Book of the Later Han (Complete 3 Volumes)

Author: Fan Ye (Song Dynasty)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: The Zhonghua Book Company edition of the annotated Post-Han History, which has been revised and reprinted numerous times since its first publication in May 1965, has become the most widely used authoritative version among scholars and readers. Based on this edition, the Post-Han History (simplified character version) follows the original annotated edition's format, with necessary technical adjustments to convert it into horizontal simplified characters. For the convenience of readers, it retains the traditional character annotations for names, places, and titles. The Post-Han History comprises ninety volumes and was compiled by Fan Ye of the Southern Dynasties period. Fan Ye, styled Wei Zong, was from Shunyang. He came from a prominent aristocratic family. His grandfather, Fan Ning, served as the Governor of Yujiang during the Jin Dynasty and wrote the Commentary on the Guangling School of Confucianism. The Commentary on the Guangling School in the Annotations and Commentaries on the Thirteen Classics was based on this work. His father, Fan Tai, held the title of Jinzi Guangludafu and was also appointed as a Gentleman of the Yellow Robe, serving as a trusted aide to Emperor Wu of the Song Dynasty. He was well-read and dedicated to writing, composing the Selections of Ancient and Modern Wisdom in twenty-four chapters. Thus, Fan Ye had a deep scholarly heritage and considered himself a descendant of a distinguished family. He was known for his aloofness, unconcern for trivial matters, and ambition to excel both in official career and literary pursuits. This fame also led to his downfall. In the ninth year of the Yuangeng era, Fan Ye offended Liu Yikang, the Minister of Justice, during the mourning rites for the Empress Dowager of Pengcheng, resulting in his demotion to the post of Governor of Xuancheng. Feeling stifled, he turned to history writing to express his aspirations and began compiling the Post-Han History. In the twenty-second year of the Yuangeng era, while he had completed the chronicles and biographies and collaborated with Xie Yan on the Treatise on Rites and Music, Treatise on Attire, Treatise on Five Elements, Treatise on Astronomy, and Treatise on Provinces and Commanderies, he was accused of participating in Liu Yikang's plot to usurp the throne and was arrested and executed. Fearing implication, Xie Yan destroyed the manuscript of the treatises, leaving only the chronicles and biographies of the Post-Han History to survive. Before Fan Ye's Post-Han History appeared, there were already no fewer than ten important works on the history of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Fan Ye used the Records of the Eastern Han as his primary source material and drew heavily on Hua Qiao's work, incorporating the strengths of other texts, refining and supplementing details, and ultimately surpassing all existing works. By the Tang Dynasty, Fan Ye's Post-Han History replaced the Records of the Eastern Han and became one of the "Three Histories" alongside the Records of the Grand Historian and the Han Dynasty Records, gaining widespread popularity. All other editions of the Post-Han History, except Yuan Hong's Annals of the Later Han, were eventually lost. As a result, Fan Ye's Post-Han History became the fundamental basis for our study of the Eastern Han Dynasty. The Post-Han History records events from Liu Xiu's uprising against Wang Mang to the abdication of Emperor Xian of Han to Cao Pi, providing a detailed account of the 195-year history of the Eastern Han Dynasty.