The annals chronicle the evolution of corruption and concubine scandals through the dynasties. The biographies are arranged by category and divided into volumes covering ancient times, the Sui, Tang, Song, and Yuan dynasties, the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Republic of China era, and the present day. Each biography first recounts a corrupt official’s career and the full story of his corruption, then records in detail each mistress’s appearance and character, as well as her entanglements with the official, before concluding with the outcome and the historians’ assessment.
The writing uses classical Chinese as its framework and vernacular prose as its substance, balancing the rigor of historical writing with literary texture. Depictions of desire follow the principle of “feelings may arise, but propriety must be observed”: they avoid vulgarity and focus on revealing human nature through desire and the lust for power through the bedroom. The characters’ psychological shifts are depicted in detail, tracing the mistresses’ journeys from dependence to scheming, and from submission to striking back.
The work draws on official histories, unofficial histories, miscellanies, and case files. Nothing is included without evidence, and uncertain claims are marked “some say,” in an effort to remain truthful. Judgments appear at the end of each entry under “The Grand Historian Says,” clearly distinguishing praise from blame and identifying the roots of corruption and the crux of the “mistress problem.”
