1, history
Historical Records, formerly known as Taishigong or Taishigong Gong Ji and Taishigong Historical Records, is a biographical historical book written by Sima Qian, a historian of the Western Han Dynasty. It is the first biographical general history in the history of China, recording the history of four years and more than 3,000 years from the legendary Huangdi era to Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty.
In the first year of Taichu (BC 104), Sima Qian began to create Taishi Gongshu, later called Shiji. This book was used for 14 years before and after completion.
Historical Records includes twelve biographies (recording the political achievements of emperors in past dynasties), thirty biographies (recording the rise and fall of vassal states and governors in Han Dynasty), seventy biographies (recording the words and deeds of important people, mainly describing the characters and ministers, and the last one is the preface), ten tables (chronology of major events) and eight books (recording various laws and regulations, such as etiquette, music, temperament, calendar, astronomy, etc.).
There are * * * 130 historical books with more than 526,500 words, which is more than 395,000 words in Huainanzi and 288,000 words in Lv Chunqiu. Historical Records has a huge scale and a complete system, which has a far-reaching impact on the biographical history books of later generations. The official history of past dynasties was written in this genre.
2. Hanshu
Hanshu, also known as pre-Hanshu, is the first biographical dynastic history in China and one of the "twenty-four histories". It was compiled by Ban Gu, a historian of the Eastern Han Dynasty, and lasted for more than 20 years. Jian 'an was basically completed in the early years, which was interpreted by Yan Shigu in the later Tang Dynasty. Hanshu is another important historical book in ancient China after Shiji, and it is called "the first four histories" together with Shiji, Houhanshu and The History of the Three Kingdoms.
Hanshu mainly describes the historical events of 230 years from the first year of Emperor Gaozu of the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC) to the fourth year of Emperor Wangmang of the New Dynasty (23 AD). Hanshu includes 12 biographies, 8 tables, 10 records, 70 biographies and 100 * *. Later generations divided it into 120 volumes with 800,000 words.
3. The Book of Later Han Dynasty
The Book of the Later Han Dynasty is a biographical history book that records the history of the Eastern Han Dynasty. It was compiled by Ye Fan, a historian in the Southern Dynasties and the Song Dynasty. It is also called "the first four histories" with Historical Records, Hanshu and The History of the Three Kingdoms.
The Book of the Later Han Dynasty is divided into ten chapters, eighty biographies and eight records (from Sima Biao's Continued Han). The book mainly describes the historical events from the first year of Jianwu (25 years) of Guangwu Emperor in the Eastern Han Dynasty to the 25th year of Jian 'an Emperor in the Han Dynasty (220 years), *** 195.
The History of the Later Han Dynasty mostly followed the ready-made styles of Historical Records and History of the Han Dynasty, but in the process of writing, Ye Fan made some innovations and changes according to the specific characteristics of the history of the Eastern Han Dynasty.
The books of the later Han Dynasty are well-structured and orderly arranged. For example, biographies of eighty biographies are generally arranged in chronological order. The first three volumes are the man of the Han Dynasty. The next nine volumes are emperors, generals and important generals in Guangwu era.
The progressiveness of the Book of the Later Han Dynasty is also reflected in the courage to expose dark politics, sympathize with and praise justice. On the one hand, it exposed the power of the fisherman, on the other hand, it praised the middle and lower classes who were strong and upright and not afraid of rape. For example, in Biography of Wang Chong and Wang Fu in Zhong Changtong, Ye Fan included eight articles attacking current politics in detail.
4. History of the Three Kingdoms
The History of the Three Kingdoms, one of the twenty-four histories, was written by Chen Shou, a historian in the Western Jin Dynasty. It records the biographical national history of Wei, Shu and Wu during the Three Kingdoms period in China, and is one of the "first four histories" with the highest evaluation among the twenty-four histories.
At that time, Wei and Wu had historical books, such as Official Book, Personal Book and Official Book. These three books should be the basic materials on which Chen Shou relies.
Shu has no official position in history, so it has only 15 volumes.
Chen Shou began to work in Shu, but was rejected by eunuchs. After Shu was demoted to gold, he worked as a writer. He was demoted many times in his later years and was repeatedly criticized. After ten years of hard work, he completed the biographical historical masterpiece "The History of the Three Kingdoms".
The History of the Three Kingdoms was first circulated as a book and a book separately. It was not until the sixth year of Xianping in the Northern Song Dynasty (1003) that the three books were merged into one book. Eventually, it became a book, so The History of the Three Kingdoms is the product of cultural reintegration after the split of the Three Kingdoms. This book completely describes the historical panorama of China from division to unification in the last hundred years from the end of Han Dynasty to the beginning of Jin Dynasty.
5. Purple Tongzhi scissors
Zi Tong Zhi Jian (often referred to as Tong Jian) is a multi-volume chronological history book edited by Sima Guang in the Northern Song Dynasty, with a total of 294 volumes, which took 19 years to complete. Mainly based on time and events, it began in the 23rd year of Zhou Weilie (403 BC) and ended in the 6th year of Xiande, Zhou Shizong after the Five Dynasties (959 AD), covering the history of 16 dynasties and 1362 years.
In this book, the editor summed up many experiences and lessons for the rulers to learn from. Song Shenzong thinks that this book is "in view of the past, it has the resources for governance", that is, to strengthen the rule by taking historical gains and losses as a warning, so it is named "Managing with Capital". Zitongzhijian has 294 volumes, about 3 million words, and Kaoyi and Catalogue have 30 volumes.
Zi Tong Zhi Jian is China's first chronological general history, which occupies a very important position in China's official history works.