Wei-, Jin- as well as South and Nord Dynastys, 265 CE – 589 CE / 魏晉南北朝, 公元265年 – 公元589年

Short List

皇甫谧 (215年 – 282年): 高士傳

Huangfu Mi (215 – 282): Accounts of High-Minded Men (Gaoshi Zhuan)

Chinese text: https://ctext.org/gaoshizhuan/zhs

  • Eastern Han – Jin Dynasty / 東漢 – 晉朝

  • The extant three-volume work Accounts of High-Minded Men (Gaoshi Zhuan) lists 96 scholars from eight epochs (Yao, Shun, Xia, Shang, Zhou, Qin, Han, Wei) and contains 91 biographies.

  • Text genre: biography

 

何晏: 論語集解

He Yan: Collected Explanations of the Analects (Lunyu Jijie)

Chinese text: https://ctext.org/wiki.pl if=gb&res=353774&remap=gb

  • Wei Dynasty, 240 – 249 / 魏, 240年 – 249年

  • The Collected Explanations of the Analects (Lunyu Jijie) occupies a important position in the history of the study of the Analects (Lunyu). The work brings together the commentaries on the Analects (Lunyu) by Confucians such as Kong Anguo, Ma Rong, Bao Xian, Zheng Xuan, Chen Qun, Wang Su and Zhou Shenglie in the Han and Wei dynasties. It essentially follows the Confucian tradition of explaining the Analects (Lunyu) and is also grounded in the Book of Changes (I Ching) and Daoism, thus promoting the integration of the ideas of the Analects (Lunyu), the Book of Changes (I Ching) and Daoism.

  • Text genre: comment on classics

 

魯勝: 墨辯

Lu Sheng: Debates on Mohism (Mo Bian)

Chinese text: https://ctext.org/mo-bian-zhu-xu

  • Jin Dynasty, 265 – 317 / 晉朝, 265年 – 317年

  • The Debates on Mohism (Mo Bian) is considered the first commentary devoted to the thought of Mohism. Today, only the preface to the book is preserved. It explains the origin, themes, achievements and influence of the School of Names (Ming Jia) of the Pre-Qin, extends its scope to the teachings of Confucius and Mozi, and makes Mohism the mainstay of the School of Names.

  • Text genre: comment on classics

 

杜預: 春秋經傳集解

Du Yu: Collected Annotations of Classics and Elucidations on the Spring and Autumn Annals (Chunqiu Jingchuan Jijie).

Chinese text: https://ctext.org/wiki.pl?if=gb&res=771833

  • Jin Dynasty / 晉朝

  • The 30-volume work Collected Annotations of Classics and Elucidations on the Spring and Autumn Annals (Chunqiu Jingchuan Jijie) is a creative compilation of the Confucian classics Spring and Autumn Annals (Chunqiu) and Commentary of Zuo (Zuo Zhuan) with annotations. The work also includes explanations and annotations of relevant commentary works by Liu Xin, Jia Kui and Xu Shu.

  • Text genre: comment on classics

 

僧祐: 弘明集

Sengyou: Collection on the Propagation and Clarification of Buddhism (Hongming Ji)

Chinese text: https://ctext.org/wiki.pl?if=gb&res=393424

  • Southern Dynasty, 502 – 519 / 南朝, 502年 – 519年

  • As a Buddhist anthology, Collection on the Propagation and Clarification of Buddhism (Hongming Ji) deals with the spread of Buddhism in China and the relationship between Buddhism, Confucianism and Daoism from the Eastern Han Dynasty to the Southern Dynasty. The book contains about 185 Buddhist articles, which describe some 122 Buddhists.

