The Unofficial History of Nanzhao is a historical work blending fact and hearsay, compiled by Yang Shen, a Ming-dynasty writer and historian. It chiefly recounts the shifting fortunes of Nanzhao, from its founding and rise to great power through its eventual fall and the emergence of the Kingdom of Dali.
In this book, you’ll encounter kings and ministers little known to the world, and witness legendary figures making split-second choices amid the tides of history. According to the book, for instance, the Nanzhao ruler Longshun strengthened his hold on power by favoring corrupt officials, but neglected his rule while indulging in hunting. His ministers seized the throne, setting his downfall in motion. Yang Ganjhen, born into a noble family, began as the son of a fisherman. He entered officialdom through an illicit affair within the royal family, eventually proclaimed himself ruler and founded the Great Yining Kingdom, only to see his position plummet in a rebellion.
Though Yang Shen lived during the Ming dynasty, this work brought the Nanzhao regime on Yunnan’s frontier back into view as unofficial history, beyond the accounts of official Han Chinese histories. Its narrative blends historical sources with oral tradition, encompassing both the grand sweep of dynastic change and the shifting fortunes of individuals. Reading it feels like standing among mountain clouds and forest, amid the ruins of ancient temples, listening to the wind and watching the rain fall. In those distant years, we glimpse how a kingdom overlooked by the central dynasties rose and then vanished.
