Yao Silian (姚思廉; 564[1] - 637[2]), courtesy nameJianzhi (簡之),[3] formally Baron Kang of Fengcheng (豐成康男), was a Chinese historian and politician during the Sui dynasty and Tang dynasty and was the lead author of the Book of Liang and Book of Chen, the official histories of the Liang dynasty and the Chen dynasty, which his father Yao Cha (姚察), a Chen official, had begun but did not finish.
^According to Yao Silian's biography in New Book of Tang, he was 74 (by East Asian reckoning) when he died. (卒,年七十四) Xin Tang Shu, vol.102. Thus by calculation, his birth year should be 564.
^11th year of the Zhenguan era of Tang Taizong's reign, as recorded in Old Book of Tang, vol.73.
^The Old Book of Tang indicates that his courtesy name was Jianzhi, but the New Book of Tang indicates that his formal name was Jian (簡) but went by the courtesy name of Silian. Compare Old Book of Tang, vol. 73 [1] with New Book of Tang, vol. 102.[2]