Old Book of Tang (Full 16 Volumes)

Author: Liu Xun
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2002-12-01
Features: The Old Book of Tang was officially compiled during the Later Jin Dynasty of the Five Dynasties, making it the earliest systematic historical record of the Tang Dynasty. Originally titled The Book of Tang, it was later renamed the Old Book of Tang to distinguish it from the New Book of Tang compiled by Ouyang Xiu and Song Qi of the Northern Song Dynasty. The book is divided into three parts: Annals, Treatises, and Biographies, totaling 200 volumes. The authors of the Old Book of Tang were close to the Tang Dynasty and had access to a large amount of Tang-era historical materials, especially those from the early Tang period. Notable contributions include the 130-volume Book of Tang compiled successively by Wu Jing, Wei Shu, Yu Xiulie, and Linghu Qian, which provides a relatively complete account of historical events from the early Tang to the reign of Emperor Daizong. Additionally, there are official records from the reigns of Emperor Gaozu to Emperor Wenzong of the Tang Dynasty. However, historical materials from the later Tang period are scarce, with only one volume of the official record of Emperor Wuzong and other fragmented sources. The Old Book of Tang was compiled relatively quickly, largely by copying and compiling Tang-era historical materials. The book frequently uses terms like "the current emperor" and "our" (me), which are retained from the old official histories or records of the Tang Dynasty. "The current emperor" refers to the emperor during the time of the Tang historians' writing, while "our" refers to the Tang Dynasty. The term "min" (), often found in the commentaries, was also the self-designation of Tang historians. In terms of material acquisition and editing, completeness of style, and clarity of language, the later parts of the Old Book of Tang are inferior. The Annals after Emperor Muzong are verbose and redundant; the Treatises and Bibliography only cover the era of Emperor Xuanzong; the Biographies have significant omissions regarding figures from the late Tang period; and phenomena such as duplicate entries for the same person and repeated articles also exist. These indicate that the Old Book of Tang is relatively rough. However, the Old Book of Tang provides detailed accounts of historical events and preserves a wealth of historical materials, making it valuable for readers to understand the processes and specifics of historical events. It has thus been highly regarded by later generations. Although the Annals after Emperor Muzong are criticized for their verbosity, they still preserve many valuable historical materials. For example, the uprisings of Pang Xun and Huang Chao are recorded in detail in the Annals of Emperor Yizong and Emperor Xizong, which are particularly valuable since the Biographies contain only brief or no entries for Pang Xun and Huang Chao. The Annals of Emperors Zhaozong and Aidi provide detailed accounts of the arrogance and tyranny of certain warlords and eunuchs, reflecting specific scenes during the collapse of the Tang Dynasty. The part of the Zizhi Tongjian by Sima Guang covering the Tang Dynasty largely adopts the Old Book of Tang because of its detailed and clear accounts. The Old Book of Tang also includes many articles of great historical value. For instance, the Biographies of Lü Cai and Lu Zangyu feature important essays on their opposition to superstition. The Biography of Jia Gan includes two memorials he submitted for the compilation of geographical maps. These are significant documents in the history of Chinese thought and geography. Additionally, in the Biographies of Fu Yi, Di Renjie, and Yao Chong, articles opposing Buddhism are included, which reveal the major impacts of Buddhism's prevalence on politics, economy, and society during the Tang Dynasty, as well as the struggles of secular landlords against Buddhism. Some of these articles are among the earliest preserved in the Old Book of Tang. The New Book of Tang, which appeared after the Old Book of Tang, though it supplements historical materials, especially in the Treatises, Tables, and Biographies of the later Tang period, often simplifies its narrative and accounts, making it difficult for readers to understand specific situations. It deletes or compresses many articles from the Old Book of Tang into brief fragments, even rewriting them in prose to alter the original form of historical documents. In comparison, the Old Book of Tang holds an irreplaceable value in preserving historical materials that the New Book of Tang cannot match.