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Chen Shou
Western Jin historian from Shu who studied under Qiao Zhou, edited Zhuge Liang's writings, and wrote the Records of the Three Kingdoms
In an archive hall, tall wooden shelves hold scrolls and bound books with small tags, and one person climbs a ladder with their back turned; a long table in front holds an unrolled river map, a bronze lamp and a copper jug, with a city wall seen through the window.
Also known as Zi Chengzuo
- Roles
- Historian
Chen Shou, courtesy name Chengzuo, came from Anhan in Baxi commandery (modern Nanchong, Sichuan) and studied as a youth under Qiao Zhou of the same commandery. Serving Shu Han as a clerk in the archives, he was repeatedly demoted for refusing to court the eunuch Huang Hao. Under the Jin, Zhang Hua recommended him as assistant editorial director, and in 274 he presented an edition of Zhuge Liang's writings in twenty-four sections. After the Jin conquest of Wu he completed the Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi), sixty-five chapters divided into thirty on Wei, fifteen on Shu and twenty on Wu. His Jin History biography says Xiahou Zhan, then writing his own history of Wei, destroyed his draft after reading Chen's. Chen Shou rose to attending censor and died of illness in 297, and in 429 Pei Songzhi of the Liu Song completed a commentary on the Sanguozhi by imperial order.
Life and times
Dates 233 CE–297 CE