Zizhi Tongjian (with Annotations) Volume 1 and Volume 2

Author: Sima Guang [Northern Song Dynasty]
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1998-02-11
Features: In Chinese feudal society, the chronological Zizhi Tongjian was one of the finest historical works after Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian. The entire work comprises 294 volumes and approximately over three million words. It begins with King Weilie of Zhou in the 23rd year (403 BC) and ends with the 6th year of Dezong of Later Zhou (959 AD), recording the complex history of 1,362 years from the Warring States period to the late Five Dynasties. Since its publication, it has been highly regarded and called "a book that is indispensable in heaven and earth, and a work that scholars must not fail to read" (as quoted by Wang Mousheng). With its outstanding historical achievements, it has established a monumental milestone in the history of Chinese historiography and is one of the precious historical legacies of the Chinese nation. The appendices include Memorial on the Submission of the Zhizhi Table, Preface Table on the Grant of Zizhi Tongjian, letters between Sima Guang, Liu Shu, and Fan Zuyu, and Examples of Zizhi Tongjian Interpretation (36 examples). Among them, the newly discovered letter On Discussing the Revision of the Book with Fan Mengde and the Examples of Zizhi Tongjian Interpretation (36 examples) were found in the preface of the Yuan Dynasty Zhang family's Huiming Pavilion edition of Zizhi Nengjian with Added Annotations and Phonetic Marks by Sima Wen Gong, which had been lost for hundreds of years and is now extremely valuable. The former reveals unprecedented historical facts that the Zizhi Tongjian bureau once faced the crisis of being "abolished" during the Xining Reforms, as well as Sima Guang's persistent and resilient spirit and attitude in enduring criticism and pressure while writing the book. The latter is a collection of drafts by Sima Guang's grandson, Sima Ju, organized and classified. These historical principles are of great reference value for studying the Zizhi Tongjian, not only helping to understand Sima Guang's writing philosophy but also playing an indispensable role in clarifying certain errors in previous Zizhi Tongjian research (especially in chronology). These are all important materials for the study of Zizhi Tongjian, hence they are appended at the end of the book.