Book of Zhou
The Book of Zhou (Zhōu Shū) is a cornerstone of imperial Chinese historiography, serving as the official record of the Western Wei and Northern Zhou dynasties. These eras were characterized by the leadership of the Xianbei people, a nomadic group that significantly influenced the political and social landscape of early medieval China. As one of the prestigious Twenty-Four Histories—the standard collection of official dynastic records—the Book of Zhou provides essential insights into the transition of power leading up to the Tang dynasty.
Completed in 636 CE, the work was compiled by the Tang dynasty historian Linghu Defen. The text consists of 50 chapters, though some original sections were lost over time and subsequently replaced using alternative historical sources.
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Key Facts
- Official Status: Part of the Twenty-Four Histories of imperial China.
- Subject Matter: Records the history of the Xianbei-led Western Wei and Northern Zhou dynasties.
- Completion Date: 636 CE.
- Primary Compiler: Linghu Defen, under the appointment of Emperor Taizong of Tang.
- Structure: 50 chapters divided into Annals and Biographies.
Compilation and Authorship
The creation of the Book of Zhou was a multi-generational effort that began long before its final completion in the Tang dynasty. The process started during the Western Wei period with Liu Qiu (502–555), the vice-director of the Palace Library, who was tasked with compiling the imperial diary in 550.
Liu Qiu was succeeded by Niu Hong (545–610), who also worked on the imperial diary and eventually rose to become the Director of the Palace Library. Niu Hong produced an incomplete history of both the Western Wei and Northern Zhou, providing the foundation for later work.
The final push occurred in 629 CE when Emperor Taizong of Tang appointed a formal team to finalize the record. This team was led by Linghu Defen and included scholars Cen Weben and Cui Renshi. Despite its official status, the work faced criticism from the scholar Liu Zhiji, who argued that the text attempted to unfairly glorify the ancestors of Tang dynasty officials.
Structure and Contents
The Book of Zhou is organized into two primary sections: the Annals (Dì Jì), which focus on the reigns of the emperors, and the Biographies (Liè Zhuàn), which detail the lives of influential figures, social groups, and foreign nations.
The Annals
The first eight volumes are dedicated to the imperial lineage, covering the reigns of Emperor Wen, Emperor Xiaomin, Emperor Ming, Emperor Wu, Emperor Xuan, and Emperor Jing.
The Biographies
The remaining volumes provide a broad spectrum of historical data, ranging from the lives of empresses and princes to specialized records on Confucian scholars, artists, and examples of filial piety. Notably, the final volumes (49 and 50) serve as vital ethnographic records of "Western nations" and foreign territories, including the Turkic Khaganate, the Sasanian Empire, and various Central Asian kingdoms.
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| Section | Volumes | Primary Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Annals (帝紀) | 1–8 | Imperial records of the Western Wei and Northern Zhou Emperors. |
| Biographies (列傳) | 9–48 | Empresses, princes, officials, scholars, and artists. |
| Foreign Accounts (異域) | 49–50 | Records of Goguryeo, Baekje, the Turkic Khaganate, and the Sasanian Empire. |
Translations and Accessibility
While the full text remains primarily in Classical Chinese, specific partial translations have been made available to English-speaking scholars. Albert E. Dien provided a translation of Volume 11, focusing on the biography of Yuwen Hu, while Roy Andrew Miller translated Volume 50, which contains the accounts of Western nations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Book of Zhou?
The Book of Zhou is the official history of the Western Wei and Northern Zhou dynasties, compiled during the Tang dynasty and recognized as one of the Twenty-Four Histories of China.
Who was responsible for compiling the text?
The compilation began with Liu Qiu and Niu Hong, but the final version was completed in 636 CE by a team led by Linghu Defen under the orders of Emperor Taizong of Tang.
Why was the book criticized by Liu Zhiji?
Liu Zhiji criticized the work for its perceived bias, claiming that it sought to glorify the ancestors of the officials serving in the Tang dynasty at the time of its writing.
What foreign regions are mentioned in the Book of Zhou?
The text includes detailed accounts of various regions and empires, such as the Turkic Khaganate, the Sasanian Empire, the Hephthalite Empire, Sogdia, and the kingdoms of Goguryeo and Baekje.
How is the Book of Zhou structured?
It consists of 50 chapters divided into the Annals, which record the lives of the emperors, and the Biographies, which cover key political figures, cultural groups, and foreign nations.