"The Book of Chen" consists of a total of thirty-six pieces, including six volumes of annals and thirty volumes of biographies, written by Yao Silian, a court historian of the Tang Dynasty. Initially, Silian's father Yao Cha served as the historian for the Liang and Chen dynasties, responsible for recording the history of both dynasties. However, he passed away before completing it, and soon after, the Chen Dynasty fell. Emperor Wen of Sui highly valued Yao Cha’s expertise and frequently consulted him about the histories of the Liang and Chen dynasties. Yao Cha presented the historical materials he had compiled to the emperor one by one. Emperor Wen even sent Yu Shiji to Yao Cha's residence to request the manuscripts, but Yao Cha passed away before completing the work. On his deathbed, Yao Cha entrusted this task to his son, Silian.
After the establishment of the Tang Dynasty, in the fifth year of the Wude era, Emperor Gaozu of Tang felt that the historical records were chaotic due to frequent changes in dynasties over the past two hundred years since the Wei Dynasty. He ordered a reorganization of historical records. Silian took on this task and began writing "The Book of Chen." However, the task was too daunting, and he had not completed it for a long time. In the third year of the Zhenguan era, Emperor Taizong of Tang ordered him to focus on writing the book in the Imperial Secretariat. It was not until the renzi day of the first month in the tenth year of the Zhenguan era that the book was finally completed and submitted.
From the beginning of Yao Cha's writing to Silian's completion, "The Book of Chen" went through three generations, with father and son passing the baton. It took over a decade to complete, demonstrating the immense difficulty of the task. However, compared to other books such as "The Book of Song," "The Book of Wei," "The Book of Liang," and "The Book of Qi," very few copies of "The Book of Chen" have survived. Therefore, scholars in later generations do not have a deep understanding of the history of the Chen Dynasty. Additionally, due to its limited circulation, the copies held in the imperial palace often contain omissions and errors.
Until August of the sixth year of Jiayou, the court finally ordered proofreading of the "Book of Chen" and prepared to print and distribute it. Some of us suggested, "Books like the Book of Liang and the Book of Chen are seriously incomplete. There are only a few copies hidden in the palace, which might not be sufficient to establish the final version. It would be best to order the people in the capital and various provinces and counties who have books to bring out what they have." The late emperor accepted our suggestion. In the winter of the seventh year of Jiayou, books from various regions were sent in one after another, and we began to proofread and compare them. In the seventh month of the eighth year of Jiayou, the thirty-six sections of the "Book of Chen" were finally proofread and completed, ready to be handed down to future scholars. We were cautious not to make arbitrary changes to the questionable sections, but simply added annotations at the end of each chapter. The original "Book of Chen" lacked a table of contents, and the names of individuals in the biographies were often incorrect, so we also compiled a separate table of contents for easier reference.
As for the state of Chen, it was established through various deceitful tactics, lacking the wise governance, moral principles, and the education of the people exemplified by previous kings to serve as examples for future generations. However, Chen's initial prosperity stemmed from its ability to employ talented individuals, rulers who balanced pros and cons, strategized, were humble and frugal, and cared for the people. Its ultimate downfall was caused by corrupt officials, indulgence in pleasure with concubines, forgetting the potential dangers, and indulging in personal desires. The rise and fall of Chen fundamentally resulted from its own actions. As for the system of Chen, such as the establishment of official positions, provinces, and counties, although these measures were rather simple and basic, they were implemented for a period of time and should be thoroughly studied and verified by future scholars.
During the time of the Chen Kingdom, those who sought power and profit, engaged in deceitful practices, and sought comfort, we had to list them as a warning for future generations. Not to mention during the chaotic period of the Chen Kingdom's downfall, those who lived in poverty, upheld justice, and were not swayed by chaos, power, or personal gain, they were not extinct either. These individuals can indeed be described as exceptionally loyal and kind. Their spiritual qualities were what the ancients aspired to but found difficult to achieve; the poem "Wind and Rain" was composed in their honor. How could we allow their spirits to fade into obscurity? Therefore, how could we disregard the history of the Chen Kingdom?
This book was difficult to write in the first place, and after it was written, it remained largely unknown for an extended period. It was not until over a hundred years after the establishment of the Song Dynasty that various ancient classics and historical events were widely studied, and this book was able to become widely recognized, becoming the object of study for scholars. Its journey to recognition was fraught with challenges; could it be because it was destined to appear at this time?
Min Xun, Min Mu, Min Zao, Min Jue, Min Yanruo, Min Zhu, and Min Gong respectfully present the index, risking their lives to do so.
