Veritable Records of Emperor Shizu of the Qing: Shunzhi

The Veritable Records of Emperor Zhang of the Qing Dynasty is an official Qing dynasty chronicle documenting the reign and activities of the Shunzhi Emperor, Aisin-Gioro Fulin. It is named after his temple name, Shizu, and his posthumous title, Emperor Zhang, Who Embodied Heaven, Carried Forward Fortune, Established the Line of Succession, Founded the Realm, Was Wise and Heroic, Revered Letters, Manifested Martial Virtue, Possessed Great Virtue, Magnificent Achievement, Supreme Benevolence, and Pure Filial Piety. Compilation began in the sixth year of the Kangxi reign (1667), with Grand Secretary Batai overseeing the project and Tuhai, Songgotu, Li Wei, Wei Yijie, and others serving as chief editors. It took five years to complete, finishing in the fifth month of the eleventh year of the Kangxi reign (1672). The work comprises 146 volumes and covers the entire period from Fulin's accession in the eighth month of the eighth year of the Chongde reign under Qing Taizong Hong Taiji (1643) to his death in the first month of the eighteenth year of the Shunzhi reign (1661). The records underwent multiple revisions during compilation. The surviving version is the finalized text of the “second revision” under the Kangxi Emperor. Officially vetted, it is a core source for the study of early Qing history. The Veritable Records of Emperor Zhang of the Qing Dynasty follows the conventions of Qing veritable records, detailing imperial instructions and edicts, major government affairs, military campaigns, diplomatic relations, institutions and regulations, and celestial phenomena and calamities. Its contents are exceptionally rich. For example, it provides a full account of the Qing army's entry into the Pass, the establishment of the capital in Beijing, efforts to clean up officialdom, the introduction of military farming, and the management of relations between the Manchus and Han Chinese. It also records key details such as the Shunzhi Emperor's deposition of his empress and the power struggle with the regent Dorgon after he took personal control of the government.