The Book of Liang was compiled under Yao Silian and completed in 635. Yao heavily relied on an original manuscript by his father Yao Cha, which has not independently survived, although Yao Cha's comments are quoted in several chapters.
The Book of Liang is part of the Twenty-Four Histories canon of Chinese history.
Although the Book of Liang was finally attributed to Yao Silian, a number of people worked on it. Initially, Emperor Wen of Sui ordered Yao Cha 姚察 (533–606) to compile the Book of Liang but Yao Cha died without being able to complete it. Before dying Yao Cha requested that his son Yao Silian complete the work. Emperor Yang of Sui agreed to compilation of the text by Yao Silian. In the Tang, the compilation of the text was part of an initiative at the suggestion of Linghu Defen shortly after the founding of the Tang dynasty to compile a number of histories for the previous dynasties. Then, Yao Silian was ordered to complete the Book of Chen by Emperor Gaozu of Tang, who ordered other scholars to work on the Book of Liang. When those scholars did not complete their task, Yao Silian was again ordered to work on the text. The Book of Liang was finally compiled by Yao Silian under the supervision of Fang Xuanling and Wei Zheng in the Tang, incorporating at least some of the work of his predecessors.
It contains the history of the Liang dynasty, and various descriptions of countries to the east of China. One such passage is the description by the monk Hui Shen (慧深) of the country of Fusang, 20,000 li east of China.
Note, the Chinese measure of distance (li) used in the Book of Liang corresponds to 400 metres.[1]
Wa was an ancient kingdom of Japan. Though little concrete information can be found today, its capital precinct, Yamatai, was most likely located either in Kyūshū or in the Kinki region.
"As for Wa, they say of themselves that they are posterity of Tàibó. The people are all tattooed. Their territory is about 20,000 li (1,500 kilometres) from our realm, roughly to the east of Guiji (modern Shaoxing (Zhejiang)). It is impossibly distant. To get there from Daifang, it is necessary to follow the coast and go beyond the Korean state to the south-east for about 500 kilometres, then for the first time cross a sea to a small island 75 kilometres away, then cross the sea again for 75 kilometres to Miro country (Ch: 未盧國). 50 kilometers to the southeast is the country of Ito (Ch:伊都國). 10 kilometres to the southeast is the country of Nu (Ch:奴國). 10 kilometers to the east is the country of Bumi (Ch:不彌國). 20 days to the south by boat is the country of Touma (Ch:投馬國). 10 days to the south by boat or one month by land is the country of Yamatai (邪馬臺國). There resides the King of the Wa people."[2]
