Ming History (Complete 28 Volumes)

Author: Zhang Tingyu
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-02-07
Features: The History of the Ming Dynasty comprises 332 volumes, compiled by Zhang Tingyu and others during the Qing Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty was established as a feudal regime after the great peasant uprising against the Yuan Dynasty, in 1268 (the first year of Hongwu's reign). In 1644 (the 17th year of Chongzhen's reign in the Ming Dynasty and the first year of Shunzhi's reign in the Qing Dynasty), Li Zicheng's peasant uprising army captured Beijing and overthrew the central government of the Ming Dynasty. That same year, the Qing army entered the pass and divided its forces to attack both the peasant uprising army and the southern forces of the Ming Dynasty. In 1661 (the 18th year of Shunzhi's reign), the southern forces of the Ming Dynasty were eliminated. The History of the Ming Dynasty records nearly three hundred years of history from the establishment to the fall of the Ming Dynasty.
The Qing Dynasty established the Ming History Bureau in 1645 (the second year of Shunzhi's reign) and began compiling the history in 1679 (the 18th year of Kangxi's reign). The manuscript was finalized in 1735 (the 13th year of Yongzheng's reign) and published in 1739 (the fourth year of Qianlong's reign). The History of the Ming Dynasty was successively edited by Zhang Yushu, Wang Hongxiu, and Zhang Tingyu, with the final version completed by Zhang Tingyu and others. Many people participated in the specific compilation process, among whom Wan Sitong contributed the most effort, although he did not hold a formal position in the Ming History Bureau. Wang Hongxiu revised the draft of the Ming History that Wan Sitong had already completed, and Zhang Tingyu and others further adapted Wang Hongxiu's manuscript into the final History of the Ming Dynasty.
Regarding the arrangement and processing of historical materials related to the Ming Dynasty, the History of the Ming Dynasty extensively records the various systems of the feudal state but rarely touches upon the landlord's manors, tenant farmers, rent, hired laborers, or the exploitation of hired laborers, manor servants, and tenant farmers by landlords. The only similar materials in the entire book are found in the biography of Ding Xuan in Volume 165, which describes tenant farmers in Fujian delivering rent to landlords and offering extra gifts, and in the biography of Ji Wenyin in Volume 290, which mentions landlords in Jiangxi's Xin City using large measuring scoops to collect rent. These materials are unique in the entire book. Under the section "Manor Fields" in the "Treatise on Food and Finances," the records are limited to imperial manors and those of princes, meritorious relatives, and eunuchs. Not only are the contents brief, but the records of imperial manors are biased toward the capital region, and those of meritorious relatives are biased toward high-ranking officials. In a few biographies of princes, mentions of manor fields, manor rents, and the officials overseeing them are scattered and vague.
In general, the economic records in this book are similar to those in previous historical texts, failing to touch upon the essence of class exploitation. To praise the "military achievements" of the ruling class, the History of the Ming Dynasty could not avoid recording peasant uprisings and the resistance struggles of people in various regions. For example, the records of the great peasant uprising at the end of the Ming Dynasty in Volumes 309, 252, and 260; the uprisings of Ye Zongliu and Deng Maoqi in Volumes 165, 172, and 178; the resistance struggles in Jiangxi and its surrounding areas in Volume 195; the White Lotus Rebellion in Shandong in Volumes 257 and 290; and the resistance struggles of ethnic minorities mentioned in the biographies of local officials. Although the compilers distorted these records in various ways, they still preserve some materials that can be analyzed and referenced.
The "Treatise on Geography" systematically records the administrative divisions of the time. The "Treatise on Astronomy," "Treatise on Calendars," and "Treatise on Rivers and Canals" contain a wealth of scientific and technological materials and reflect some new achievements of the Ming Dynasty. However, the "Treatise on Astronomy" and "Treatise on Calendars" still cannot completely escape the traditional mystical tone of feudal historical texts. The History of the Ming Dynasty introduced new biographies of eunuch factions and local officials. In the biographies of local officials, "Foreign Countries," and "Western Regions," some parts confused the distinction between domestic and foreign, which was a serious error. However, they also preserved some useful materials. Some records may not have been intentionally preserved by the compilers, but they still hold certain reference value today. For example, Volume 81 mentions that in the early years of Yongle's reign, there were no fewer than two million households of military dependents nationwide; Volume 157 states that in the early years of Xuanzhe's reign, there were 26,000 households of military craftsmen, belonging to 240 garrisons and posts; and Volume 281 notes that half the population of Wuding Prefecture in Shandong were military households. Similarly, Volume 89 records that in the Hongwu era, there were over 278,000 imperial guards, and Volume 232 reveals that in the capital region, as much as 96,100 hectares of military land had been encroached upon. These are important records about the military system at the time. Volume 157 mentions that in the Jingtai era, Zhang Feng submitted a memorial stating, "At the beginning of our country, there were 8.491 million hectares of land nationwide, and now the number has halved." This is important political and economic historical material that supplements the shortcomings of the "Treatise on Food and Finances."
The above are just a few examples. If further research is conducted, more discoveries may be made. Although the History of the Ming Dynasty is based on the Ming History Draft, its arrangement is more organized. In terms of historical materials, the two books have their own strengths and weaknesses. The Ming Annals is a primary historical source and is naturally more detailed than the History of the Ming Dynasty, but some records in the History of the Ming Dynasty are not found in the Ming Annals. Despite the existence of many other historical materials about the Ming Dynasty besides the Ming Annals and the Ming History Draft, the History of the Ming Dynasty is a well-organized book that is easier to consult. As long as we use Marxist viewpoints to analyze it specifically, it can still help us understand the history of the Ming Dynasty.
The punctuation and division of sections are based on the original publication of 1739 (the fourth year of Qianlong's reign) from the Wuying Palace. The collation primarily used the Ming Annals and the Ming History Draft, while also referencing the Ming Imperial Statutes, Universal Gazetteer, Unified Gazetteer of the Ming Dynasty, Collected Works on Governance of the Ming Dynasty, National Annals, Chronicle of the Pacification of Bandits, and Memoirs of the Persecution of the Ming by the Ming's Last Emperor.
The collation of this book was completed by Comrade Zheng Tianding and the of Nankai University, with the preliminary draft reviewed and finalized by Comrades Bai Shouru, Wang Yuquan, and Zhou Zhenfu, and edited and organized by Comrade Wei Lianke. Errors and shortcomings in the collation are hoped to be pointed out by the readers.