Historical Records of the Five Dynasties

By Ouyang Xiu and Xiu Ouyang

Written by Ouyang Xiu (1007-1072), an intellectual giant of the Song dynasty, Historical Records of the Five Dynasties offers a compelling interpretation of the Five Dynasties period (907-979). In overhauling the existing official history, Ouyang Xiu made several notable decisions. He recast the entire narrative in the popular "ancient" style to make for a rare fluency. He adopted rigorous moral categories to evaluate historical figures, reflecting the new regimen of his day. He also annotated portions of the text to establish a methodology for future writers. The Historical Records thereby became the official version-the last of China's dynastic histories to be written by an individual in a private capacity. In addition to its provocative commentary and lucid presentation, Historical Records is an eloquent statement on the art and craft of historical writing in the eleventh century.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0231128274
• ISBN13: 9780231128278
• Release Date: January 2008
• Publisher: Columbia University Press
• Length: 736 Pages
• Weight: 2.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.2" x 9.2"
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher