Listen to this articleThe oldest extant gazetteer of a region of China.
Overview
Chinese Name: 华阳国志
English Name: Huayang Guo Zhi, Chronicles of Huayang, Annals of Huayang Country
Other Names: Huayang Guo Ji 华阳国记
Author: Chang Qu 常璩
Originally Published: the Eastern Jin Dynasty东晋时期
Genre: History, Geography
Brief Introduction of the Chronicles of Huayang
The Chronicles of Huayang华阳国志 is a work written by Chang Qu常璩 in the Eastern Jin Dynasty from 348 to 354. It specifically describes the local history, geography and figures of ancient Southwest China.
The Chronicles of Huayang state has 12 volumes, about 110000 words. The whole book consists of three parts:
Volumes 1 to 4 mainly record the history and geography of Ba巴, Shu蜀, Hanzhong汉中 and Nanzhong南中 counties, which also records the political history, national history and military history of this region, but mainly geography;
Volumes five to nine chronicle the history of the four separatist regimes of Gongsun Shu公孙述, Liu Yan刘焉, Liu Zhang刘璋 , Liu Bei刘备, Liu Shan刘禅 , and Li Shi李氏, as well as the unification period of the Western Jin Dynasty; From the Western Han Dynasty to the early Eastern Jin Dynasty,
Volumes 10 to 12 recorded the “virtuous men and women” in Liang梁, Yi益 and Ning宁 prefectures.
Since its completion, the Chronicles of Huayang has been highly praised and respected by scholars of all dynasties. Contemporary people regard the Chronicles of Huayang as important historical materials in their research on the ancient Southwest. In particular, writing the historical records of Sichuan, Chongqing, Yunnan, Guizhou and other places is inseparable from the Chronicles of Huayang.
This book describes the historical facts of Shu Han in more detail than the Records of the Three Kingdoms三国志.
Author of the Chronicles of Huayang
Chang Qu常璩 (about 291-361), a historian of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, was born in Jiangyuan, Shujun (now Chongzhou, Chengdu, Sichuan).
In the late Western Jin Dynasty, Chang Qu was born in Shu. The Chang family is a large local family, Most of the people in Chang family study arts, are good at writing and writing articles.
Since he became an adult, studious Chang Yu has studied diligently, asked others for advice, and asked returning refugees about their geographical conditions and experiences when they were exiled. He has rich records and stories.
After his old age, he had no intention to continue to be an official. He focused on history, searched for various historical materials, and wrote the Chronicles of Huayang.
Excerpts from the Chronicles of Huayang
昔在唐尧，洪水滔天，鲧功无成。圣禹嗣兴，导江疏河，百川蠲修，封殖天下，因古九囿，以置九州；仰禀参伐，俯壤华阳，黑水、江、汉为梁州。厥土青黎，厥田惟下上，厥赋惟下中，厥贡璆、铁、银、镂、砮、磬、熊、罴、狐、狸、织皮。于是四隩既宅，九州攸同，六府孔修，庶土交正，底慎财赋，成贡中国。盖时雍之化东被西渐矣。
历夏、殷、周，九州牧伯率职。周文为伯，西有九国。及武王克商，并徐合青，省梁合雍，而职方氏犹掌其地，辨其土壤，甄其贯利，迄于秦帝。汉兴，高祖藉之成业，乃改雍曰凉，革梁曰益，故巴、汉、庸、蜀属益州。
至魏咸熙元年平蜀，始分益州巴汉七郡置梁州，治汉中。以相国参军中山耿黼为刺史。元康六年，广汉还益州，更割雍州之武都、阴平、荆州之新城、上庸、魏兴以属焉。凡统郡一十二，县五十八。
《华阳国志·巴志》
