One of the four major books of the Northern Song Dynasty, a history book.
In the second year of Jingde (1005), Emperor Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty Zhao Heng ordered eighteen people including Wang Qinruo, Yang Yi, and Sun Shi to compile the deeds of emperors and ministers of past dynasties. Caixuquan interpreted the classics, history, "Guoyu", "Guanzi", "Mencius", "Han Feizi", "Huainanzi", "Yanzi Chunqiu", "Lvshi Chunqiu", "Hanshi Waizhuan" and other dynasties books, "Xiuwen Palace Yulan", and compiled them in categories. Using a combination of chronological and biographical styles, a total of 1,104 gates were formed. There is a small preface to the door, describing its purpose. It is divided into thirty-one parts: emperor, pre-position, pretender, king of the country, concubine, royal family, relatives, ministers and assistants, generals, provinces, state affairs, constitutional officials, admonitions, ministers, national history, chief rites, schools, criminal law, ministers, supervisors, environmental guards, selections, tributes, envoys, ministers, pastors, commanders, palace ministers, shogunate, accompanying ministers, general records, and foreign ministers. The department has a general preface describing its economic system. It took eight years to complete the book, totaling 1,000 volumes, and was titled "Cefu Yuangui". "Cefu" is the place where emperors collected books, and "Yuangui" is a large turtle, which was used to divine national events in ancient times. It is meant to serve as a reference for future emperors in governing the country.
Due to its numerous citations, the book has also become an important reference for later generations of scholars to use allusions and citations for textual research. Among them, the historical events of the Tang and Five Dynasties are the essence of "Cefu Yuangui". Many historical materials are only seen in this book. Even if they are repeated with official history, they are of collation value.
Reader comments
This book "Cefu Yuangui" is really great! It is like a treasure trove of knowledge, allowing me to understand many historical stories and cultural knowledge. I particularly like the characters in it, their actions and decisions are very wise. This reminds me of the "Historical Records", which are very valuable historical books. I think we should all be like the characters in the book, study hard and become wiser!
This book "Cefu Yuangui" is really great! It is like a treasure trove of knowledge, allowing me to understand many historical stories and cultural knowledge. I particularly like the characters in it, their actions and decisions are very wise. This reminds me of the "Historical Records", which are very valuable historical books. I think we should all be like the characters in the book, study hard and become wiser!