Essential Histories (10 Volumes)

Author: Ma Chao (Qing Dynasty) wrote, Wang Liqi edited
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-01-01
Features: The Yi Shi (Comprehensive History) consists of 160 volumes. The main text is divided into five parts: Ancient Times, Three Dynasties, Spring and Autumn, Warring States, and Extraneous Records.
1. Ancient Times (Three Emperors and Five Kings), totaling 10 volumes.
2. Three Dynasties (Xia, Shang, and Western Zhou), totaling 20 volumes.
3. Spring and Autumn (the 12 rulers), totaling 70 volumes.
4. Warring States to the fall of Qin, totaling 50 volumes.
5. Extraneous Records, covering celestial observations, geographical records, names of things, institutions, etc., totaling 10 volumes.
At the end of the book, genealogical charts are included to complement the main text, a pioneering feature in previous historical works, described as "distinctly innovative and forming its own unique style." The Yi Shi not only meticulously records the rise and fall of each dynasty and their patterns but also extensively details the doctrines of the Hundred Schools of Thought and their institutional aspects, reflecting various aspects of social life at the time. In terms of sources, in addition to Confucian classics, it widely incorporates the theories of the Hundred Schools, treating the classics, history, philosophy, and literature equally, providing mutual corroboration. The textual research is highly precise, and the included materials are remarkably comprehensive. In terms of style, it combines the features of annalistic and biographical histories, blending the strengths of both. It created a comprehensive historical genre that integrates biographies, events, charts, and tables into a single book.