Wen Bai Contrast Zizhi Tongjian Essence (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: (Song) Sima Guang
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-01-01
Features: The compilation of Zizhi Tongjian lasted for 19 years. From the initial planning to the final completion, Sima Guang personally supervised every step. He employed Liu Ben, Liu Shu, Fan Zuyu, and others as assistants, each contributing their strengths to collect, organize historical materials, arrange them into topical indexes, and compile preliminary drafts. Later, Sima Guang edited and refined the work, bringing it to completion. He worked day and night, dedicating almost all his energy and heart to Zizhi Tongjian. Two years after the book was completed, Sima Guang passed away. Zizhi Tongjian is a monumental historical work. It consists of 294 volumes and over 3 million words, covering history from the Eastern Zhou Dynasty to the Five Dynasties period, encompassing over 1,300 years. Its sources include not only the "Seventeen Histories" but also hundreds of other types of historical records, biographies, collected essays, genealogies, etc., making its content rich and comprehensive. The book traces the rise and fall of dynasties, records historical events while commenting on the virtues and vices of rulers and officials, evaluates the successes and failures of military and state policies, and summarizes the reasons for dynastic changes and lessons learned, all in the hope of providing a mirror for rulers. The book strictly follows the chronological order of years, months, and days, with a rigorous structure and clear organization, making it one of the most perfect chronological historical works in ancient China. This selected edition is compiled from important excerpts of the vast Zizhi Tongjian, containing about one-third of the original text and condensing its essence. To preserve the original form and features, the original volume numbering and chronological arrangement have been retained.