Mirror of Chinese Wild History

Author: Qi Renhe
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1998-02-01
Features: When it comes to the history of ancient China, people often think of the monumental works such as the Records of the Grand Historian, the Mirror for Governing Heavens, and the Twenty-Four Histories, which were compiled under the auspices of rulers. However, these official histories have at least two shortcomings: First, they primarily record the destinies of emperors, the rise and fall of dynasties, and other major political events, while giving scant attention to customs, folk life, and other aspects of the common people. Second, the records in official histories are often embellished or distorted for various reasons, and the accounts are often unreliable. Especially regarding the personalities and psychological profiles of emperors, generals, and ministers; the intrigue and treachery within the ruling class; the ugly behind-the-scenes of politics and military affairs; and the vile actions and bloody methods, official histories often "palliate the noble and conceal the virtuous," either glossing over them lightly or avoiding mentioning them altogether. Therefore, to understand and recognize the true nature of history, to grasp the whole picture of history, we must explore documents beyond official histories—i.e., we must collect and study unofficial histories. In fact, unofficial histories from various dynasties are, to some extent, more authentic, comprehensive, vivid, and better reflect the true nature of history. However, the vast sea of history, especially unofficial histories, are scattered among various historical miscellanies, biographical novels, notes, letters, legal cases, and canonical texts. How to sift through the dross and extract the essence, to distinguish truth from falsehood, and to organize them into books is an arduous task. For years, the historical community in China has done a lot of work, but the results have been far from satisfactory. Every descendant of the Yellow River has the right and necessity to know the true history of their nation. Especially at the turn of the century today, to re-examine our history, learn from the past to enlighten the present, and guide future generations, is extremely meaningful. In light of this, we have faced the challenges head-on, assembling a large number of experts and scholars with deep expertise in this field, pouring out their hearts and souls, and spending years to compile this Mirror of Chinese Unofficial Histories. This book has the following characteristics: First, the materials are thorough and the scale is grand. Chronologically, it spans over 5,000 years of Chinese history, from the pre-Qin period to the late Qing dynasty. All the books and materials cited are masterpieces of unofficial histories, many of which have been translated into colloquial Chinese for the first time. Publishing such a large collection of unofficial history compendia is unprecedented in China. Second, the content is comprehensive, and the format is innovative. The book is organized into chapters based on dynasties, with subheadings such as "secrets of the imperial palace," "royal scandals," "tales of empresses and consorts," "biographies of notable figures," "literati and refined affairs," "powerful and chivalrous figures," "famous courtesans and actors," "master craftsmen," and "ancient and modern mysteries," etc., with the recorded content...