Zhenguan Zhengyao -- Basic Series of National Studies

Author: Wu Jing of the Tang Dynasty
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-09-01
Features: The Zhenguan Zhengyao was compiled through "recording events as they occurred," consisting of 10 volumes and 40 chapters, approximately 80,000 words. It is organized by topics such as the ruler's way, governance, appointing the worthy, accepting advice, and the ruler-minister mirror. It excerpts the political discourses and memorial essays of 45 individuals, including Emperor Taizong Li Shimin and ministers such as Wei Zheng, Wang Gui, Fang Xianling, and Du Ruhi, during the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty. The main content includes governance policies, selecting and appointing talent, streamlining institutions, clarifying the legal system, promoting Confucianism, and commenting on historical successes and failures. At the same time, it emphasizes the ruler's self-cultivation, such as respecting the worthy and accepting advice, being humble and cautious, and preventing extravagance and laziness. The Zhenguan Zhengyao is presented in the form of dialogues between rulers and ministers, categorizing and arranging the main "policies and strategies" of the Zhenguan era along with their formulation processes, with a focus on appointing the worthy and accepting advice. It is concise, precise, and thought-provoking.