History of Yuan (15 volumes in total)

Author: Song Lian
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-04-01
Features: The History of the Yuan Dynasty is a historical record covering over 160 years of history from the unification of the northern grasslands by Genghis Khan, the founder of the Great Mongol Empire, to the fall of the Yuan Dynasty. In 1206, the outstanding leader of the Mongolian people, the "Supreme Ruler of the World," Genghis Khan, established the Mongol Empire after unifying the various tribes on the Mongolian grasslands. In 1271, Kublai Khan, while embracing the culture of the Central Plains Han Chinese, also accepted the advice of Han Confucian scholars and changed the state's name to Da Yuan (Great Yuan). In 1276, the Yuan Dynasty conquered the Southern Song Dynasty and unified the country. From Genghis Khan to the fall of the Yuan Dynasty, there were a total of 14 emperors, and the dynasty lasted for 162 years. In the later years of the reign of the Yuan Emperor Shunzong, class contradictions and ethnic contradictions intensified, leading to a large-scale peasant uprising across the country. In 1368, Zhu Yuanzhang established the Ming Dynasty, and Ming troops captured Dadu (now Beijing), forcing the Yuan Emperor Shunzong to flee to the northern grasslands, marking the fall of the Yuan Dynasty. When the Ming Dynasty was established, the remnants of the Yuan Dynasty still possessed significant power. The Yuan Emperor Shunzong maintained his rule in the northern grasslands, a period known as the Northern Yuan. The landlord forces participating in suppressing the Hongwen Armyed with the Northern Yuan in resisting the Ming Dynasty in the Shaanxi and Gansu regions. The remnants of the Yuan Dynasty still occupied Northeast China and Yunnan, while the landlord class and intellectuals in the Jiangnan region refused to cooperate with the Ming Dynasty. Zhu Yuanzhang faced the tasks of consolidating his rule and unifying the country. To strengthen his regime, win over the remnants of the Yuan Dynasty, and recruit and pacify separatist forces, Zhu Yuanzhang used the compilation of The History of the Yuan Dynasty to demonstrate the legitimacy of his establishment of the Ming Dynasty. The completion of The History of the Yuan Dynasty signified the end of an era, thereby dispelling the ambitions of the Yuan remnants to restore their rule. The Ming Dynasty's urgent compilation of The History of the Yuan Dynasty at the beginning of its founding was driven by profound political motives. At the same time, the Ming Dynasty compiled The History of the Yuan Dynasty to summarize and learn from the historical lessons of the Yuan Dynasty's fall, providing a reference for the long-term stability and peace of the Ming Dynasty. In the twelfth month of the first year of the Hongwu era (1368), Zhu Yuanzhang issued an edict to compile The History of the Yuan Dynasty, appointing Li Shanchang, the left minister of the Secretariat, as the chief supervisor, and Song Lian and Wang Yi as chief editors, forming a team of 16 compilers. The next year, in the second month, the compilation officially began, and by the eighth month, the sections covering the reign of the Yuan Emperor Shunzong until the first year of the Yuanthong era were completed. Subsequently, messengers were sent to various regions to collect historical materials. When the Ming Dynasty compiled The History of the Yuan Dynasty, the Veritable Records and Biographies of Empresses and Meritorious Officials of the various emperors of the Yuan Dynasty served as important sources for the Annals and Biographies of The History of the Yuan Dynasty. The Treatises and Tables of The History of the Yuan Dynasty were primarily based on The Grand Canon of Governance compiled by the Yuan Dynasty. The entire work consists of 210 volumes, including 47 volumes of Annals, 58 volumes of Treatises, 8 volumes of Tables, and 97 volumes of Biographies. Annals: Following the Annals of the Han and Tang dynasties, both facts and words are recorded, incorporating the principles of the Book of Documents and the Spring and Autumn Annals. By the Annals of the Tang Dynasty, the style of writing was rigorous, fully imitating the Spring and Autumn Annals. For the compilation of The History of the Yuan Dynasty, the Annals followed the Han Dynasty's historical records. Treatises: Following the Treatises of historical records throughout the dynasties, the methods varied. By the Treatises of the Tang Dynasty, the entire text was organized around facts, and scholars found it daunting during the examination process. Only the Treatises of the recent History of the Song Dynasty were itemized, making them easier to read. For the compilation of The History of the Yuan Dynasty, the Treatises followed the History of the Song Dynasty. Tables: The Tables of the Han and Tang historical records were detailed, while the Records of the Three Kingdoms and the Records of the Five Dynasties did not include them. Only the Tables of the Liao and Jin historical records were created based on available information, without regard for detail. For the compilation of The History of the Yuan Dynasty, the Tables followed the Liao and Jin historical records. Biographies: According to the categories of historical biographies, empresses were listed first out of respect; followed by imperial princes of the imperial clan out of kinship; then by officials of the dynasty, summarizing both virtue and vice; followed by rebels, representing the outcome of success and failure; and finally, the four barbarians, symbolizing the reach of the imperial culture. However, the categories of officials' biographies varied across different dynasties. For the compilation of The History of the Yuan Dynasty, the Biographies followed the historical records of previous dynasties while incorporating adjustments. The History of the Yuan Dynasty is a historical record covering over 160 years of history from the unification of the northern grasslands by Genghis Khan, the founder of the Great Mongol Empire, to the fall of the Yuan Dynasty. In 1206, the outstanding leader of the Mongolian people, the "Supreme Ruler of the World," Genghis Khan, established the Mongol Empire after unifying the various tribes on the Mongolian grasslands. In 1271, Kublai Khan, while embracing the culture of the Central Plains Han Chinese, also accepted the advice of Han Confucian scholars and changed the state's name to Da Yuan (Great Yuan). In 1276, the Yuan Dynasty conquered the Southern Song Dynasty and unified the country. From Genghis Khan to the fall of the Yuan Dynasty, there were a total of 14 emperors, and the dynasty lasted for 162 years. In the later years of the reign of the Yuan Emperor Shunzong, class contradictions and ethnic contradictions intensified, leading to a large-scale peasant uprising across the country. In 1368, Zhu Yuanzhang established the Ming Dynasty, and Ming troops captured Dadu (now Beijing), forcing the Yuan Emperor Shunzong to flee to the northern grasslands, marking the fall of the Yuan Dynasty. When the Ming Dynasty was established, the remnants of the Yuan Dynasty still possessed significant power. The Yuan Emperor Shunzong maintained his rule in the northern grasslands, a period known as the Northern Yuan. The landlord forces participating in suppressing the Hongwen Armyed with the Northern Yuan in resisting the Ming Dynasty in the Shaanxi and Gansu regions. The remnants of the Yuan Dynasty still occupied Northeast China and Yunnan, while the landlord class and intellectuals in the Jiangnan region refused to cooperate with the Ming Dynasty. Zhu Yuanzhang faced the tasks of consolidating his rule and unifying the country. To strengthen his regime, win over the remnants of the Yuan Dynasty, and recruit and pacify separatist forces, Zhu Yuanzhang used the compilation of The History of the Yuan Dynasty to demonstrate the legitimacy of his establishment of the Ming Dynasty. The completion of The History of the Yuan Dynasty signified the end of an era, thereby dispelling the ambitions of the Yuan remnants to restore their rule. The Ming Dynasty's urgent compilation of The History of the Yuan Dynasty at the beginning of its founding was driven by profound political motives. At the same time, the Ming Dynasty compiled The History of the Yuan Dynasty to summarize and learn from the historical lessons of the Yuan Dynasty's fall, providing a reference for the long-term stability and peace of the Ming Dynasty.