The Best of the Best in Historical Fiction 天花板级别的历史类书籍

1. 1 野 Unofficial History Isn't Necessarily False 野史未必假 Wang Lei王磊Historical151k WordsCompleted [The full-cast audio edition is now available. Give it a listen!] From the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors to the Ming and Qing dynasties, discover the truth behind popular unofficial histories! This book examines 22 popular historical tales from China’s earliest dynasties through the Ming and Qing, using vivid reconstructions, close study of historical sources, and logical analysis to uncover the truth behind them. Was Qin Shi Huang’s biological father Lü Buwei? Did Emperor Taizong of Song m 26kReads9.6Score4.3kShelves

   Reader note

   If you can get into official history, read classics like *Records of the Three Kingdoms* and *Records of the Grand Historian*. If you prefer a more relaxed approach to history, I recommend works like *Those Things About the Ming Dynasty*, *Half-Hour Talk on Chinese History*, *Unofficial History Is Not Necessarily False*, *N Fates of Historical Figures*, and *Get to Know an Ancient Person Before You Go to Sleep*. If you like historical novels, I highly recommend *Da Ming Dynasty 1566*, the same name as the TV series, which is well-written, well-structured, and has a compelling story. If you like historical figures, you can read biographies; Meng Man's *Wu Zetian* is also quite good… It depends on your preference!

2. 2 历 N Endings for Historical Figures 历史人物的N个结局 Qu Changchun曲昌春Historical224k WordsCompleted This is another masterful work by Qu Changchun, author of the bestselling Tang History Is Not What It Seems. This is an outstanding work of popular history told from an ordinary person's perspective. Many historical figures appear in the sky of history in all their brilliance and controversy. But once the light of history has streaked across the heavens, what became of them in the end? As later generations, we know of their brilliance, but rarely know how their lives ended. This book tells the s 452Reads9.3Score—Shelves
3. 3 仙 The Han Dynasty of the Immortals: A Quest for Immortality in the Late Han 仙汉汉末龙虎寻仙记 Cloud Bean Filling云豆馅Xianxia226k WordsOngoing If you're not a hero, don't read the Three Kingdoms. And if you're a hero, how could you not understand the loneliness of troubled times? Everyone, there are more Three Kingdoms novels on the market than you could haul away in a wagon. But after looking through them all, I can count on one hand the ones I could actually keep reading. Is it because the authors lack skill? No. The problem is that fast-food template: the moment the protagonist gets a cheat, the Five Tiger Generals are reduced to 33Reads—Score165Shelves

   Reader note

   Not only does it depict the struggle for supremacy in the Central Plains, but it also includes a thrilling chapter of cross-sea battles against the Japanese. Foreign enemies attempt to summon the Yamata no Orochi to ignite a massive war, with flames engulfing enemy territory – a truly exhilarating spectacle. The story upholds the traditional Chinese values ​​of farming and protecting the land, defending against external threats without resorting to forced simplification; it perfectly blends national sentiment with a fantastical epic feel.

4. 4 大 The Complete History of the Han Empire (5 Volumes) 大汉帝国全史（全5册） The Best Physician Governs the State上医治国Historical864k WordsCompleted Another major work of popular history after "Those Things in the Ming Dynasty"! An entertaining, informative, and rigorous introduction to the history of the Han dynasty. The mighty Han dynasty lasted 400 years and shaped the next 2,000! Why did it define the boundaries of Chinese politics and culture for the following 2,000 years? Promoting unity! Boosting the economy! Opening up! Improving people’s livelihoods! Advancing science and technology! The reigns of Emperors Wen and Jing, the Silk Roa 6.3kReads9.6Score1.3kShelves
5. 5 半 A Half-Hour Cartoon History of China (Complete in Seven Volumes) 半小时漫画中国史（全七册） Chen Lei and the Half-Hour Comics Team陈磊·半小时漫画团队Historical203k WordsCompleted Read comics for half an hour and learn the history of China and the world! This is actually a rigorous, minimalist history of China plus a minimalist world history. From the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods to the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, and from the Four Great Ancient Civilizations to Europe, Japan, and the United States... Open this book and learn history while laughing until your abs hurt. Half-Hour Comics: Chinese History 1–5: The Spring and Autumn and Warring State 2.5kReads9.6Score707Shelves
6. 6 大 The Ming Dynasty (2 Volumes) 大明王朝（共2册） Liu Heping刘和平Historical653k WordsCompleted The novel of the hit drama Ming Dynasty 1566, rated 9.5 on Douban, is essential reading for Taiwan’s political circles and a political reference book for Singapore’s cabinet. It is the celebrated work of Liu Heping, screenwriter of Yongzheng Dynasty and author of No War in Peking. Centered on the downfall of the powerful official Yan Song, the book tells the gripping story of a complex anti-corruption campaign in the Ming Dynasty. It uncovers the mystery behind Jiajing, one of the most unconvent 43.8kReads9.6Score8kShelves
7. 7 马 Ma Boyong’s Hilarious Brief History of China 马伯庸笑翻中国简史 Ma Boyong马伯庸Historical97k WordsCompleted This is the most concise and vivid history of China. The “literary genius” Ma Boyong covers the centuries from the Warring States and the Qin and Han dynasties through to the late Qing and the Republic of China, sketching the threads of Chinese history in just a few strokes. He breaks away from the traditional approach of writing history through political events and the succession of emperors, instead weaving the past together around the novel theme of “the virtues of dynasties.” His sharp comme 3.9kReads9.2Score817Shelves

