"Records of the Conquest" is a documentary history book of great historical value from the late Ming Dynasty to the early Qing Dynasty. The author Yang Ying (a household official in Yanping and an important military and political personnel under Zheng Chenggong) personally experienced and recorded Zheng Chenggong's campaign experience and government affairs details from the third year of Yongli (1649) to the sixteenth year of Yongli (1662). It is a rare first-hand information for studying the history of Zheng Chenggong's conquest of Taiwan and the southern seaboard.
The book is one volume, not divided into volumes, and is written in a chronological style. It records in detail year by month the entire process of Yang Ying following Zheng Chenggong from preparation, expedition, battle, management to the end of the campaign. Since Yang Ying served as a household official for a long time and was responsible for important tasks such as food and salary raising and financial management, his records not only cover the war process, but also cover military logistics, policy implementation and actual operations. They are important historical materials for understanding the military and political operations of the Zheng regime.
The text in "Records of Congzheng" is plain and simple. Most of them are events that the author has witnessed and personally participated in. Sometimes he quotes original official memorials and orders, which makes the content more credible and detailed. It is not only valuable for studying the history of Zheng Chenggong's recovery of Taiwan and the southward migration and fighting history of the anti-Qing forces in the late Ming Dynasty, but also helps modern readers understand the specific practices of political and military organization, local governance, and war strategies at that time.
As an original document that supplements the official history, "Records of the Conquest" is not only an important academic reference for historians, researchers of Taiwan history, and readers interested in maritime power and Sino-foreign relations in the late Ming Dynasty, but also a precious window to touch the real scene of that turbulent period.
