Shiben

Shiben
Shiben title page in Small Seal Script
Chinese name
Chinese	世本
Literal meaning	Generation Origins
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Shìběn Wade–Giles Shih-pen Yue: Cantonese Jyutping Sai3bun5 Southern Min Hokkien POJ Sìpún Middle Chinese Middle Chinese Syejpwon Old Chinese Baxter–Sagart (2014) Ḷap-spˤə[n]ʔ
Korean name
Hangul	세본
Hanja	世本
Transcriptions McCune–Reischauer Sepon
Japanese name
Kanji	世本
Hiragana	せほん
Transcriptions Revised Hepburn Sehon

The Shiben or Book of Origins (Pinyin: shìběn; Chinese; 世本; lit. 'Generation Origins') was an early Chinese encyclopedia which recorded imperial genealogies from the mythical Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors down to the late Spring and Autumn period (771–476 BCE), explanations of the origin of clan names, and records of legendary and historical Chinese inventors. It was written during the 2nd century BC at the time of the Han dynasty.^[1][2] The work was lost in the 10th century, but partially reconstructed from quotations during the Qing dynasty.