Colloquial Twenty-Four Histories (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Feng Guochao, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-02-01
Features: History records the entire process of the birth and development of a nation and ethnic group, encompassing its spiritual wealth and wisdom, and revealing the objective laws of its rise and fall. As Mr. Lu Xun once said, "History writes the soul of China and points to the future of the nation." The study and research of history not only involve the evaluation of the merits and demerits of historical figures and political factions but also concern the rise and fall of a nation. Learning, researching, and compiling history hold significant practical meaning for ethnic groups, nations, and individuals.
Among the spiritual treasures left to us by our ancestors, historical classics are vast as the sea, and the "Twenty-Four Histories" shine like pearls in the vast ocean. As the mainstay of Chinese historiography, the "Twenty-Four Histories" is the only complete official collection of historical works in China, compiled and authorized by emperors after the Qianlong reign. Using a unified biographical and chronological style, it comprehensively and systematically records the historical process of China from ancient times to the Ming Chongzhen era, fully displaying the rise and fall of successive dynasties, and covering various aspects of each historical period, including economy, politics, science and technology, military affairs, art, and foreign relations. It is undeniably an encyclopedia of Chinese civilization.
To allow this monumental historical work to shine anew in the new century, the national-level publishing institution Guangming Daily Press has organized experts and scholars to comprehensively organize the "Twenty-Four Histories" according to a new scientific system, selecting its finest parts and accurately translating the classical language into modern Chinese. This enables readers to cross the deep and lengthy literary gap and enjoy the joy of reading effortlessly. Moreover, we have broken away from the rigid and monotonous layout-focused model of the past, accompanying it with nearly four thousand exquisite illustrations. Using artifacts, paintings, and historical sites as multi-angle visual elements, we transport readers into the real historical scenes, allowing them to truly experience the holographic, three-dimensional, and concrete evolution of Chinese civilization. Through this, they can savor the profound and vast Chinese culture and the mysterious wisdom of life. The Guangming edition of "Essentials of the Twenty-Four Histories in Plain Language" strives to present readers with a classic version of the "Twenty-Four Histories" that integrates history, literature, and aesthetics.