Commentaries of the Three Scholars

The Commentaries of the Three Scholars or Three Commentaries on the Shiji are the three most important traditional exegeses on the Shiji, the monumental history written by Sima Qian in the Han dynasty. The three commentary works, composed between the fifth and eighth centuries CE, form the basis of most received editions of the Shiji and are usually incorporated directly into its text in modern annotated versions.

The Three Commentaries

The term sanjia zhu refers to the following works:Shiji jijie by Pei Yin, in 80 juan. Pei’s work collects and harmonizes earlier glosses and interpretations of the Shiji.Shiji suoyin by Sima Zhen, in 30 juan. Sima’s commentary supplements the original text and attempts to fill in missing passages, offering genealogical and textual clarifications.Shiji zhengyi by Zhang Shoujie, also in 30 juan. Zhang’s edition provides philological notes and aims at a “correct meaning” through systematic comparison with other classical sources.
Although these works were originally written independently, they came to be transmitted together and are commonly integrated into the corresponding chapters of the Shiji in traditional editions. The Sanjia zhu collectively form the foundation of the standard annotated text.
The Three Commentaries have had a profound influence on the study and transmission of the Shiji. Virtually all later scholars of early Chinese historiography rely on the composite Sanjia zhu version as the authoritative text. Modern critical editions and translations continue to cite these commentaries extensively.
The work Shiji zhiyi 史记志疑 of Liang Yusheng 梁玉绳 f.e. was one of the works which continued and further developed the exegetical tradition during the Qing dynasty.