Cai Dongfan's History of China: The Qing Dynasty

Cai Dongfan's History of China is a vernacular edition of his popular historical romances about China's successive dynasties, a vast and accessible history of China. Spanning more than a thousand chapters, it recounts the rise and fall of dynasties from Qin Shi Huang to 1920, covering 2,166 years of history across 11 parts. Its sweeping timespan, vast cast of characters, and immense scope make it one of the greatest historical romances ever written. Cai Dongfan is hailed as "a historian of his age, whose brush will shine through the ages."

In selecting and using historical sources, Cai Dongfan relied primarily on official histories while also drawing on unofficial accounts and anecdotes. He said, "I use official histories as my foundation and strive for accuracy; I use anecdotes as supplements and avoid falsehood." He was extremely cautious in his use of unofficial accounts and anecdotes, often checking them repeatedly.

The work is distinguished by its principle of "using moral purpose to record events, and events to express feeling." Cai Dongfan wrote the main text, annotations, and commentary himself.