Zizhi Tongjian (Complete 10 Volumes) (Premium)

Author: Sima Guang (Song Dynasty)
Translator: Hu Shengzong (Yuan Dynasty)
Notes:
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1956-06-01
Features: Zizhi Tongjian is a comprehensive chronological history of China. Zizhi Tongjian is an unprecedented monumental chronological history compiled by the renowned ancient Chinese historian Sima Guang and his assistants Liu Shu, Fan Zuyu, and Sima Kang, among others. The historical scope of Zizhi Tongjian spans from the 23rd year of King Weili of Zhou (403 BC) to the 6th year of Xiangde in the Later Zhou Dynasty (959 AD). Zizhi Tongjian is a comprehensive chronological history of China, and in the history of historiography, its acclaim, apart from Shiji, is unmatched by almost any other historical work. Zizhi Tongjian is not only a great work of history but also a great work of literature. In this monumental work, the author employs keen observation and ingenious artistic techniques to vividly depict the grand and tumultuous social life and successfully create numerous lifelike historical figures. Over the course of a millennium, the academic and social value of Zizhi Tongjian has been increasingly recognized by more and more people. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, especially since the Reform and Opening-Up, numerous editions of Zizhi Tongjian have emerged, but those of high quality are rare, often described as "rare and precious." However, a significant portion of these versions are carelessly produced, either fragmented or arbitrarily annotated, misleading readers. Zizhi Tongjian is a collective work of history, with Sima Guang as the chief editor and Liu Shu, Liu Ban, and Fan Zuyu as co-editors. Sima Guang's son, Sima Kang, was responsible for reviewing the text. Originally, Sima Guang intended to name the work Tongzhi, but after Emperor Shenzong ascended the throne, he renamed it Zizhi Tongjian, meaning "to learn from the past for the governance of the present." The historical scope of Zizhi Tongjian spans from the 23rd year of King Weili of Zhou (400 BC) to the 6th year of Xiangde in the Later Zhou Dynasty (959 AD), covering 1,362 years of history, divided into 294 volumes with over 3 million words in total; in addition, there are 30 volumes of the Index and 30 volumes of the Discussions on Discrepancies. It took 19 years to compile this monumental work. Sima Guang compiled Zizhi Tongjian to consolidate the feudal regime of his time, which determined that the content of the book was primarily political history. He classified historical rulers into five categories based on their abilities: founders, successors, decline, revivals, and destroyers. Zizhi Tongjian exposes and condemns certain historical events to serve as a warning for future rulers. Zizhi Tongjian also contains many valuable historical records on military, economic, cultural, academic thought, and historiography. The materials collected in Zizhi Tongjian are extremely rich; it is estimated that the book cites over 300 sources. Zizhi Tongjian is a highly important chronological history of China, not only providing governance experience for the feudal ruling class but also holding significant historical value. The entire work is meticulously structured, with clear connections between sections, and the language is concise. These aspects have had a profound influence on later historiography.