Tales of the Song Dynasty: The Families and Realms of Eighteen Emperors (Box Set, 3 Books)

This three-book Song History series was carefully created for general readers by renowned Song dynasty historian You Biao, a professor at the School of History at Beijing Normal University. The books, Zhao Song, Zhui Song, and Wen Song, provide a systematic, vivid, and comprehensive account of Song dynasty history and culture from three perspectives: the lives of emperors, institutions and culture, and political gains and losses. Each book includes exquisite reproductions of ancient paintings.

Combining scholarship, accessibility, and entertainment, the series draws on rigorous, solid historical sources and the author's broad, profound academic knowledge to explain the key threads of Song history in clear, accessible language. Unlike earlier works on the Song dynasty, the author seeks to break down the barriers between historical figures, changing institutions, cultural trends, and the broader currents of each era, bringing them together into an organic whole. Readers are invited to immerse themselves in every aspect of Song dynasty history and culture, and in turn develop an overall understanding of its history and course.