   Reader note

   Sharing this book list, enjoying the pleasure together! [Learned it]

8. 8 帝 The Fall of an Empire 帝国的终结 Yi Zhongtian易中天Historical174k WordsCompleted A work by Yi Zhongtian criticizing China’s ancient political system. Why did the imperial system, which lasted in China for over two thousand years, ultimately collapse? 76Reads9.3Score—Shelves
9. 9 魏 A History of Social Life in the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties (Chinese Ancient Social Life History Series) 魏晋南北朝社会生活史 (中国古代社会生活史书系) Zhu Dawei朱大渭Historical384k WordsCompleted The Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties were a historical era marked by far more division and fragmentation than unification. Northern and southern cultures developed along separate paths, but this was also a time of intense cultural exchange, which gave rise to the new heights of prosperity reached during the Sui and Tang dynasties. Cao Pi once said, “A family of distinction for three generations knows how to dress; one for five generations knows what to eat. This shows how difficult 240Reads8.7Score105Shelves
10. 10 两 Songs of Sorrow in the Two Jin Dynasties (3 Books) 两晋悲歌（全三册） Little Clerk of the Bohai Sea渤海小吏Historical697k WordsCompleted Through seventeen major battles, this book tells the story of the more than one hundred years of the Two Jin dynasties and the Sixteen Kingdoms, an era of immense chaos that also gave rise to new possibilities. Amid the devastation of war, scholars and common folk alike fled in terror. This inescapable tragedy, shared by all, filled the age with mournful songs. The Sima clan’s internecine wars and schemes trampled morality and destroyed the sources of military manpower, as the troubled times dev 1.3kReads9.5Score345Shelves
11. 11 英 A History of the British Empire: Complete Eight-Volume Set 英帝国史（全套8卷本） Qian Chengdan钱乘旦Historical2.2M WordsCompleted [Synopsis] This is the first multivolume history of the British Empire produced by Chinese academia. Comprising eight volumes, it aims to systematically study the empire's origins, development, transformation, and dissolution. The work divides the objective course of British imperial history into eight stages, examining and identifying the nature and characteristics of each stage while presenting its own theoretical framework. The volumes cover the beginnings of the British Empire, the preparato 81Reads9.3Score—Shelves
12. 12 读 A History of the Tang Dynasty You Can Get Hooked on in One Page (Complete in 4 Volumes) 读一页就上瘾的唐朝史（全4册） Fan Xiyuan范西园Historical939k WordsCompleted The Founding of the Tang Dynasty: a stirring and epic chronicle of war. One person made every preparation for a grand undertaking, only to die unexpectedly before seeing it through; Another rose with the tide of history, only to be crushed by the wave that followed; Someone else withdrew to a rural retreat amid the turbulent currents of a troubled age, yet could not accept an ordinary life and longed to dominate the world once more... The women's army flying its banners outside Chang'an, the Kin 253Reads9.5Score—Shelves
13. 13 西 A History of the Western Zhou 西周史 Yang Kuan杨宽Historical582k WordsCompleted The Western Zhou period lasted roughly 280 years, from the end of the eleventh century BC, when King Wu of Zhou conquered the Shang, founded the Zhou dynasty, and established its capital at Hao, to 771 BC, when King You of Zhou was killed and King Ping of Zhou moved the capital to Luoyi. The Western Zhou succeeded the Xia and Shang dynasties. Building on their foundations, its political culture flourished and had a profound influence on the development of Chinese history and culture. This book i 133Reads9.0Score—Shelves
14. 14 南 The North and South United (Complete in Three Volumes) 南北归一（全三册） Little History of the Bohai Sea渤海小史Historical798k WordsCompleted Through sixteen great battles, this book recounts nearly two hundred years of history, from the end of the Eastern Jin through the Southern dynasties of Song, Qi, Liang, and Chen, and the Northern dynasties of Northern Wei, Eastern and Western Wei, Northern Qi, and Northern Zhou, ending with the unification under the Sui. Key figures link together the history of the Northern and Southern dynasties, including Liu Yu, Tuoba Gui, Liu Yilong, Tuoba Tao, Xiao Daocheng, Empress Feng, Tuoba Hong, Er Zh 1kReads9.4Score208Shelves
15. 15 风 The Rise of Lingbiao: Su Sanniang with the Big Feet 风起岭表之大脚苏三娘 Dust Watching from East Mountain东山望之尘Historical116k WordsOngoing Su Sanniang, a woman whose name is steeped in blood and fire! Jianghu rumors say her blade is fiercer than any man's, and her beauty more womanly than any woman's... Her first love, Feng Shao, was killed by a bandit chief. Sanniang sent out her flying knives and slew twelve bandits, then poured a jar of wine in tribute to her first love: "My darling, have a good time down there. Eat well, keep warm, and remember to find yourself a beautiful wife. I'm off to seek my fortune..." Su San was lured t 159Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Magnificent and dazzling.

