A Popular History of the Five Dynasties

Name: A Popular History of the Five Dynasties
Author: Cai Dongfan

五代史通俗演义

by Cai Dongfan (蔡东藩)

Status: Completed
Length: 344k Words
Genre: Historical
Subgenre: Unknown
Updated: 2mo ago
Source: Fanqie

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Stats

60Chapters

39Reads

9.2Score

10Listens

130Reads · all time

Synopsis

[A Classical, Accessible History of the Entire Era | A Beginner's Guide to History | A Complete Overview of the Ten Kingdoms] Can't get through dry official histories? This popularized retelling of the Five Dynasties uses a story-driven, episodic format to make this lesser-known period of turmoil easy to understand. Its sixty chapters cover the rise and fall of all five dynasties, Later Liang, Later Tang, Later Jin, Later Han, and Later Zhou, while also tracing the history of the Ten Kingdoms' rival regimes. The timeline runs clearly from Zhu Wen's uprising against the Tang to the foreshadowing of Zhao Kuangyin's replacement of the Later Zhou. The book balances the grand sweep of the era with stories about ordinary people's lives, covering both the broad tides of dynastic change and vivid episodes such as Empress Liu of Later Tang meddling in government, Liu Shouguang's debauchery, and loyal ministers and generals giving their lives to defend their country. Drawing on numerous historical sources about the Five Dynasties, the author cuts out obscure scholarly details and tells the story in plain language, with no high barrier to entry and no distortion of historical facts. Enjoy it as a casual novel to pass the time, or use it as an introductory reference to the history of the Five Dynasties. It helps readers understand the era's defining problems, including the fragmentation of power among military governors, incursions by foreign peoples, and the collapse of rites and morality. A great introduction for any history enthusiast.

More by this author

The Revival of the Han Dynasty and the Turmoil of the Three Kingdoms: A Romance of the Later Han, Part One Cai Dongfan

The Tale of the Yuan Dynasty Cai Dongfan

A Century of Rise and Fall: The History of the Late Qing Dynasty Cai Dongfan

Three Hundred Years of the Tang Dynasty’s Rise and Fall: A Thousand Years in One Glance Cai Dongfan

The History of Emperor Taizu of Song, Too Gruesome to Read Closely Cai Dongfan

Romance of the Former Han Dynasty Cai Dongfan

Romance of the Qing Dynasty Cai Dongfan

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