  • Text genres: Essays, letters, edicts, official letters presented to monarchs, Buddhist proclamation on the defeat of Mara

 

慧皎: 高僧傳

Huijiao: Biographies of Eminent Monks (Gaoseng Zhuan)

Chinese text: https://ctext.org/wiki.pl?if=gb&res=712646

  • Southern Dynasty, 502 – 519 / 南朝, 502年 – 519年

  • The 14-volume Biographies of Eminent Monks (Gaoseng Zhuan) contains the introduction of Buddhism to China and the translation of Buddhist scriptures from 67 CE to 519 CE. It records 257 monks and describes their interactions with the literati and their mutual influence. In addition, the book contains many miracle narratives and religious stories.

  • Text genres: biography, miracle novel, religious story

 

寶唱: 名僧傳

Baochang: Biographies of Famous Monks (Mingseng Zhuan)

  • Southern Dynasty, 514 / 南朝, 514年

  • The 30-volume work Biographies of Famous Monks (Mingseng Zhuan) records 425 Buddhist monks from the Eastern Han to the Qi and Liang epochs.

  • Text genre: biography

 

寶唱: 比丘尼傳

Baochang: Biographies of Nuns (Biqiuni Zhuan)

Chinese text: https://ctext.org/wiki.pl?if=gb&res=256007

  • Southern Dynasty, 517? / 南朝, 517?

  • The four-volume Biographies of Nuns (Biqiuni Zhuan) records 65 famous Buddhist nuns during the Jin, Song, Qi, and Liang eras.

  • Text genre: biography

 

魏收: 魏書

Wei Shou: Book of Wei (Wei Shu)

Chinese text: https://ctext.org/wiki.pl?if=gb&res=801592

  • Northern Qi Dynasty, 554 / 北齊, 554年

  • The 131-volume Book of Wei (Wei Shu) covers the history of the Northern Wei Dynasty from the end of the 4th century to the middle of the 6th century. Worth mentioning are vol. 72 (descriptions of some 17 Confucians) and vol. 73 (descriptions of 8 literati). In addition, Records of Buddhism and Daoism (Shi Lao Zhi) covers the spread and transformation of Buddhism and Daoism in the Northern Wei Dynasty and gives a particularly detailed account of the development of Buddhism.

  • Text genre: history, biography

 

皇侃: 論語義疏

Huangkan: Elucidation of the Meaning of the Analects (Lunyu Yishu)

  • Southern Dynasty, c. 6th century CE / 南朝, 約公元6世紀

  • The Elucidation of the Meaning of the Analects (Lunyu Yishu) contains annotations on the Analects (Lunyu), He Yan’s Collected Explanations of the Analects (Lunyu Jijie) as well as commentaries on the Analects (Lunyu) by other scholars. It is the only extant commentary on the Confucian classics written in the style of Yishu (Yishu Ti), a commentary style influenced by Buddhism and widely used in the Six Dynasties.

  • Text genre: comment on classics

 

Long List

文子: 通玄真經

Wenzi: True Scripture of Understanding the Mysteries (Tong Xuan Zhen Jing)

Chinese text: https://ctext.org/wenzi/zh

  • Eastern Han – Jin Dynasty, 212 – 231 / 東漢 – 晉朝, 212年 – 231年

  • The True Scripture of Understanding the Mysteries (Tongxuan Zhenjing) It is a Daoist classic traditionally attributed to Wenzi, a disciple of Laozi. It focuses on the interpretation of Laozi's words and ideas so as to advance Daoism.

  • Text genre: comment on classics

 

皇甫谧 (215年 – 282年): 高士傳

Huangfu Mi (215 – 282): Accounts of High-Minded Men (Gaoshi Zhuan)

Chinese text: https://ctext.org/gaoshizhuan/zhs

  • Eastern Han – Jin Dynasty / 東漢 – 晉朝

  • The extant three-volume work Accounts of High-Minded Men (Gaoshi Zhuan) lists 96 scholars from eight epochs (Yao, Shun, Xia, Shang, Zhou, Qin, Han, Wei) and contains 91 biographies.

