Zizhi Tongjian Stories

Author: Shi Yanbo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-08-01
Features: Zizhi Tongjian is a comprehensive chronological history compiled by the famous Northern Song Dynasty statesman and historian Sima Guang. It took 19 years to complete. Sima Guang summarized the lessons of historical rise and fall, hoping that Emperor Shenzong of Song could take history as a mirror. Emperor Shenzong, after reviewing it, believed that the book provided valuable insights into past events and served as a guide for governance, thus naming it Zizhi Tongjian. Zizhi Tongjian consists of 294 volumes, covering a history of 1,362 years from the 23rd year of King Weilie of the Zhou Dynasty in the Warring States period to the 6th year of Xingde in the Later Zhou Dynasty. Its content primarily focuses on political and military history, supplemented by social economy, intellectual culture, and important historical figures. Although the compilation process involved the assistance of others, Sima Guang's meticulous editing ensured that the entire book had a consistent style, with elegant prose and vivid narratives, possessing significant historical and literary value. To help a broader readership better understand and read the classic historical work Zizhi Tongjian, we have adapted its key sections into several stories in plain and accessible language. This is the Zizhi Tongjian Stories that you see today.