Pei Songzhi (372âÂÂ451), courtesy name Shiqi, was a Chinese historian and politician who lived in the late Eastern Jin dynasty and the Liu Song dynasty. His ancestral home was in Wenxi County, Shanxi, but he moved to the Jiangnan region later. He is best known for making annotations to the historical text Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi) written by Chen Shou in the third century, providing additional details omitted from the original work. His commentary, completed in 429, became integral to later editions of the Sanguozhi, making the joint work three times as long as the original. His son, Pei Yin (裴駰), and great-grandson Pei Ziye (裴åÂÂéÂÂ), were also well-known historians.
Pei was born in a family of officials who served in the Eastern Jin government. His grandfather, Pei Mei (裴æ§), served as a Household Counsellor (å Â祿大夫) while his father, Pei Gui (裴çª), was a zheng yuanwailang (æ£å¡å¤ÂéÂÂ). Pei was fond of reading since his childhood, and he was already very familiar with classic texts such as the Analects and the Classic of Poetry at the age of eight.
In 391, during the reign of Emperor Xiaowu, Pei became a Palace General (殿ä¸Âå°Âè»Â) at the age of 20 (by East Asian reckoning). In 398, during the reign of Emperor An, Pei's maternal uncle, Yu Kai (庾楷), who was the Governor of Yu Province, allied with Wang Gong, the Governor of Yan and Qing provinces, to attack the imperial capital, Jiankang. They were defeated. Yu Kai fled to join the warlord Huan Xuan, after which he nominated Pei to be the Administrator of Xinye, but Pei considered the dangers of joining his uncle and refused to move there. War broke out between the warlords later and Yu Kai was killed by Huan Xuan. Pei survived because he did not join Yu Kai.
In the early fifth century, Pei served as a Regular Mounted Attendant (æ£é¨Âä¾ÂéÂÂ) and later as the magistrate (縣令) of Guzhang County. He was recalled to the imperial court later and was promoted to shangshu ci bu lang (å°Âæ¸祠é¨éÂÂ; a ceremonial official). In 416, the Jin imperial court ordered Liu Yu, the Duke of Song, to lead a campaign against the state of Later Qin. Pei was serving as a registrar (主簿) then when he was ordered to join Liu Yu's army. Liu Yu was very impressed with Pei and praised him as a talented person, and then appointed him as zhizhong congshi shi (æ²»ä¸Âå¾ÂäºÂå²). After Liu Yu's forces occupied Luoyang, former capital of Jin, Liu Yu appointed Pei as a xianma (æ´Â馬) to assist the heir apparent of his dukedom.
Liu Yu usurped the throne in 420 and ended the Eastern Jin dynasty. He founded the Liu Song dynasty and became historically known as "Emperor Wu of (Liu) Song". Pei took up various appointments in the Liu Song government, including Secretary of the Interior (å §å²) of Lingling, State Academician (Ã¥ÂÂÃ¥ÂÂÃ¥ÂÂ士) and rongcong puye (Ã¥ÂÂå¾ÂÃ¥ÂÂå°Â). In 426, Emperor Wu's son, Emperor Wen, sent officials to inspect the various provinces. Pei was sent to inspect Xiangzhou (æ¹Âå·Â). After returning from his trip, Pei drafted 24 clauses based on his observations. He was promoted to Palace Gentleman Writer (ä¸Âæ¸ä¾ÂéÂÂ) and Grand Judge (大ä¸Âæ£) of Si and Ji provinces, and was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Xi District (西éÂÂ侯).
In his later years, Pei served as the Administrator of Yongjia (æ°¸åÂÂ太å®Â), tongzhi sanqi changshi (éÂÂç´æ£é¨Â常ä¾Â), and Administrator of South Langya (Ã¥ÂÂç éª太å®Â). Pei retired from service at the age of 65 in 437. However, not long later, he was recalled back to the imperial court, and he served as Attendant Counsellor (ä¸Âæ£大夫), State Academician (Ã¥ÂÂÃ¥ÂÂÃ¥ÂÂ士), and Palace Counsellor (太ä¸Â大夫). He died of illness at the age of 80 (by East Asian reckoning) in 451.
Emperor Wen of the Liu Song dynasty felt that the historical text Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi), written by Chen Shou in the third century, was too brief, so he commissioned Pei to make annotations to the text. Pei collected various sources, including those previously rejected by Chen Shou, and added them to the Sanguozhi, while making annotations and adding his personal commentary as well. His commentary, completed in 429, became integral to later editions of the Sanguozhi, making the joint work three times as long as the original. Emperor Wen praised his work as "immortal".
Apart from making annotations to the Sanguozhi, Pei also wrote other books such as the Jin Ji (æÂÂç´Â; History of Jin; considered part of the Eighteen History Books of Jin), Pei Shi Jiazhuan (裴æ°Â家å³; Pei Family Biographies), and Ji Zhu Sang Fu Jing Zhuan (éÂÂ注åªæÂÂç¶Âå³).
Pei Songzhi is a member of the Pei clan of Hedong (æ²³ä¸Â裴æ°Â). His son is Pei Yin, father of Pei Zhaoming (裴æÂÂæÂÂ; 460 - 502), father of Pei Ziye. Through his mother, Pei Songzhi is a great-grandson of the powerful Jin regent Yu Liang.
Pei Songzhi's father is Pei Gui (裴åÂÂ), son of Pei Mei (裴æ§). Pei Mei's great-grandfather is Pei Kang (裴康). Pei Kang, along with his older brother Pei Li (裴é»Â), and younger brothers Pei Kai (裴楷) and Pei Chuo (裴绰) were famous during their time and were known as the "4 Peis". One of Pei Kang's daughters was the wife of Sima Yue, Prince Xiaoxian of Donghai. Pei Chuo's son Pei Xia (裴éÂÂ) was the father of Pei Mu (裴ç©Â), and the maternal grandfather of Du Lingyang, empress of Emperor Cheng of Jin. A son of Pei Kai was Pei Xian. Pei Kang's son Pei Chun, then Administrator of Xingyang, fled to Jianye in June or July 310.