16. 16 卧 At the Bedside: Zhao Kuangyin, Li Yu, and Their Era 卧榻之侧：赵匡胤、李煜和他们的时代 Zhang Mingyang张明扬Historical138k WordsCompleted More than fifty rulers rose during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, all dreaming of unifying the realm, but Zhao Kuangyin was the only one who won! “Sleeping beside one's bed, how can one allow another to snore?” Zhao Kuangyin's declaration of war against Southern Tang, delivered as he resolved to bring the realm under one rule, still rings with the force of thunder a thousand years later. With brisk, satisfying prose, Zhang Mingyang tells this stirring tale of the Five Dynasties and 535Reads9.4Score147Shelves
17. 17 吴 Wu Han Talks History: 4-Book Set 吴晗讲历史(套装共4册) Wu Han吴晗Historical601k WordsCompleted Wu Han on History (4-Book Set) includes A Brief History of the Ming Dynasty, Notes on Reading History, The Biography of Zhu Yuanzhang, and The Mirror of History. Here, you can discover a whole new way to read history. History is anything but dull: there are not only fascinating historical facts, but also countless hidden clues waiting for you to uncover. How should history really be read? Wu Han, one of the great historians of his generation, shows you a fresh approach: history, it turns out, ca 116Reads9.2Score—Shelves
18. 18 隋 A History of the Sui, Tang, and Five Dynasties (Parts One and Two) (Chinese Dynastic History Series) 隋唐五代史（上、下）（中国断代史系列） Wang Zhongluo王仲荦Historical444k WordsCompleted History of the Sui, Tang, and Five Dynasties is published in two volumes and runs to over a million Chinese characters. It gives a detailed account of the flourishing development of Chinese feudal society during the Sui, Tang, and Five Dynasties in politics, the economy, military affairs, culture, foreign relations, and ethnic integration, and offers many original insights. In particular, it devotes considerable space to the unprecedented prosperity of culture, ideas, literature, and the arts in 165Reads8.8Score—Shelves
19. 19 明 History of the Ming Dynasty, Volumes I and II: A Series on China's Dynasties 明史（上、下）（中国断代史系列） Nan Bingwen南炳文Historical1.0M WordsCompleted The two-volume set History of the Ming Dynasty systematically examines and analyzes the development of Ming China's politics, economy, military affairs, ethnic relations, and foreign relations, as well as the class structure of Ming society. The Ming dynasty was an important period in Chinese history. During this era, social productive forces and the economy developed considerably, and the growth of the commodity economy surpassed that of any previous period. This in turn brought subtle changes 574Reads9.0Score160Shelves
20. 20 宋 History of the Song Dynasty: A Chinese Dynastic History 宋史（中国断代史系列） Chen Zhen陈振Historical505k WordsCompleted An important scholarly work by Chen Zhen, a renowned expert on Song history. It offers a detailed and precise account of the changes and developments in the Song Dynasty, a Chinese dynasty weakened throughout its history, covering its political and military institutions, social economy, thought and culture, civil service examinations and education, literature and the arts, science and technology, and social life. The revised and expanded edition fully reflects the latest achievements in contempo 141Reads9.2Score—Shelves
