The Great Tang Chief Secretary

Written in the style of a novel and using language drawn from everyday life, this book draws on official histories while critically incorporating material from unofficial histories and miscellanies. It portrays more than three hundred years of tumultuous history, from the accession of Yang Guang of the Sui dynasty to the fall of the Tang dynasty. The book uses clear, accessible language to analyze historical figures’ thoughts and their assessments of the political situation. Taking objectivity and authenticity as its guiding principles, and keeping the overall progression of the story in mind, it aims to streamline and refine the material into a concise, accessible account. It systematically recounts the history of this extraordinarily splendid empire in the annals of the Chinese nation, a dynasty that profoundly shaped the development of Chinese and world civilization.

Because the book draws on a great many sources, which vary widely, they are not individually cited in the text. Some details are difficult to establish with certainty, and certain figures are given only approximately. That is not because I did not want to be precise: the Tang historians were simply rather lax, and the historical record of the Tang has been extensively altered. The principal sources, including the Old Book of Tang, the New Book of Tang, and the Comprehensive Mirror to Aid in Government, often differ considerably, and many points remain disputed. To preserve the reading experience, I do not discuss these debates in the text. Instead, I examine and analyze the evidence critically, then present the version with the broadest acceptance.