Shu Han

Han
May 221–c.Dec 263
The territories of Shu Han (in light pink), as of 262 A.D.
The territories of Shu Han (in light pink), as of 262 A.D.
CapitalChengdu
Common languagesBa–Shu Chinese
Eastern Han Chinese
Religion
Taoism, Confucianism, Chinese folk religion
GovernmentMonarchy
Emperor 
• 221 – 223
Liu Bei
• 223 – 263
Liu Shan
Historical eraThree Kingdoms
• Established
May 221
c.Dec 263
Population
• 221[1]
900,000
• 263[1]
1,082,000
CurrencyAncient Chinese coinage, Chinese cash
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Eastern Han
Cao Wei
Today part ofChina
Myanmar
Shu Han
Traditional Chinese蜀漢
Simplified Chinese蜀汉
Hanyu PinyinShǔ Hàn
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinShǔ Hàn
Bopomofoㄕㄨˇ   ㄏㄢˋ
Gwoyeu RomatzyhShuu Hann
Wade–GilesShu3 Han4
Tongyong PinyinShǔ Hàn
IPA[ʂù xân]
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationSuhk Hon
JyutpingSuk6 Hon3
IPA[sʊk̚˨ hɔn˧]

Han (; 221–263), known in historiography as Shu Han (蜀漢 [ʂù xân] ) or Ji Han (季漢 "Junior Han"),[2] or often shortened to Shu (Chinese: ; pinyin: Shǔ; Sichuanese Pinyin: Su2 < Middle Chinese: *źjowk < Eastern Han Chinese: *dźok[3]), was a dynastic state of China and one of the three major states that competed for supremacy over China in the Three Kingdoms period. The state was based in the area around present-day Hanzhong, Sichuan, Chongqing, Yunnan, Guizhou, and north Guangxi, an area historically referred to as "Shu" based on the name of the past ancient kingdom of Shu, which also occupied this approximate geographical area. Its core territory also coincided with Liu Bang's Kingdom of Han, the precursor of the Han dynasty.

Shu Han's founder, Liu Bei (Emperor Zhaolie), had named his dynasty "Han", as he considered it a rump state of the Han dynasty and thus the legitimate successor to the Han throne, while the prefix "Shu" was first used by the rival state of Cao Wei to delegitimize the orthodoxy claims of the Shu Han state.[4] Later on when writing the Records of the Three Kingdoms, the historian, Chen Shou, also used the prefix "Shu" to describe Liu Bei's state of Han as a historiographical prefix to differentiate it from the many other states officially named "Han" throughout Chinese history.[5]

  1. ^ a b Zou Jiwan (Chinese: 鄒紀萬), Zhongguo Tongshi – Weijin Nanbeichao Shi 中國通史·魏晉南北朝史, (1992).
  2. ^ Chen Shou, Records of the Three Kingdoms, "Book of Shu: Accounts of Deng, Zhang, Zong, & Yang", section Yang Xi: quote: "戲以延熙四年著《季漢輔臣贊》"; translation: "[Yang] Xi, in the fourth year of Yanxi era [241 CE], composed 'Praises for the Supportive Ministers of Ji Han.'"
  3. ^ Schuessler, Axel. (2009) Minimal Old Chinese and Later Han Chinese. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i. 157
  4. ^ An example is a quote by Wei general Zhong Hui: "事成,可得天下;不成,退保蜀漢,不失作劉備也。" tr: "If we'd succeed, we'd have all under Heaven; if we'd not succeed, we'd retreat and defend Shu Han and not lose, just as Liu Bei did." in Sanguozhi vol. 28
  5. ^ 小平 (2012). "三国蜀汉政权国号 "汉" 考论". 西华师范大学学报(哲学社会科学版) (1): 63–66.