21. 21 大 Three Hundred Years of Tang Dynasty: Rise and Fall (Complete in 7 Volumes) 大唐兴衰三百年（全7册） Shi Cheng Donglin士承东林Historical2.3M WordsCompleted This series tells the story of the three centuries of the Tang dynasty, from 607 to 907. Drawing on official histories and classic historical works such as the Old Book of Tang, the New Book of Tang, the Record of the Founding of the Great Tang, and the Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance, it uses time as its framework and the key figures and events that shaped history as its focus. Told in a witty, humorous style, it offers a sweeping portrait of the lives of the Tang dynasty's twenty-one 3kReads9.5Score674Shelves
22. 22 饥 The Hungry Flourishing Age: The Gains and Losses of the Qianlong Era 饥饿的盛世：乾隆时代的得与失 Zhang Hongjie张宏杰Historical267k WordsCompleted This book explores the gains and losses of the Qianlong era. By taking the era apart and examining it from different angles, the author paints a vivid picture of a “golden age” while revealing the deeper reasons behind China's modern decline. Compared with the thousands of years of Chinese history that came before it, China under Qianlong had its largest population and greatest national strength. Compared with other countries at the time, it was the world's most powerful and prosperous nation. C 2kReads9.4Score598Shelves
23. 23 危 Crisis and Reconstruction: The Tang Empire and Its Regional Warlords 危机与重构：唐帝国及其地方诸侯 Li Biyan李碧妍Historical480k WordsCompleted Combining traditional intellectual history with the methods of “new cultural history,” this book offers a systematic and in-depth examination of the conception, formation, development, and meaning of the modern idea of the Chinese nation. The book explores the An Lushan Rebellion of the Tang Dynasty and the formation and impact of the regional military governor system that followed. It analyzes changes in the geopolitical landscape and military strategy across Henan, Guanzhong, Hebei, Jianghuai, 160Reads9.3Score—Shelves
24. 24 大 Four Centuries of the Han Empire: Complete in 6 Volumes 大汉帝国四百年：全6册 Moon Gazing at the Eastern Mountain月望东山Historical1.4M WordsCompleted The Four Hundred Years of the Han Empire is a six-volume popular history of the Han dynasty. In an accessible style, it brings to life more than four hundred years of the dynasty's vicissitudes and glory. This compelling historical work is hard to put down, taking readers on a journey through the complicated history of the Han dynasty. Across six volumes, it paints a detailed, vivid, and engaging portrait of this great era. The book brings together fascinating historical tales, including the con 531Reads9.4Score188Shelves
25. 25 伏 Ambush 伏杀 Mo Bai1莫白1Historical1.4M WordsCompleted [Original title: Ambush] Beneath the awe-inspiring might of Heaven, all living beings are mere ants. And yet he dares, with the strength of an insect, to turn the world upside down. For family, for friends, for the burning hatred in his heart, for the nightmares that haunt him year after year, for justice, and for fairness. This story is set in an imaginary world and has no connection to actual history. Everything in it is fictional. Any similarities are purely coincidental. 14kReads8.3Score890Shelves

