Wei Zhao (Eastern Wu)

Wei Zhao
韋昭
Junior State Historian (左國史)
In office ? (?)–? (?)
Monarch	Sun Hao
Palace Attendant (侍中)
In office ? (?)–? (?)
Monarch	Sun Hao
Supervisor of the Central Secretariat (中書僕射)
In office 264 or after (264 or after) – ? (?)
Monarch	Sun Hao
Erudite Libationer (博士祭酒)
In office  ()–? (?)
Monarch	Sun Xiu
Prefect of the Grand Clerks (太史令)
In office ? (?)–? (?)
Monarch	Sun Liang
Personal details
Born	204 Danyang, Jiangsu
Died	273 (aged 69)
Resting place	East Street, Yanling Town, Danyang, Jiangsu
Children	Wei Long
Occupation	Official, historian, scholar
Courtesy name	Hongsi (弘嗣)
Other name	Wei Yao (韋曜)
Peerage	Village Marquis of Gaoling (高陵亭侯)

In this Chinese name, the family name is Wei.

Wei Zhao (204–273), courtesy name Hongsi, was an official, historian, and scholar of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He shared the same personal name as Sima Zhao (司馬昭, an ancestor of the Jin dynasty emperors). In order to avoid naming taboo, the historian Chen Shou changed Wei Zhao's personal name to "Yao (矅)" when he wrote Wei Zhao's biography in the Sanguozhi (the authoritative source for the history of the Three Kingdoms period).

Life

Wei Zhao was appointed as the first Erudite Libationer (博士祭酒; i.e. President) of the precursor to the Imperial Nanking University by the third Wu emperor, Sun Xiu, in 258. He was the chief editor of the Book of Wu, an official history of Wu. While he was compiling the 'Book of Wu, the fourth Wu emperor Sun Hao attempted to force him to rewrite certain portions of the book, but Wei Zhao refused on the grounds that such amendments would infringe the principle of history. Wei Zhao's insistence on producing a historically accurate Book of Wu resulted in his execution by Sun Hao. Wei Zhao also wrote several other works, such as Annotations to Guoyu (國語注) and Argument and Interpretation of Names (辯釋名).

Wei Zhao's tomb is located near East Street, Yanling Town in Danyang, Jiangsu. The Wei Zhao Temple (韋昭祠), a memorial to him along with his former residence, is also located near there.

See also

• Lists of people of the Three Kingdoms

References

• Chen, Shou (3rd century). Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi).
• Pei, Songzhi (5th century). Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi zhu).