  • Text genre: biography

 

何晏: 論語集解

He Yan: Collected Explanations of the Analects (Lunyu Jijie)

Chinese text: https://ctext.org/wiki.pl if=gb&res=353774&remap=gb

  • Wei Dynasty, 240 – 249 / 魏, 240年 – 249年

  • The Collected Explanations of the Analects (Lunyu Jijie) occupies a important position in the history of the study of the Analects (Lunyu). The work brings together the commentaries on the Analects (Lunyu) by Confucians such as Kong Anguo, Ma Rong, Bao Xian, Zheng Xuan, Chen Qun, Wang Su and Zhou Shenglie in the Han and Wei dynasties. It essentially follows the Confucian tradition of explaining the Analects (Lunyu) and is also grounded in the Book of Changes (I Ching) and Daoism, thus promoting the integration of the ideas of the Analects (Lunyu), the Book of Changes (I Ching) and Daoism.

  • Text genre: comment on classics

 

魯勝: 墨辯

Lu Sheng: Debates on Mohism (Mo Bian)

Chinese text: https://ctext.org/mo-bian-zhu-xu

  • Jin Dynasty, 265 – 317 / 晉朝, 265年 – 317年

  • The Debates on Mohism (Mo Bian) is considered the first commentary devoted to the thought of Mohism. Today, only the preface to the book is preserved. It explains the origin, themes, achievements and influence of the School of Names (Ming Jia) of the Pre-Qin, extends its scope to the teachings of Confucius and Mozi, and makes Mohism the mainstay of the School of Names.

  • Text genre: comment on classics

 

葛洪:抱樸子

Ge Hong: Master Who Embraces Spontaneous Nature (Baopuzi)

Chinese text: https://ctext.org/baopuzi/zh

  • Jin Dynasty, 317 / 晉朝, 317年

  • The Master Who Embraces Spontaneous Nature (Baopuzi) is a Daoist classic and also represents the influence of Confucianism (mainly in the Outer Chapters). It introduces the theories of the divines and immortals since the Wei and Jin dynasties and improves the Daoist system in this regard. In the Inner Chapters, the Daoist writings are divided into two categories: 679-volume Daoist classics (Jing) and 620-volume works on the diagrams of amulets and indexes to supernatural and mystical beings in Daoism (Fulu). The 19th chapter of the Inner Chapters deals in part with a bibliography on the classics of Daoist religion, through which one can obtain an overview of Daoist religion before the Jin Dynasty. The last chapter of the Outer Chapters is an autobiography of the author and the epilogue of the book.

  • Text genre: argumentative essay, anecdote, fable, catalog, autobiography, etc.

 

幹寶: (? – 336): 搜神記

Gan Bao (? – 336): In Search of the Supernatural (Soushen Ji)

Chinese text: https://ctext.org/wiki.pl?if=gb&res=839038

  • Jin Dynasty / 晉朝

  • In Search of the Supernatural (Soushen Ji) contains 454 folk tales of ghosts, monsters and gods, and incorporates Buddhist and Daoist ideas. It is considered to be one of the founding works of the miracle novel genre (Zhiguai Xiaoshuo) in ancient China.

  • Text genre: miracle novel

 

葛洪:神仙傳

Ge Hong: Biographies of Deities and Immortals (Shenxian Zhuan)

Chinese text: https://ctext.org/shen-xian-zhuan/zh

  • Jin Dynasty / 晉朝

  • The 10-volume Biographies of Deities and Immortals (Shenxian Zhuan), a hagiography of immortals and deities, was influenced in its conception by the Biographies of Immortals (Liexian zhuan).

  • Text genre: hagiography

 

陶潛 (365 – 427): 搜神後記

Tao Qian (365 – 427): Latter Notes on Collected Spirit Phenomena (Soushen Houji)

Chinese text: https://ctext.org/wiki.pl?if=gb&res=184634

  • Jin Dynasty / 晉朝

  • The 10-volume Latter Notes on Collected Spirit Phenomena (Soushen Houji) is stylistically similar to the In Search of the Supernatural (Soushen Ji). However, much of its content lacks in the latter. Folklore about local customs, love stories of people and gods, of people and ghosts as well as stories of people who are not afraid of ghosts are important parts of the work.