    Reader note

    These are all top-tier historical dramas, and they're all incredibly good!

26. 26 考 Archaeology of China: 11-Volume Set 考古中国：全11册 Yue Nan岳南Historical3.4M WordsCompleted The Archaeology of China series is a collection of investigative nonfiction works by authors including Yue Nan. Written over the course of thirty years, it explores eleven major archaeological projects and discoveries in China. Drawing on field interviews with people involved, archaeological reports, and extensive historical sources, the author vividly reconstructs the inception, excavation, and research of eleven projects: the Dingling Tomb of the Ming Dynasty; the Terracotta Army at the Mausol 1.4kReads9.5Score359Shelves

    Reader note

    The information is accurate and engaging, making it suitable for both everyday reading and professional research.

27. 27 宋 A Popular History of the Song Dynasty 宋史通俗演义 Cai Dongfan蔡东藩Historical556k WordsCompleted [Classical historical fiction based on official history | A popular history of the Song dynasty | Cai Dongfan's Historical Romances of the Dynasties] Read one volume and discover the full rise and fall of the Song dynasty across 320 years. Told in a complete narrative spanning one hundred chapters, this popular history of the Song begins with Zhao Kuangyin's Chenqiao Mutiny and his ascension to the throne, then follows the founding of the Northern Song, the Alliance of Chanyuan, Wang Anshi's ref 21Reads8.3Score—Shelves
28. 28 清 A Popular History of the Qing Dynasty 清史通俗演义 Cai Dongfan蔡东藩Historical587k WordsCompleted [A Tale of the Qing Dynasty #Popular History #The Rise and Fall of the Ming and Qing Dynasties #Political Intrigue and Warfare #Legends of Emperors #History in Plain Language] This classic historical novel recounts the full 268-year rise and fall of the Qing Dynasty, from the origins of its ancestors in the Changbai Mountains to Xuantong's abdication and the dynasty's collapse. Told across one hundred chapters, it follows the story clearly and avoids obscure historical material. It begins with N 103Reads8.8Score—Shelves
29. 29 五 A Popular History of the Five Dynasties 五代史通俗演义 Cai Dongfan蔡东藩Historical344k WordsCompleted [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' r 62Reads9.2Score—Shelves
30. 30 唐 A Popular Romance of Tang History 唐史通俗演义 Cai Dongfan蔡东藩Historical625k WordsCompleted [An introductory history, a comprehensive history of the Tang Dynasty, a chaptered historical novel, accessible true stories, heroes of the Sui and Tang] Want to learn the complete history of the Tang Dynasty without poring over dry history books? This Popular Romance of the Tang Dynasty is perfect for beginners. Written in an accessible blend of classical and vernacular Chinese, its hundred chapters connect the story of the Li Tang dynasty from beginning to end. Follow the chaos at the end of t 53Reads8.5Score—Shelves
31. 31 前 A Popular History of the Former Han 前汉通俗演义 Cai Dongfan蔡东藩Historical563k WordsCompleted [Cai Dongfan's Historical Romance, The Complete Founding History of the Han Dynasty, The Qin-Han Rivalry, A Plain-Language History, Political Intrigue and War] This book is Cai Dongfan's A Popular History of the Former Han, a classic historical novel that recounts the dynasty's rise and fall from the chaos at the end of the Qin through the middle and late Western Han. Spanning one hundred chapters, it begins with Lü Buwei's extraordinary investment and Qin Shi Huang's unification of the realm, a 128Reads8.3Score—Shelves
32. 32 后 A Popular History of the Later Han 后汉通俗演义 Cai Dongfan蔡东藩Historical582k WordsCompleted [Historical Romance Grounded in the Official Record, The Complete History of the Eastern Han and Three Kingdoms, An Easy Introduction to Official History] A Popular History of the Later Han is a classic historical novel in episodic form and a continuation of A Popular History of the Former Han. Across one hundred chapters, it follows the full historical arc from Wang Mang's usurpation of the Han and Emperor Guangwu's restoration, through the decline of the Eastern Han, to the division of the rea 105Reads8.6Score—Shelves
33. 33 四 The Secret Histories of the Four Great Beauties 四大美人秘史 Master of Ancient Wu Su Yan古吴素阉主人Historical103k WordsCompleted [The Four Beauties, classical historical romances, complete uncensored public-domain editions, stories of celebrated women in history, ancient tales] This complete collection contains the original, unabridged texts of The Romance of Xishi, The Romance of Wang Zhaojun, The Romance of Yang Guifei, and The Romance of Diaochan. It recounts the turbulent lives of the Four Beauties, whose beauty was said to make fish forget to swim, geese forget to fly, the moon hide, and flowers blush. Together, thes 476Reads9.2Score100Shelves
34. 34 华 The Chinese Labor Corps: A Coppersmith’s First World War 华工军团：一名铜匠的第一次世界大战 Li Tiejun李铁君Historical527k WordsCompleted [Cross-border romance + an underdog's rise + a hero of World War I + rural life + bandits] From a wedding hall in Shandong to the trenches of Europe, an epic expedition by an ordinary man! On the day of his wedding, Shandong coppersmith Li Zhongfu discovers that soldiers and bandits have joined forces to massacre Wuji Town, where his fiancée Su Huizhen lives. At the brink of life and death, Li Zhongfu saves the townspeople, but Su Huizhen disappears. After accidentally uncovering the secret behi 531Reads9.5Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    A top-rated historical novel!

