Shishuo Xinyu 世說新語 “A New Account of the Tales of the World” is a difficult source to deal with. A compilation of anecdotes about historical figures, collected and edited during the (Liu) Song dynasty (420-479), it is acknowledged as an important resource for studying the history and culture of the Six Dynasties era.
But are the anecdotes contained within it actually true? Which ones are historical and which ones are historical fiction?
There are two famous anecdotes in Shishuo Xinyu regarding the two full brothers of the Wei Emperor Wen Cao Pi, the King Wei of Rencheng, Cao Zhang, and the King Si of Chen, Cao Zhi. Both of these anecdotes have been widely spread since its inclusion in Shishuo Xinyu, and many do believe the anecdotes are true.
Below I will discuss the anecdotes and why they are certainly fictitious, and why this matters.