  • Text genre: miracle novel

 

杜預: 春秋經傳集解

Du Yu: Collected Annotations of Classics and Elucidations on the Spring and Autumn Annals (Chunqiu Jingchuan Jijie).

Chinese text: https://ctext.org/wiki.pl?if=gb&res=771833

  • Jin Dynasty / 晉朝

  • The 30-volume work Collected Annotations of Classics and Elucidations on the Spring and Autumn Annals (Chunqiu Jingchuan Jijie) is a creative compilation of the Confucian classics Spring and Autumn Annals (Chunqiu) and Commentary of Zuo (Zuo Zhuan) with annotations. The work also includes explanations and annotations of relevant commentary works by Liu Xin, Jia Kui and Xu Shu.

  • Text genre: comment on classics

 

劉義慶 (403~444): 幽明錄

Liu Yiqing (403~444): Records of the Hidden and the Visible Worlds (You Ming Lu)

Chinese text: https://ctext.org/wiki.pl?if=gb&chapter=303891

  • Southern Dynasty / 南朝

  • The 30-volume Records of the Hidden and the Visible Worlds (You Ming Lu) is a collection of mythological fiction. War, death, disease, hunger, marriage and love are recurring themes in the book and are interwoven with Confucian, Daoist or Buddhist thought.

  • Text genre: miracle novel

 

范曄 [等]: 後漢書

Fan Ye [et al.]: Book of the Later Han (Hou Han Shu)

Chinese text: https://ctext.org/hou-han-shu/zh

  • Southern Dynasty, 420 – 445 / 南朝, 420年 – 445年

  • The Book of the Later Han (Hou Han Shu) covers the history of the Later Han Dynasty from 25 CE to 220 CE and essentially represents Confucian orthodoxy. In addition, it covers the ideas of Daoism, prophetic teachings and Buddhism. In the work, the biographies of exemplary intellectual figures are divided into individual biographies (e.g., vol. 53 and 54), joint biographies (e.g., vol. 42) and group biographies (vol. 74, 75, 76, 77, etc.), which combines similar intellectual figures into one biography.

  • Text genre: biography

 

陸修静: 三洞經書目錄

Liu Xiujing: Catalogue of Scriptures of Three Caverns (Sandong Jingshu Mulu)

  • Southern Dynasty, 471 / 南朝, 471年

  • Catalogue of Scriptures of Three Caverns (Sandong Jingshu Mulu) is considered the first catalog book of Daoist classics. Here, the 1228-volume Daoist books, recipes, and diagrams of amulets are divided into three categories: Cavern of Perfection (Dongzhen), Cavern of Mystery (Dongxuan), Spiritual Cavern of Perfection (Dongshen).

  • Text genre: catalog book

 

孟法師: 玉緯七部經書目

Master Meng: Catalog of Canonical Books in Seven Sections (Yuwei Qibu Jingshumu)

  • Southern Dynasty / 南朝

  • In the Catalog of Canonical Books in Seven Sections (Yuwei Qibu Jingshumu), the Daoist scriptural system is divided into seven categories: San Dong (Three Caverns) and Si Fu (Four Complementary Textual Corpora).

  • Text genre: catalog book

 

裴駰: 史記集解

Pei Yin: Collected Annotations on the Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji Jijie).

Chinese text: https://ctext.org/wiki.pl?if=gb&res=291694

  • Southern Dynasty, ca. 5th century CE / 南朝, 約公元5世紀

  • The original 80-volume Collected Annotations on the Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji Jijie) is a commentary on the Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji). It is based on Xu Guang's Sounds and Meanings of the Records of the Grand Historian (史記音義, Shiji Yinyi) and brings together the linguistic and textual interpretations of the Records of the Grand Historian from Confucian classics, history books and Confucian scholars such as Kong Anguo, Zheng Xuan, Fu Qian and Jia Kui.