35. 35 满 The Secret History of Manchuria, Part Two 满洲秘史（中部） Ma Jinping马金萍Historical224k WordsCompleted [Bandits + Northeast China + War + Japanese spies + Manchukuo + Republican era + Romance + Collaborators] A woman's turbulent journey through a chaotic age, a blood-soaked epic of Northeast China. From bandit chieftain's wife to a secret pawn of the Japanese, she witnesses every secret behind Manchuria's birth, caught between love and hate, home and country… Manchurian Secret History, Part Two continues the first volume. Set against the real historical background of Northeast China from late 193 3.1kReads9.5Score490Shelves

    Reader note

    Real history versus historical fiction!

36. 36 满 The Secret History of Manchuria, Part One 满洲秘史（上部） Ma Jinping马金萍Historical263k WordsCompleted [Bandits + Northeast China + Local life + War + Japanese spies + Manchukuo + Republican era + Romance] A woman's turbulent journey through a chaotic age, a blood-soaked epic of Northeast China. From bandit chieftain's wife to a secret pawn of the Japanese, she witnesses every secret behind Manchuria's birth, caught between love and hate, home and country… The story takes place in Northeast China in the early twentieth century, spanning the period from the Russo-Japanese War to the establishment 15.7kReads9.5Score1.7kShelves
37. 37 国 Pillars of the Nation: A Century of Chinese Business Rivalries, Parts One and Two 国之重器：百年中国商战传奇（上下部） Li Tiejun李铁君Historical699k WordsCompleted [Grand historical saga + Self-Strengthening Movement + coastal and frontier defense + Sino-French War + China Merchants' Steam Navigation Company] The late Qing business world is rocked by turbulent waves, and a tycoon of his generation turns the tide! See how pioneers of industry build an economic Great Wall in the face of despair! In the final years of the Qing dynasty, Western powers force the Qing government to open treaty ports, while Western steamships monopolize China's shipping. Chinese 201Reads9.6Score—Shelves
38. 38 中 The Prequel to the Chinese Empire: The Hegemony of the Spring and Autumn Period 中华帝国前传之春秋争霸 Cheng Xueyi程雪衣Historical215k WordsCompleted [History + Chinese orthodoxy + the transformation from Zhou to Qin + institutional reform] After two hundred years of rival powers rising, see how a hegemon rewrites history. Based on historical works such as the Zuo Zhuan, the Records of the Grand Historian, and the Discourses of the States, this book tells the stories and introduces the figures of more than two centuries of Spring and Autumn history in vivid detail. Centered on the struggle for supremacy, it weaves together the major events an 58Reads9.3Score—Shelves
39. 39 岳 The Old Grandmother of Yue Family Village 岳家庄的老祖母 Mountainside Man in the Rain雨落山人Historical107k WordsCompleted [A grandmother builds a business + Yue Fei's family teachings + brotherhood] A mother's love makes her strong, and she becomes the soul of her clan. One mother's thirty-year flight lays the foundation for her family's six-hundred-year legacy. During the Hongwu reign of the Ming dynasty, Yue Guangyong, the thirteenth-generation descendant of Yue Fei, dies young in Tangyin County, Henan Province, where his family has lived for generations. He leaves behind his widowed wife, Yue Yushi, and their tw 563Reads9.3Score104Shelves
40. 40 贵 The Pinnacle of the Noble Consort 贵妃之巅 Shu Yao Jiu舒窈纠Ancient Romance372k WordsCompleted “A twisted romance” + “palace intrigue” + “a tragedy of the age.” During the Chenghua reign of the Ming dynasty, palace maid Wan Zhen'er spent ten years bringing Crown Prince Zhu Jianshen, confined in the Cold Palace, back from hell to the world of the living. What began as a desperate act of protection warped, under the influence of power, into a twisted symbiosis. Seventeen years older than him, she was his nursemaid and elder sister, and eventually became his only Noble Consort, as well as hi 824Reads—Score100Shelves