"The country of Wenshen is 7,000 li (500 kilometers) north-east of the country of Wa. Over their body, they have tattoos depicting wild beasts. They have three tattooed marks on their foreheads. The marks are straight for noble people, and they are small for lowly people. The people like music, but are not very generous in spite of their affluence, and do not give anything to strangers. They have houses, but no castles. The place in which their king resides is decorated with gold and silver in a manner of rare beauty. The buildings are surrounded by a ditch, about one cho in width, which they fill with quicksilver. When there is rain, it flows on top of the quicksilver. They have many rare things in their markets. Those who are guilty of a light offence are immediately punished with leather whips. Those who commit crimes punishable by death are made to be eaten by ferocious beasts; if there has been any error, then the ferocious beasts will avoid and not eat the victim. Crimes can also be redeemed through imprisonment without food."[3]
"The people of Dahan are 5,000 li (400 kilometers) east of Wenshen. They do not have an army and are not aggressive. Their manners are the same as those of the country of Wenshen, but their language differs."[4]
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| width=35% | Title ! | width=35% | Translation ! | width=20% | Notes |
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| 本紀第1 武帝上 | |||||||
| 本紀第2 武帝中 | Emperor Wu | ||||||
| 本紀第3 武帝下 | Emperor Wu | ||||||
| 本紀第4 簡文帝 | |||||||
| 本紀第5 元帝 | |||||||
| 本紀第6 敬帝 | |||||||
| width=10% |
| width=35% | Title ! | width=35% | Translation ! | width=20% | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 列傳第1 皇后 | Empresses | Empress Zhang; Empress Chi; Empress Wang; Consort Ding; Consort Ruan; Princess Xu | |||||
| 列傳第2 昭明太子 哀太子 愍懷太子 | Crown Prince Zhaoming
| ||||||
| 列傳第3 王茂 曹景宗 柳慶遠 | Wang Mao; Cao Jingzong; Liu Qingyuan | ||||||
| 列傳第4 蕭穎達 夏侯詳 蔡道恭 楊公則 鄧元起 | Xiao Yingda; Xiahou Jiang; Cai Daogong; Yang Gongze; Deng Yuanqi | ||||||
| 列傳第5 張弘策 庾域 鄭紹叔 呂僧珍 | Zhang Hongce; Yu Yu; Zheng Shaoshu; Lü Sengzhen | ||||||
| 列傳第6 柳惔 弟忱 席闡文 韋叡 族弟愛 | Liu Tan; Liu Chen; Xi Chanwen; Wei Rui; Wei Ai | ||||||
| 列傳第7 范雲 沈約 | Fan Yun | ||||||
| 列傳第8 江淹 任昉 | Jiang Yan
| ||||||
| 列傳第9 謝朏 弟子覽 | Xie Fei; Xie Lan | ||||||
| 列傳第10 王亮 張稷 王瑩 | Wang Liang; Zhang Ji; Wang Ying | ||||||
| 列傳第11 王珍國 馬仙琕 張齊 | Wang Zhenguo; Ma Xianpin; Zhang Qi | ||||||
| 列傳第12 張惠紹 馮道根 康絢 昌義之 | Zhang Huishao; Feng Daogen; Kang Xuan; Chang Yizhi | ||||||
| 列傳第13 宗夬 劉坦 樂藹 | Zong Guai; Liu Tan; Yue Ai | ||||||
| 列傳第14 劉季連 陳伯之 | Liu Lijian; Chen Bozhi | ||||||
| 列傳第15 王瞻 王志 王峻 王暕 子訓 王泰 王份 孫鍚 僉 張充 柳惲 蔡撙 江蒨 | Wang Zhan; Wang Zhi; Wang Jun; Wang Jian; Wang Xun; Wang Tai; Wang Fen; Wang Yang; Zhang Chong; Liu Yun; Cai Zun; Jiang Qian | ||||||
| 列傳第16 太祖五王 | Five Princes of Taizu | Brothers of Emperor Wu | |||||
| 列傳第17 長沙嗣王業 永陽嗣王伯游 衡陽嗣王元簡 桂陽嗣王象 | Ye, Prince of Changsha; Boyou, Prince of Yongyang; Yuanjian, Prince of Hengyang; Xiang, Prince of Guiyang | Nephews of Emperor Wu | |||||
| 列傳第18 蕭景 弟昌 昂 昱 | Xiao Jing; Xiao Chang; Xiao Ang; Xiao Yu | ||||||
| 列傳第19 周捨 徐勉 | Zhou She | ||||||
| 列傳第20 范岫 傅昭 弟映 蕭琛 陸杲 | Fan Xiu; Fu Zhao; Fu Ying; Xiao Chen; Lu Gao | ||||||
| 列傳第21 陸倕 到洽 明山賓 殷鈞 陸襄 | Lu Chui; Dao Qia; Ming Shanbin; Yin Jun; | ||||||
| 列傳第22 裴邃 兄子之高 之平 之橫 夏侯亶 弟夔 魚弘附 韋放 | Pei Sui; Pei Zhigao; Pei Zhiping; Pei Zhiheng; Xiahou Dan; Xiahou Kui; Yu Hongfu; Wei Fang | ||||||
| 列傳第23 高祖三王 | Three Princes of Gaozu | Sons of Emperor Wu | |||||
| 列傳第24 裴子野 顧協 徐摛 鮑泉 | Pei Ziye