  • Text genre: comment on classics

 

王儉 (452 – 489): 七誌

Wang Jian (452 – 489): Seven Accounts (Qi Zhi)

  • Southern Dynasty / 南朝

  • Following the style of Liu Xin's Seven Divisions (Qilüe), the lost Seven Accounts (Qi Zhi) classifies writings into seven categories: Account of Classics, Account of Scholars, Account of Literary Works, Account of Military Works, Account of Yin-Yang, Account of Technology and Arts, Account of Atlases.

  • Text genre: catalog book

 

僧祐: 出三藏記集

Sengyou: Collection of Records on the Translation of Works from the Three Repositories (Chu Sanzang Jiji)

Chinese text: https://ctext.org/library.pl?if=gb&res=80660

  • Southern Dynasty, 502 – 510 / 南朝, 502年 – 510年

  • The 15-volume Collection of Records on the Translation of Works from the Three Repositories (Chu Sanzang Jiji) is mainly a work on the comprehensive catalogue of Buddhist scriptures (Jinglu, 經錄). It also contains the biographies of more than 32 monks involved in translating Buddhist works.

  • Text genres: bibliographic catalog, biography

 

僧祐: 弘明集

Sengyou: Collection on the Propagation and Clarification of Buddhism (Hongming Ji)

Chinese text: https://ctext.org/wiki.pl?if=gb&res=393424

  • Southern Dynasty, 502 – 519 / 南朝, 502年 – 519年

  • As a Buddhist anthology, Collection on the Propagation and Clarification of Buddhism (Hongming Ji) deals with the spread of Buddhism in China and the relationship between Buddhism, Confucianism and Daoism from the Eastern Han Dynasty to the Southern Dynasty. The book contains about 185 Buddhist articles, which describe some 122 Buddhists.

  • Text genres: Essays, letters, edicts, official letters presented to monarchs, Buddhist proclamation on the defeat of Mara

 

慧皎: 高僧傳

Huijiao: Biographies of Eminent Monks (Gaoseng Zhuan)

Chinese text: https://ctext.org/wiki.pl?if=gb&res=712646

  • Southern Dynasty, 502 – 519 / 南朝, 502年 – 519年

  • The 14-volume Biographies of Eminent Monks (Gaoseng Zhuan) contains the introduction of Buddhism to China and the translation of Buddhist scriptures from 67 CE to 519 CE. It records 257 monks and describes their interactions with the literati and their mutual influence. In addition, the book contains many miracle narratives and religious stories.

  • Text genres: biography, miracle novel, religious story

 

寶唱: 名僧傳

Baochang: Biographies of Famous Monks (Mingseng Zhuan)

  • Southern Dynasty, 514 / 南朝, 514年

  • The 30-volume work Biographies of Famous Monks (Mingseng Zhuan) records 425 Buddhist monks from the Eastern Han to the Qi and Liang epochs.

  • Text genre: biography

 

寶唱: 比丘尼傳

Baochang: Biographies of Nuns (Biqiuni Zhuan)

Chinese text: https://ctext.org/wiki.pl?if=gb&res=256007

  • Southern Dynasty, 517? / 南朝, 517?

  • The four-volume Biographies of Nuns (Biqiuni Zhuan) records 65 famous Buddhist nuns during the Jin, Song, Qi, and Liang eras.

  • Text genre: biography

 

阮孝緒 (479 – 536): 七錄

Ruan Xiaoxu (479 – 536): Seven Categories of Catalog (Qi Lu)

  • Southern Dynasty / 南朝

  • The lost Seven Categories of Catalog (Qi Lu) classified writings into seven categories: classics, historical biographies, scholars and military school, literary collections, arts and technology, Buddhism, immortality and Daoism.

