Veritable Records of Emperor Shizong of Qing: Yongzheng

The Veritable Records of Emperor Shizong Xian of the Qing is an officially compiled chronological history of the Qing dynasty. It records the affairs and activities of Emperor Yongzheng, born Yinzhen, during his reign from 1722 to 1735, and is a key primary source for studying the Yongzheng era. After Emperor Qianlong ascended the throne, he ordered the compilation to begin in the twelfth month of the thirteenth year of Yongzheng's reign (1735). Grand Secretaries Ortai and Zhang Tingyu served as chief editors, and the work was completed in the sixth year of Qianlong's reign (1741). Its coverage begins with Yongzheng's accession in the eleventh month of the sixty-first year of Kangxi's reign (1722) and ends with his death in the eighth month of the thirteenth year of Yongzheng's reign (1735). It covers politics, the economy, military affairs, culture, frontier regions, ritual, river works, and official administration, among other topics. This record provides later generations with firsthand accounts of major events, including Yongzheng's replacement of hereditary native chieftains with centrally appointed officials, his fiscal reforms, his strengthening of the secret memorial system, the suppression of the Lobsang Danjin rebellion in Qinghai, and his handling of the Dzungar threat. It is an indispensable historical source for evaluating Emperor Yongzheng and his rule.