| ||||||
| 列傳第25 袁昂 子君正 | Yuan Ang; Yuan Junzheng | ||||||
| 列傳第26 陳慶之 蘭欽 | Chen Qingzhi
| ||||||
| 列傳第27 王僧孺 張率 劉孝綽 王筠 | Wang Sengru; Zhang Shuai; Liu Xiaochuo | ||||||
| 列傳第28 張緬 弟纘 綰 | Zhang Mian; Zhang Zuan; Zhang Wan | ||||||
| 列傳第29 蕭子恪 弟子範 子顯 子雲 | Xiao Zike; Xiao Zifan; Xiao Zixian; Xiao Ziyun | ||||||
| 列傳第30 孔休源 江革 | Kong Xiuyuan; Jiang Ge | ||||||
| 列傳第31 謝舉 何敬容 | Xie Ju; He Jingrong | ||||||
| 列傳第32 朱异 賀琛 | Zhu Yi
| ||||||
| 列傳第33 元法僧 元樹 元願達 王神念 楊華 羊侃 子鶤 羊鴉仁 | Yuan Faseng; Yuan Shu; Yuan Yuanda; Wang Shenian; Yang Hua; Yang Kan; Yang Yun; Yang Yaren | ||||||
| 列傳第34 司馬褧 到漑 劉顯 劉之遴 弟之享 許懋 | Sima Jiong; Dao Gai; Liu Xian; Liu Zhilin; Liu Zhixian; Xu Mao | ||||||
| 列傳第35 王規 劉瑴 宗懍 王承 褚翔 蕭介 從父兄洽 褚球 劉孺 弟覽 遵 劉潛 弟孝勝 孝威 孝先 殷芸 蕭幾 | Wang Gui; Liu Jue; Zong Lin; Wang Cheng; Chu Xiang; Xiao Jie; Xiao Qia; Chu Qiu; Liu Ru; Liu Lan; Liu Zun; Liu Qian; Liu Xiaosheng; Liu Xiaowei; Liu Xiaoxian; Yin Yun; Xiao Ji | ||||||
| 列傳第36 臧盾 弟厥 傅岐 | Zang Dun; Zang Jue; Fu Qi | ||||||
| 列傳第37 韋粲 江子一 弟子四 子五 張嵊 沈浚 柳敬禮 | Wei Can; Jiang Ziyi; Jiang Zisi; Jiang Ziwu; Zhang Sheng; Shen Jun; Liu Jingli | ||||||
| 列傳第38 太宗十一王 世祖二子 | Eleven Princes of Taizong; Two Princes of Shizu | Sons of Emperor Jianwen; Sons of Emperor Yuan | |||||
| 列傳第39 王僧辯 | |||||||
| 列傳第40 胡僧祐 徐文盛 杜崱 兄岸 弟幼安 兄子龕 陰子春 | Hu Sengyou; Xu Wensheng; Du Ze; Du An; Du You'an; Du Kan; Yin Zichun | ||||||
| 列傳第41 孝行 | Filial Acts | Teng Tangong; Shen Chongsu; Xun Jiang; Yu Qianlou; Ji Fen; Zhen Tian; Han Huaiming; Liu Tanjing; He Jiong; Yu Shami; Jiang Fou; Liu Ji; Chu Xiu; Xie Lin | |||||
| 列傳第42 儒林 | Forest of Scholars | Fu Manrong; He Tongzhi; Fan Chen; Yan Zhizhi; He Yang, He Ge; Sima Yun; Bian Hua; Cui Lingen; Kong Qina; Lu Guang; Shen Jun; Taishi Shuming; Kong Ziqu; Huang Kan | |||||
| 列傳第43 文學上 | Writers | Dao Hang; Qiu Chi; Liu Bao; Yuan Jun; Yu Yuling; Yu Jianwu; Liu Zhao; He Xun; Zhong Rong; Zhou Xingsi; Wu Jun | |||||
| 列傳第44 文學下 | Writers | Liu Jun; Liu Zhao; Xie Jiqing; Liu Xie; Wang Ji; He Sichen; Liu Yao; Xie Zheng; Zang Yan; Fu Ting; Yu Zhongrong; Lu Yungong; Ren Xiaogong; Yan Xie | |||||
| 列傳第45 處士 | Retired Gentlemen | He Dian; He Yin; Ruan Xiaoxu; Tao Hongjing; Zhuge Qu; Shen Yi; Liu Huifei; Fan Yuanyan; Liu Xu; Liu Xiao; Yu Shen; Zhang Xiaoxiu; Yu Chengxian | |||||
| 列傳第46 止足 | The Self-Sufficient | Gu Xianzhi; Tao Jizhi; Xiao Shisu | |||||
| 列傳第47 良吏 | Good Officials | Yu Bi; Shen Yu; Fan Shuceng; Qiu Zhongfu; Sun Qian; Fu Xuan; He Yuan | |||||
| 列傳第48 諸夷 | The Various Barbarians | Various States South of the Sea: Linyi; Funan; Panpan; Dandan; Gantuoli; Langyaxiu; Poli; Central Tianzhu; Shizi Various Rong of the Eastern Yi: Gaogouli; Baiji; Xinluo; Wo; Wenshen; Dahan; Fusang Various Rong to the West and North Henan; Gaochang; Hua; Zhouguke; Hebatan; Humidan; Baiti; Qiuci; Yutian; Kepantuo; Mo; Bosi; Dangchang; Dengzhi; Wuxing; Rourou | |||||
| 列傳第49 豫章王綜 武陵王紀 臨賀王正德 河東王譽 | Zong, Prince of Yuzhang; Ji, Prince of Wuling; Zhengde, Prince of Linhe; Yu, Prince of Hedong | ||||||
| 列傳第50 侯景 |
. The Indianized States of Southeast Asia. University of Hawaii Press. trans.Susan Brown Cowing. 1968. 978-0-8248-0368-1. Walter F. Vella. George Coedès.