Book of Sui

Wei ZhengJun 2026

Rating 4.5
Word count
870K words
Chapters
86
ISBN
7101005179

Tags

History Books Historical ReappraisalRise and FallPower GameAcademic StudyTurbulent EraTraditional AestheticsSocial Observation

Summary

A chronological-biography history and one of the Twenty-Four "Orthodox Histories." According to the "Treatise on Bibliography" in the Book of Sui, the term "orthodox history" arose because "writers of every age modeled their works on Ban Gu and Sima Qian, regarding them as orthodox histories." The Qing-dynasty Siku Quanshu further stipulated that in the orthodox-history category, "any work not sanctioned by imperial decision shall not be indiscriminately admitted. For the genre of orthodox history is august, its standing comparable to the classics, and without an explicit decree none may presume to add to it"—that is, no work could be listed as orthodox history without imperial approval. Most of the Twenty-Four Orthodox Histories comprise annals, biographies, tables, and treatises, interwoven into a coherent whole; they not only record the general history of each dynasty but also reflect an exceedingly complex yet highly continuous historical process.

Editor's review

Compiled under the direction of Wei Zheng and others, the Book of Sui is the chronological-biography history among the Twenty-Four Histories that systematically records the rise and fall of the Sui dynasty. Its outstanding value lies in the "treatises": the ten treatises are rich in content, covering ritual, officials, geography, bibliography, law and calendrics, and other categories, much of which in fact continues the institutional developments of the Northern and Southern Dynasties and serves as important evidence for studying the origins of Sui-Tang institutions. Its accounts of the Kaihuang era of Emperor Wen and the Daye years of Emperor Yang show both the spirit of unification and the lesson of how hasty governance led to ruin, with a narrative that is concise and well ordered. For readers, this book is both an introductory orthodox history for understanding the Sui dynasty and an institutional bridge reaching back to the Northern and Southern Dynasties and forward to the Tang. In reading, one may combine the annals with the relevant treatises to understand how institutional design influenced the fate of the dynasty.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Not a good fit for

Reading tips

  1. Begin with the annals of Emperor Wen and Emperor Yang to establish the main chronological line, then read selectively the treatises on food and money, officials, and other topics
  2. Extract the portions of the ten treatises relevant to Sui-Tang institutions and read them alongside Tang historical works
  3. When reading the biographies, note the connections between individuals and major policies, and make brief annotations

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 帝纪第一
  3. 帝纪第二
  4. 帝纪第三
  5. 帝纪第四
  6. 帝纪第五
  7. 志第一：礼仪（一）
  8. 志第二：礼仪（二）
  9. 志第三：礼仪（三）
  10. 志第四：礼仪（四）
  11. 志第五：礼仪（五）
  12. 志第六：礼仪（六）
  13. 志第七：礼仪（七）
  14. 志第八：音乐（上）
  15. 志第九：音乐（中）
  16. 志第十：音乐（下）
  17. 志第十一：律历（上）
  18. 志第十二：律历（中）
  19. 志第十三：律历（下）
  20. 志第十四：天文（上）
  21. 志第十五：天文（中）
  22. 志第十六：天文（下）
  23. 志第十七：五行（上）
  24. 志第十八：五行（下）
  25. 志第十九：食货
  26. 志第二十：刑法
  27. 志第二十一：百官（上）
  28. 志第二十二：百官（中）
  29. 志第二十三：百官（下）
  30. 志第二十五：地理（上）
  31. 志第二十五：地理（中）
  32. 志第二十六：地理（下）
  33. 志第二十七：经籍一（经部）
  34. 志第二十八：经籍二（史部）
  35. 志第二十九：经籍三（子部）
  36. 志第三十：经籍四（集部）
  37. 列传第一：后妃
  38. 列传第二
  39. 列传第三
  40. 列传第四
  41. 列传第五
  42. 列传第六
  43. 列传第七
  44. 列传第八
  45. 列传第九
  46. 列传第十
  47. 列传第十一
  48. 列传第十二
  49. 列传第十三
  50. 列传第十四
  51. 列传第十五
  52. 列传第十六
  53. 列传第十七
  54. 列传第十八
  55. 列传第十九
  56. 列传第二十
  57. 列传第二十一
  58. 列传第二十二
  59. 列传第二十三
  60. 列传第二十四
  61. 列传第二十五
  62. 列传第二十六
  63. 列传第二十七
  64. 列传第二十八
  65. 列传第二十九
  66. 列传第三十
  67. 列传第三十一
  68. 列传第三十二
  69. 列传第三十三
  70. 列传第三十四
  71. 列传第三十五
  72. 列传第三十六：诚节
  73. 列传第三十七：孝义
  74. 列传第三十八：循吏
  75. 列传第三十九：酷吏
  76. 列传第四十：儒林
  77. 列传卷第四十一：文学
  78. 列传卷第四十二：隐逸
  79. 列传第四十三：艺术
  80. 列传第四十四：外戚
  81. 列传第四十五：列女
  82. 列传卷第四十六：东夷
  83. 列传卷第四十七：南蛮
  84. 列传第四十八：西域
  85. 列传第四十九：北狄
  86. 列传第五十

FAQ

Why are the treatises of the Book of Sui often mentioned separately? The ten treatises of the Book of Sui cover more than the Sui dynasty alone, often tracing institutional developments back to the Northern and Southern Dynasties; their content is systematic and completely preserved, making them important material for studying the origins of Sui-Tang institutions. They are therefore often used separately by scholars of institutional history and are no less valuable than the annals and biographies.
Where should ordinary readers begin with the Book of Sui? It is advisable to begin with the annals of Emperor Wen and Emperor Yang to grasp the basic sequence of Sui unification and rapid collapse, then read biographies of individuals according to interest. Those interested in institutions may select chapters from the treatises on food and money, officials, geography, and other topics; there is no need to read the book straight through in its original order.
How do the Book of Sui and the History of the Northern Dynasties differ in their accounts of Sui affairs? The Book of Sui is an orthodox history devoted to a single dynasty, complete with annals, biographies, and treatises—especially the treatises, which the History of the Northern Dynasties lacks. The History of the Northern Dynasties runs continuously from the Northern Dynasties through the Sui, with a coherent thread but less detail. For institutional details of the Sui, rely mainly on the Book of Sui; for tracing long-term developments, the History of the Northern Dynasties may be consulted.

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Wei Zheng Author · Chinese

Wei Zheng (580–643), courtesy name Xuancheng, was a statesman and historian of the early Tang dynasty. He rose to the offices of Shizhong and Taizi Taishi, was enfeoffed as Duke of Zheng, received the posthumous title Wenzhen, and was numbered among the twenty-four founding heroes of Lingyan Pavilion. Through blunt and forthright remonstrance he assisted Emperor Taizong and helped bring about the Zhenguan era of good governance. He presided over the compilation of the Sui Shu and the other four early Tang histories, and edited the Qunshu Zhiyao. His surviving works span historical writing, Eastern philosophy, and ancient verse; they show both a historian's rigorous pursuit of fact and the dignified tone of court ceremonial poetry. Readers may turn to his histories for the early Tang's reflection on the preceding dynasty, to the Qunshu Zhiyao for his ideas on statecraft, and to his suburban and ancestral temple songs for the ritual music of the early Tang.