Life

Wei Zhao was appointed as the first Erudite Libationer (博士祭酒; i.e. President) of 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.

生平

少時好學能文。早年曾任丞相掾、西安令、尚書郎、太子中庶子、黃門侍郎、太史令等職。

258年，孫綝廢孫亮，立孫休為吳國皇帝，改年號永安，昭立五經博士而創設國學，立太學博士制度，開南京設皇家中央學府之始，為南京太學之濫觴；韋昭官拜中書郎，出任博士祭酒，掌管國子學。

264年孫休亡，孫皓即位，韋昭封高陵亭侯，擔任中書僕射、侍中，領左國史。時孫皓欲為其父孫和立本紀，韋昭認為孫和並非皇帝應入列傳。二人多次發生類似之事，使韋昭甚是憂慮。他自稱衰老而請求辭官，專心著書。孫皓終是不聽。後與孫皓不和愈加嚴重，孫皓以其不承用詔命，意不忠盡，終為孫皓所害，時鳳皇二年（273年），享年73歲。

韋昭一生，歷經東吳四朝，是中國古代史上從事史書編纂時間最長的史學家，目為東吳第一史家。後世《三國志》多取材其《吳書》，南朝宋裴松之為《吳志》（到北宋才合為《三國志》）作注亦有用此書。

子韋隆，亦有文學天賦。

書目

• 《吳書》 （合著者：華覈、周昭、薛瑩、梁廣）

• 《博弈論》，收錄于《文選卷五十二·論二》

• 《漢書音義》

• 《國語注》

• 《春秋外傳國語》

• 《辯釋名》

• 《孝經解贊》

• 《注孝經論語》

• 《洞記》

• 《官職訓》

• 《吳興錄》

• 《三吳郡國志》

參考

• 池田秀三著、金培懿譯：〈韋昭之經學——尤以禮學為中心 〉。

• 東吳史學家韋昭