Documents Series of the China Democratic League, and publishes research on historical documents, biographies, memoirs, and textbooks and academic works by League members. Public information is limited, and its overall publishing scale and complete catalogue require further verification.

版权信息
序
◎宣帝
◎景帝文帝
◎武帝
◎惠帝
◎孝怀帝孝愍帝
◎元帝明帝
◎成帝康帝
◎穆帝哀帝海西公
◎简文帝孝武帝
◎安帝恭帝
◎天文上（天体仪象天文经星二十八舍二十八宿外星天汉起没十二次度数州郡躔次）
◎仪象
◎天文经星
◎中宫
◎二十八舍
◎天文中（七曜杂星气史传事验）
◎史传事验
◎天文下（月五星犯列舍经星变附见妖星客星星流陨云气）
◎地理上
◎地理下（青州徐州荆州扬州交州广州）
◎律历上
◎律历中
◎律历下
◎礼上
◎礼中
◎礼下
◎乐上
◎乐下
◎职官
◎舆服
◎食货
◎五行上
◎五行中
◎五行下
◎刑法
◎后妃上
◎后妃下
◎王祥（王览）郑冲何曾（何劭何遵）石苞（石崇欧阳健孙铄）王祥，字休徵，琅邪临沂人，汉谏议大夫吉之后也。祖仁，青州刺史。父
◎羊祜杜预（杜锡）
◎宗室安平献王孚（子邕邕弟义阳成王望望子河间平王洪洪子威洪弟随穆王整整弟竟陵王楙望弟太原成王辅辅弟翼翼弟下邳献王晃晃弟太
◎宣五王平原王榦琅邪王伷子觐澹繇漼清惠亭侯京扶风王骏子畅歆梁王肜文六王
◎王沈（子浚）荀顗荀勖（子藩藩子邃闿藩弟组组子奕）冯紞
◎贾充郭彰杨骏
◎魏舒李憙刘寔高光
◎王浑（子济）王濬唐彬
◎山涛（子简简子遐）王戎（从弟衍衍弟澄）郭舒乐广
◎郑袤（子默默子球）李胤卢钦（弟珽珽子志志子谌）华表（子廙廙子恒廙弟峤）石鉴温羡
◎刘毅（子暾）程卫和峤武陔任恺崔洪郭奕侯史光何攀
◎刘颂李重
◎傅玄（子咸咸子敷、咸从父弟祗）
◎向雄段灼阎缵
◎阮籍（兄子咸咸子瞻瞻弟孚从子修族弟放放弟裕）嵇康向秀刘伶谢鲲胡毋辅之（子谦之）毕卓王尼羊曼光逸
◎曹志庾峻（子珉岂攵）郭象庾纯（子旉）秦秀
◎郤诜阮种华谭袁甫
◎愍怀太子（子虨臧尚）
◎陆机（孙拯弟云云弟耽从父兄喜）
◎夏侯湛（弟淳淳子承）潘岳（从子尼）张载（弟协协弟亢）
◎江统（子虨惇）孙楚（孙统）绰
◎罗宪（兄子尚）滕修马隆胡奋陶璜吾彦张光赵诱
◎周处（子玘玘子勰玘弟札札兄子筵）周访（子抚抚子楚楚子琼琼子虓抚弟光光子仲孙）
◎解系（弟结结弟育）孙旂孟观牵秀缪播（从弟胤）皇甫重张辅李含张方阎鼎索靖（子綝）贾疋
◎周浚（子嵩谟从父弟馥）成公简苟晞华轶刘乔（孙耽耽子柳）
◎刘琨（子群琨兄舆舆子演）祖逖（兄纳）
◎邵续李矩段匹磾魏浚（族子该郭默）
◎武十三王元四王简文三子
◎王导（子悦恬洽协劭薈洽子殉珉劭子谧）
◎刘弘陶侃
◎温峤郗鉴（子愔愔子超愔弟昙鉴叔父隆）
◎顾荣纪瞻贺循杨方薛兼
◎刘隗（孙波）刁协（子彝彝子逵）戴若思（弟邈周顗）
◎应詹甘卓邓骞卞壸（从父兄敦刘超钟雅）
◎孙惠熊远王鉴陈頵高崧
◎郭璞葛洪
◎庾亮（子彬羲龢弟怿冰条翼）
◎桓彝（子云云弟豁豁子石虔虔子振虔弟石秀石民石生石绥石康豁弟秘秘弟冲冲子嗣嗣子胤嗣弟谦谦弟修徐宁）
◎王湛（子承承子述述子坦之祎之坦之子恺愉国宝忱愉子绥承族子峤袁悦之祖台之）荀崧（子蕤羡）范汪（子宁叔坚）刘惔张凭
◎王舒（子允之）王廙（弟彬彬子彪之彬从兄棱）虞潭（孙啸父兄子＜马斐＞）顾众张闿
◎陆晔（弟玩玩子纳）何充褚翜蔡谟诸葛恢殷浩（顾悦之蔡裔）
◎孔愉（子汪安国弟祗从子坦严从弟群群子沉）丁潭张茂陶回
◎谢尚谢安（子琰琰子混安兄奕奕子玄安弟万万弟石石兄子朗朗弟子邈）
◎王羲之（子玄之凝之徽之徽之子桢之徽之弟操之献之）许迈
◎王逊蔡豹羊鉴刘胤桓宣（族子伊）朱伺毛宝（子穆之）刘遐邓岳（子遐朱序）
◎陈寿王长文虞溥司马彪王隐虞预孙盛干宝邓粲谢沉习凿齿徐广
◎顾和袁瑰（子乔乔孙松瑰弟猷从祖准准孙耽耽子质质子湛豹）江逌（从弟灌灌子绩车胤殷顗王雅）
◎王恭庾楷刘牢之（子敬宣）殷仲堪杨佺期
◎刘毅（兄迈）诸葛长民何无忌檀凭之魏咏之
◎张轨（子寔寔弟茂寔子骏骏子重华华子耀灵灵伯父祚灵弟玄靓靓叔天锡）
◎凉武昭王（子士业）
◎孝友
◎忠义
◎良吏
◎儒林
◎文苑
◎外戚
◎隐逸
◎艺术
◎列女
◎四夷
◎王敦桓温
◎桓玄卞范之段仲文
◎王弥张昌陈敏王如杜曾杜弢王机祖约苏峻孙恩卢循谯纵载记序
◎刘元海（子和刘宣）
◎刘聪
◎刘曜
◎石勒上
◎石勒下
◎石季龙上
◎石季龙下
◎慕容廆
◎慕容皝
◎慕容俊
◎慕容暐慕容恪阳骛皇甫真
◎苻洪苻健苻生苻雄王堕
◎苻坚上
◎苻坚下（王猛苻融苻朗）
◎苻丕苻登
◎姚弋仲姚襄姚苌
◎姚兴上
◎姚兴下
◎姚泓
◎李特李流
◎李雄李班李期李寿李势
◎吕光吕纂吕隆
◎慕容垂
◎慕容宝慕容盛慕容熙慕容云
◎乞伏国仁乞伏乾归乞伏炽磐冯跋（冯素弗）
◎秃发乌孤秃发利鹿孤秃发辱檀
◎慕容德
◎慕容超
◎沮渠蒙逊
◎赫连勃勃

