Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

Name: Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
ISBN: 9787520522625

Li NanChina Culture and History Press · ChinaSep 2024

3.1

Word count: 219K words
Chapters: 23
ISBN: 9787520522625

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Summary

This book recounts Chinese history over the 54 years from Zhu Wen's founding of the Later Liang in 907 to Zhao Kuangyin's Chenqiao Mutiny and founding of the Northern Song in 960. The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms was a transitional era in Chinese history between the Tang and Song—"in this time, the realm was in great chaos, and China's calamities followed one upon another in usurpation and murder." Dynasties and rulers alternated in succession, much like the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, too many to take in at once. The wise and valiant Later Tang rulers Li Keyong and Li Cunxu, father and son; the Later Liang emperor Zhu Wen, more cunning than Cao Cao; and the Southern Tang ruler Li Yu, who neglected state affairs and, skilled in ci poetry, lost his kingdom—all left deep impressions on later generations.

Editor's review

The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms is often seen as a transitional age of chaos between the Tang and Song, but this book reminds readers that these fifty-four years were precisely key to understanding China's return from division to unity. Using dynastic change and portraits of rulers as its threads, the author sets out clearly the rise and fall of the Later Liang, Later Tang, Later Jin, Later Han, Later Zhou, and the Ten Kingdoms regimes; Zhu Wen's machinations, the valor of Li Keyong and his son, and Li Yu's ci poetry and lost kingdom all let figures and institutions illuminate each other. The narrative is tightly paced, suitable as an introductory reading in dynastic history and also for readers who have already read general histories and want to fill in this gap. As you read, grasp two lines: first, the military and usurpation logic of the Central Plains dynasties; second, the finance, culture, and local governance of the southern states. Only by comparing the two can you see the continuity within the chaos.

Who it's for

A good fit for

History beginners who want to quickly build an overall framework of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
Readers who have read general histories of the Tang and Song and wish to fill in the intervening dynastic gap
Readers interested in figures such as Li Keyong, Li Cunxu, Zhu Wen, and Li Yu
Primary and secondary school history teachers and writers who need material on dynastic history

Not a good fit for

Academic researchers expecting in-depth specialized analysis of institutional or economic history
Readers who prefer detailed single-figure biographies and dislike macro-narratives
Younger readers sensitive to accounts of regime change and warfare

Reading tips

First read the table of contents to sort out the correspondence between the Five Dynasties and the Ten Kingdoms regimes, then read chapter by chapter.
Keep a simple table recording each dynasty's founder, capital, cause of fall, and successor.
When reading figure chapters, distinguish historical records from the author's commentary and maintain independent judgment.
After finishing, recount on one page the line of succession from the Later Liang to the Northern Song to test your grasp.

About the publisher

China Culture and History Press China · Founded in 1980

China Culture and History Press has long devoted itself to modern and contemporary literature and culture-and-history reading matter, with publishing directions centered on classic works, social novels, prose and miscellaneous writings, and Eastern philosophy, alongside culture-and-history periodicals such as Zongheng. Among the more than 1,500 titles in the collection, representative books include Zhang Henshui's Ti Xiao Yin Yuan, Lu Xun's Complete Classic Works (10 volumes) and Wild Grass, and Lao She's Four Generations Under One Roof series and the boxed set of Lao She's Classic Works (10 volumes), while its author resources are concentrated on figures such as Zhang Henshui, Lu Xun, Lao She and Sima Qian. Its publishing character lies in solid editorial work on culture-and-history source texts and in issuing famous authors' works in sets, balancing the readability of individual texts with the systematic presentation of complete collections for focused reading and collecting. Beyond these directions, public information on the press's contemporary original publishing is limited, so it is not elaborated here.

版权信息
前言
第一编乱世风云
第一章乱世溯源
第二章政治经济
第三章科技文化
第二编五代风云
第一章后梁风云
第二章后唐风云
第三章后晋风云
第四章后汉风云
第五章后周风云
第三编十国风云
第一章前蜀风云
第二章后蜀风云
第三章南吴风云
第四章南唐风云
第五章南楚风云
第六章南汉风云
第七章南平风云
第八章闽国风云
第九章吴越风云
第十章北汉风云

FAQ

What time range does this book cover?

According to the introduction, this book recounts Chinese history over the 54 years from Zhu Wen's founding of the Later Liang in 907 to Zhao Kuangyin's Chenqiao Mutiny and founding of the Northern Song in 960, a dynastic narrative set between the Tang and Song.

Can I read it directly without any foundation in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms?

Yes. The book takes dynastic change and portraits of rulers as its main narrative line and is suitable as an introductory reading in this dynastic history; if you first understand the broader background of late Tang military governors and the Huang Chao uprising, reading will be smoother.

Which figures does the book focus on?

According to the introduction, the book covers the Later Tang's Li Keyong and Li Cunxu, father and son; the Later Liang's Zhu Wen; and the Southern Tang ruler Li Yu, who neglected state affairs and, skilled in ci poetry, lost his kingdom—using figures to present the machinations and rise and fall of a chaotic age.

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About the author

Li Nan Author · Chinese

Li Nan graduated from the Department of Chinese at Anhui Normal University in 1998 and has long worked in book editing, planning, and writing. He has taken part in compiling large reference series such as the Encyclopedia of Chinese History, the Encyclopedia of World History, and the Encyclopedia of Chinese Calligraphy, and is the author of popular works including A Complete Guide to the Poetry of Dream of the Red Chamber, A Complete Guide to the Classic of Filial Piety, and the "Dynastic Storms" series, amounting to over a hundred titles spanning history, literature, economics, management, and social sciences. The library holds 78 of his works, covering categories from history and culture to military affairs, finance, politics, and medicine. These range from traditional文史 compilations such as Pre-Qin History (classical-modern bilingual edition) and Zengguang Xianwen to discussions of contemporary issues like The Global Layout of Made in China, as well as specialized works such as War Stories 032 and Research and Application of Aconite. His writing emphasizes clear organization of knowledge and readability for general readers; the breadth and volume of his output make his books accessible introductions to their respective fields. Due to limited public information, details such as his birth and death years remain unknown.