History of the Han Dynasty ((Complete twelve volumes))

Author: Ban Gu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-01-01
Features: The Book of Han is a monumental dynastic history in the style of biographies and chronicles. It was compiled by Ban Biao, Ban Gu, Ban Zhao, and Ma Xuyun, showcasing magnificent literary style and accuracy in recording events without bias. It is renowned alongside the Records of the Grand Historian, the History of the Later Han, and the Records of the Three Kingdoms as the "Four Great Histories," highly esteemed by historians. The continuity of Chinese culture over 5,000 years is reflected in the Twenty-Four Histories, with each dynasty's official history following the Book of Han's format, highlighting its significance. Countless allusions and scholarly works originate from it, and without reading the Book of Han, one cannot appreciate its charm. The Book of Han comprises 120 volumes, consisting of 12 treatises on emperors, 8 tables, 10 treatises on various subjects, and 70 biographies. It covers events from Emperor Gaozu of Han to Wang Mang, focusing solely on the Western Han Dynasty, hence its designation as a dynastic history (though some tables and treatises, like the Table of Figures from Antiquity to the Present, include figures from before the Han Dynasty, these are exceptions). The practice of writing dynastic histories began with Ban Gu, and subsequent dynasties adopted the Book of Han's style for their official histories. It encompasses everything from emperors and generals to scholars and hermits, as well as topics ranging from astronomy and food and finance to government officials and counties.