FAQ

What is the “record” (zaiji) format in the Book of Jin?

The records are a special format used in the Book of Jin for the Sixteen Kingdoms and their figures, in 30 juan. They differ from orthodox imperial annals and are not quite biographies, allowing parallel regimes a place within a unified history. Read them as dedicated chapters on the northern regimes, checked against the timeline of the annals.

Can I read the Book of Jin without classical Chinese?

Yes, but with annotated editions, chronological tables, and reference works. Start with the more coherent annal chapters and do not grind word by word; look up offices and place names before continuing. Without any willingness to check, reading will be arduous.

Which parts of the Book of Jin should I read first?

Generally read the annals first to establish the timeline, then selected treatises on institutions, and finally biographies and records by interest. For the Sixteen Kingdoms, prioritize the records; for clans and figures, the biographies. There is no need to give equal effort to every page.

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About the author

房玄龄 Author

Fang Xuanling was a celebrated statesman and historian in ancient China. His life and official career are not set out at length here, as historical records are limited. Public sources give no clear English name, nationality, or exact birth and death years for him beyond his Chinese name; what is known is that the “Book of Jin,” which he led the compilation of, has come down to us, and both works held in our catalog relate to it. In genre, the “Book of Jin” is a biographical-style dynastic history covering the rise and fall of the two Jin dynasties and their figures, valuable both as historical source material and for its narrative style. In common classification it is placed among history readings, while its extensive treatment of metaphysical conversation and scholarly thought also makes it relevant to Eastern philosophy. Fang Xuanling's output is thus chiefly historical compilation, marked by orderly structure and careful selection, and it continues to inform later understanding of Jin politics, society, and thought. Given the limited public material, his personal biography should not be speculated upon; readers may best come to know the author through the “Book of Jin” itself.