The ''Book of Qi'' (''Qí Shū'') or ''Book of Southern Qi'' (''Nán Qí Shū'') is a history of the Chinese dynasty

Southern Qi Qi, known in historiography as the Southern Qi ( or ) or Xiao Qi (), was a Chinese imperial dynasty and the second of the four Southern dynasties during the Northern and Southern dynasties era. It followed the Liu Song dynasty and was succe ...

covering the period from 479 to 502, and is one of the

Twenty-Four Histories The ''Twenty-Four Histories'' (), also known as the ''Orthodox Histories'' (), are the Chinese official dynastic histories covering from the earliest dynasty in 3000 BC to the Ming dynasty in the 17th century. The Han dynasty official Sima Qia ...

of Chinese history. It was written by Xiao Zixian during the succeeding

Liang Dynasty The Liang dynasty (), alternatively known as the Southern Liang () in historiography, was an imperial dynasty of China and the third of the four Southern dynasties during the Northern and Southern dynasties period. It was preceded by the South ...

. This book was the only one of the ''Twenty-Four Histories'' to be authored by a member of the ''chronicled'' dynasty's ruling house – Xiao Zixian was a grandson of Emperor Gao, founder of Southern Qi, When first submitted to

Emperor Wu of Liang Emperor Wu of Liang () (464 – 12 June 549), personal name Xiao Yan (蕭衍), courtesy name Shuda (叔達), childhood name Lian'er (練兒), was the founding emperor of the Chinese Liang dynasty, during the Northern and Southern dynasties peri ...

, the book was known simply as the ''Book of Qi''. After the ''

Book of Northern Qi The ''Book of Northern Qi'' (Chinese: 北齊書, pinyin Běi Qí Shū), was the official history of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi. It was written by the Tang Dynasty historian Li Baiyao (李百藥) and was completed in 636. It is listed amon ...

'' (the history of the later

Northern Qi Qi, known as the Northern Qi (), Later Qi (後齊) or Gao Qi (高齊) in historiography, was a Chinese imperial dynasty and one of the Northern dynasties during the Northern and Southern dynasties era. It ruled the eastern part of northern China ...

dynasty) was written, this book became known as the ''Book of Southern Qi'' so that the two could be distinguished. The book contained 60 volumes when written, but one preface was later lost.

Content

The format of the text is similar to previous standard histories, with volumes that include annals, treatises, and biographies. Volumes 1 to 8 are annals covering the emperors of the dynasty starting with Emperor Gao in volumes 1 and 2. Some short lived rulers that were not given the posthumous title of emperor are covered, including Volume 4 Prince of Yulin, Volume 5 Prince of Hailing, and Volume 7 Marquess of Donghun. Volumes 9 to 19 are treatises covering rituals in volumes 9 and 10, music in volume 11, astronomy in volumes 12 and 13, administrative districts in 14 and 15, official posts in volume 16, carriages and dress in volume 17, auspicious signs in volume 18, and the five elements in volume 19. Volumes 20 to 59 are biographies beginning with Volume 20 Biographies of Empresses and Consorts. Xiao Zixian devotes Volume 22 Prince Wenxian of Yuzhang to his father, also known by his personal name Xiao Ni. Volume 52 Biographies of Men of Letters includes an analysis of literary style. Xiao Zixian was a well known poet and his description in this volume is considered a valuable source of historic literary criticism. Xiao Zixian was open about his Buddhist background. In Volume 54 he described a debate between Taoist Gu Huan (c. 425-488) and Buddhist

Yuan Can Yuan Can (420–477), originally named Yuan Minsun, courtesy name Jingqian, was a high-level official of the Liu Song dynasty who, near the end of the dynasty, made a futile attempt to prevent the general Xiao Daocheng from gaining sufficient po ...

(420–477). Xiao Zixian favored the Buddhist side of the debate.

Translations

Tian contains a partial translation of Volume 52 'Biographies of Men of Letters'.

References

Footnotes

Works cited

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External links

Chinese text with matching English vocabulary Twenty-Four Histories 6th-century history books Southern Qi {{China-hist-book-stub History books about the Northern and Southern dynasties Southern and Northern Dynasties literature 6th-century Chinese books