Old History of the Five Dynasties

薛居正Qunyan Publishing House · ChinaJun 2024

4.2

Word count: 819K words
Chapters: 44

Summary

The Old History of the Five Dynasties, originally titled History of the Five Dynasties and also known as the Book of Liang, Tang, Jin, Han, and Zhou, is an official history compiled by imperial order of Emperor Taizu of Song. Xue Juzheng supervised the compilation, with Lu Duoxun, Hu Meng, Zhang Dan, Liu Jian, Li Mu, Li Jiuling, and others contributing. The historical sources available to the work were quite complete, as each of the Five Dynasties had its own veritable records. From 907, when Zhu Wen usurped the Tang throne and proclaimed himself emperor, to 960, when the Northern Song dynasty was founded, the Central Plains saw in succession the Five Dynasties of Later Liang, Later Tang, Later Jin, Later Han, and Later Zhou, while outside the Central Plains there existed ten small states—Wu, Southern Tang, Wuyue, Chu, Min, Southern Han, Former Shu, Later Shu, Nanping, and Northern Han. In the surrounding regions there were also regimes established by such peoples as the Khitan, Tubo, Bohai, Tangut, Nanzhao, Khotan, and Eastern Dan, conventionally referred to as the period of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. The Old History of the Five Dynasties records this period of history.

Editor's review

The Old History of the Five Dynasties is an official history of the Five Dynasties commissioned by Emperor Taizu of Song, supervised by Xue Juzheng and jointly compiled by Lu Duoxun, Hu Meng, and others. Its historical sources are mainly the veritable records of the Five Dynasties, and it records the history from 907, when Zhu Wen usurped the Tang and proclaimed himself emperor, to 960, when the Northern Song was founded, covering the succession of the five dynasties in the Central Plains and the coexistence of the Ten Kingdoms. As an official history completed early, it preserves a large amount of original veritable-record content and has irreplaceable source value for understanding the regime changes, institutional evolution, and activities of figures in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. The 2024 Qunyan Press edition is a modern collated edition, convenient for contemporary readers. When reading, it can serve both as an introductory general history of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms and as reference material for studying the politics and military affairs of the period. As a classical Chinese historical work narrated mainly in the annals-biography style, it requires some foundation in classical Chinese; slow reading with annotations and reference tools is recommended. Overall, it is an official history work combining source value with a reading threshold, suitable for readers with a strong interest in the history from the late Tang to the early Song.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with a strong interest in late Tang to early Song history who want a systematic understanding of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
Students and researchers in history or ancient Chinese history who need to consult official historical sources
Readers with some classical Chinese reading ability who prefer primary official histories
General history enthusiasts who like tracing the rise and fall of regimes through dynastic succession

Not a good fit for

Beginners with weak classical Chinese who want easy reading of vernacular stories
Readers who only want entertaining historical anecdotes and lack patience for annals-biography official histories
Complete beginners unfamiliar with the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms background who have done no preparation

Reading tips

Read the table of contents and the basic annals of each of the Five Dynasties first to build a timeline of regime changes, then select biographies of interest.
Read alongside a chronology of major events or a concise general history of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, checking unfamiliar place names and official titles as needed.
For classical Chinese passages, grasp the general meaning first rather than clinging to every character; return for close reading after accumulating common historiographical expressions.
After finishing each dynasty's basic annals, summarize the key points of its rise and fall in a few sentences to aid memory and organize the threads.

About the publisher

Qunyan Publishing House China · Founded in 1989

Founded in 1989, Qunyan Publishing House has long been committed to publishing academic and educational books for mid- and high-level readers, and has built up a certain presence in Eastern philosophy, classical literature, and classic works. Representative titles available in the database include Records of the Grand Historian, Dream of the Red Chamber, Selections of Refined Literature, Complete Song Ci, Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, Record of Daily Knowledge, Taiping Huimin Hejiju Fang, and The Collected Works of Wang Yangming, covering common categories such as ancient poetry, medicine, and examinations. Its author resources include Sima Qian, Cao Xueqin, Xiao Tong, Li Shan, Pu Songling, and Gu Yanwu. The press also offers distinctive series such as the Biographical Series of the China Democratic League and the Historical Documents Series of the China Democratic League, and publishes research on historical documents, biographies, memoirs, and textbooks and academic works by League members. Public information is limited, and its overall publishing scale and complete catalogue require further verification.

版权信息
序
◎后妃
◎宗室
◎后妃
◎宗室
◎宗室
◎后妃
◎宗室
◎后妃
◎宗室
◎后妃
◎宗室
◎天文志
◎月晕
◎彗孛
◎五星凌犯
◎星昼见
◎流星
◎云气
◎历志
◎岁星
◎荧惑
◎镇星
◎太白
◎辰星
◎五行志
◎礼志上
◎礼志下
◎乐志上
◎乐志下
◎食货志
◎刑法志
◎选举志
◎职官志
◎郡县志（案：《郡县志序》，原本阙佚。）
◎关内道
◎河北道
◎剑南道
◎江南道
◎淮南道
◎山南道
◎陇右道
◎编定凡例

FAQ

What is the difference between The Old History of the Five Dynasties and The New History of the Five Dynasties?

The Old History was officially compiled in the early Song under Xue Juzheng's supervision, largely based on the veritable records of the Five Dynasties; it was completed early and its sources are original. The New History was privately compiled by Ouyang Xiu, with concise prose and clear praise and blame, but with much deletion. The two can be read together: the former emphasizes sources, the latter emphasizes principles of judgment.

Can I read this book without a classical Chinese foundation?

It will be rather difficult. This is a classical Chinese annals-biography history; despite modern collation, it still requires some classical Chinese foundation. It is suggested to first read a vernacular general history of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms as a foundation, then attempt the original with annotations and reference tools, starting with the basic annals.

Which regimes does this book mainly record?

It records the succession of the five dynasties in the Central Plains—Later Liang, Later Tang, Later Jin, Later Han, and Later Zhou—and also covers the Ten Kingdoms of Wu, Southern Tang, Wuyue, Chu, Min, Southern Han, Former Shu, Later Shu, Nanping, and Northern Han, as well as neighboring regimes such as the Khitan and Tibetan, that is, the period commonly called the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms.

What background knowledge should I have before reading this book?

It is best to first understand the situation after the late Tang military-governor separatism and the Huang Chao Rebellion, know the origin of Zhu Wen's usurpation of the Tang, and have a rough idea of the list of regimes and their geographic distribution in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, so as not to get lost when reading the basic annals and biographies.

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About the author

薛居正 Author

Xue Juzheng: little is known about his life, including his dates and native place, since the available materials are limited; this introduction therefore focuses on his works. Three titles are attributed to him, commonly classified under Eastern philosophy. Among them, the Old History of the Five Dynasties is a biographical-style history covering the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms; it is orderly in narrative and broad in its sources, and remains an important reference for the politics and institutions of that period. The Study of Power and Advantage is a discursive work on circumstances and how to respond to them, placed under Eastern philosophy, showing that his writings span both historiography and reflection. His style is plain and factual, relying on the arrangement of sources and clear judgment, and has had some influence on later study of Five Dynasties history and on the transmission of traditional strategic thought. Owing to limited materials, details of his life and intellectual lineage cannot be given here.