Chronological Table of Major Events in Chinese History. Modern Volume

Author: Shen Weibin, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1999-02-01
Features: This book is the modern volume of China's Historical Annals. It begins in January 1840, connecting with the ancient volume, and ends in May 1919, dividing with the modern volume just before the outbreak of the May Fourth Movement. The period covers approximately eight decades.
Preface:
1. China's Historical Annals is divided into three volumes: ancient, modern, and contemporary. This volume is the modern one. The records start from January 1840 (the eleventh month of the 19th year of the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty) and end in May 1919 (the eighth year of the Republic of China).
2. The chronology primarily uses the Gregorian calendar. During the Qing Dynasty, the reign year, month, and day are also included. The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom period has its own calendar and dates. The Republic of China only includes the Republic calendar.
3. The format is primarily a daily log, with days under months and months under years. Events that cannot be precisely dated to a day are recorded under the month; events that cannot be precisely dated to a month are recorded under the year.
4. Important historical events are recorded in chronological order, detailing their beginning and end. The birth and death years of important figures are recorded, with brief biographies appended.
5. For historical events and figures with established conclusions, they are recorded as such. For those with differing interpretations, one version is chosen, and necessary explanations are provided in the notes.
6. Western names are appended with their original forms upon first occurrence. If the original form cannot be verified, it is omitted.
7. An index of names is appended at the end for reference. Names are arranged by stroke order in Chinese. Foreign names are arranged by stroke order of their Chinese transliteration.
8. Old place names are supplemented with their modern equivalents where appropriate.