  • Text genre: catalog book

 

蕭統等: 昭明文選

Xiao Tong [et al.]: Selections of Refined Literature (Zhaoming Wenxuan).

Chinesischer Text:  https://zh.m.wikisource.org/zh-hans/%E6%98%AD%E6%98%8E%E6%96%87%E9%81%B8

  • Southern Dynasty, 526 – 531 / 南朝, 526年 – 531年

  • The 60-volume Selections of Refined Literature (Zhaoming Wenxuan), the earliest surviving collection of literary works in China, contains more than 700 poems and essays by over 130 authors from the Zhou Dynasty to the Liang era of the Six Dynasties. This work clearly distinguishes between literature and history, which were indistinguishable since the Pre-Qin, and is thus the first anthology to draw a line between literature and non-literature.

  • Text genre: literature collection

 

見素子: 洞仙傳

Jian Suzi: Biographies of Cavern Immortals (Dongxian Zhuan)

  • Southern Dynasty / 南朝

  • Originally a ten-volume work, the Biographies of Cavern Immortals (Dongxian Zhuan) records the system of Daoist deity and the deeds of Daoist gods, immortals, and personages.

  • Text genre: biography

 

魏收: 魏書

Wei Shou: Book of Wei (Wei Shu)

Chinese text: https://ctext.org/wiki.pl?if=gb&res=801592

  • Northern Qi Dynasty, 554 / 北齊, 554年

  • The 131-volume Book of Wei (Wei Shu) covers the history of the Northern Wei Dynasty from the end of the 4th century to the middle of the 6th century. Worth mentioning are the descriptions of some 17 Confucians in vol. 72 and the descriptions of 8 literati in vol. 73. In addition, Records of Buddhism and Daoism (Shi Lao Zhi) covers the spread and transformation of Buddhism and Daoism in the Northern Wei Dynasty and gives a particularly detailed account of the development of Buddhism.

  • Text genre: history, biography

 

皇侃: 論語義疏

Huangkan: Elucidation of the Meaning of the Analects (Lunyu Yishu)

  • Southern Dynasty, c. 6th century CE / 南朝, 約公元6世紀

  • The Elucidation of the Meaning of the Analects (Lunyu Yishu) contains annotations on the Analects (Lunyu), He Yan’s Collected Explanations of the Analects (Lunyu Jijie) as well as commentaries on the Analects (Lunyu) by other scholars. It is the only extant commentary on the Confucian classics written in the style of Yishu (Yishu Ti), a commentary style influenced by Buddhism and widely used in the Six Dynasties.

  • Text genre: comment on classics

​​

僧佑: 釋迦譜

Sengyou: Genealogy of the Sakya Clan (Shijia Pu)

Chinesischer Text: https://zh.wikisource.org/zh-hans/%E9%87%8B%E8%BF%A6%E8%AD%9C#%E9%87%8B%E8%BF%A6%E8%AD%9C%E5%BA%8F

  • Southern Dynasty / 南朝

  • The original five-volume Genealogy of the Sakya Clan (Shijia Pu) brings together various classical accounts of Shakyamuni's life and arranges them into a complete history of the Buddha.

  • Text genre: biography

 

顏之推: 顏氏家訓

Yan Zhitui: Family Instructions of Master Yan (Yanshi Jiaxun)

Chinese text: https://ctext.org/yan-shi-jia-xun/zh

  • Around the end of the 6th century / 約公元6世紀末

  • The Family Instructions of Master Yan (Yanshi Jiaxun) consists of seven volumes and twenty chapters. It is a work in which the author Yan Zhitui, a Confucianist and Buddhist, recounts his personal experiences, thoughts and insights in order to admonish his children and grandchildren.  The chapter Essays deals with the literary works of the Northern and Southern Dynasties and represent the literary views of the time as well as the literary ideas of the author.

  • Text genre: family doctrine