    Reader note

    Wan Zhen'er was 17 years older than Emperor Zhu Jianshen of the Ming Dynasty... But... [Sad]

41. 41 中 Ingenious Inventions of Ancient China 中国古代奇技淫巧 Yang Jun杨钧Historical194k WordsCompleted The authors of this book searched through vast collections of historical records, painstakingly gathering hundreds of long-lost secret arts and techniques passed down through the centuries. These include forging antiques, identifying treasures, alchemy, health practices, beauty techniques, fortune-telling by characters, martial arts, and spiritual cultivation. Their scope ranges from contemplating the heavens and earth and making uncanny predictions to calming the mind, curing illness, and riddi 8.9kReads9.6Score1.5kShelves

    Reader note

    I am a modern person, but I am truly afraid that one day these things will be forgotten and eventually disappear.

42. 42 明 A Popular History of the Ming Dynasty 明史通俗演义 Cai Dongfan蔡东藩Historical511k WordsCompleted [Classical historical novel | An authentic historical epic about the founding of the Great Ming] A popular historical epic spanning all 276 years of the Ming dynasty’s rise and fall, complete in one hundred chapters. It begins with Zhu Yuanzhang becoming a monk in Haozhou and joining the Red Turban movement, then unfolds the grand struggle for supremacy among the warlords at the end of the Yuan dynasty. Zhu Yuanzhang, Chen Youliang, and Zhang Shicheng vie for power, while classic battles such as 25Reads8.0Score—Shelves
43. 43 战 War God Possessed: I Transmigrated to 1937 to Fight the Japanese 战神附体：穿越到1937打鬼子 Cold Hands, Normal Pulse手冰凉脉正常Urban1.4M WordsOngoing “As long as Hunanese remain, China will never fall!” During the eight years of resistance against Japan, the Nationalist government conscripted about 14 million people nationwide. Hunan contributed nearly 2.1 million, or 15% of the total. More than 600,000 Hunanese soldiers on the front lines were killed, wounded, or went missing. About 300,000 were killed, accounting for one-quarter of all Nationalist soldiers killed on the front lines, the highest death toll of any province. Over the eight yea 3.2kReads5.9Score192Shelves

    Reader note

    Are there really good books with low ratings? Has anyone read these?

44. 44 孝 Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang 孝庄太后 Li Shuqin李舒琴Historical115k WordsCompleted Set against the historical events from the founding of the Qing dynasty through its rise to the prosperous Kangxi and Qianlong eras, this book tells the story of Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang. With her boundless maternal love and selfless devotion, she supported two young rulers, her six-year-old son Shunzhi and her eight-year-old grandson Kangxi, and served as the model for all under heaven, guiding the Qing dynasty toward prosperity. 1kReads9.6Score118Shelves
45. 45 抗 War of Resistance: Sending a Japanese Major to Meet Amaterasu from the Start 抗战：开局送鬼子少佐见天照大神 Cold Hands, Normal Pulse手冰凉脉正常Urban1.3M WordsCompleted Lao Ma, an armored corps veteran, is caught in a temporal mishap and transmigrates to 1941, a year engulfed in war, landing right in the middle of a Japanese encirclement. Gunfire erupts all around him as the enemy’s footsteps and battle cries close in. Stranded in an unfamiliar era without the modern armored equipment he knows, he has only his past combat experience and a soldier’s iron will. In this desperate fight for survival, Lao Ma begins an unknown journey of resistance. 7.1kReads8.7Score603Shelves
46. 46 铁 Iron-Blooded War of Resistance: The Spoiled Quartermaster Awakens a Divine Machine 铁血抗战：纨绔军需官觉醒神机 The Colors of Songcheng Fireworks宋城烟火色Urban1.7M WordsOngoing [“War of Resistance, 1937” + “Divine Machine System” + “Hardcore War Against Japan” + “Burma-Yunnan Front”] Every inch of land is soaked in blood! Antique shop owner Chu Yun transmigrates into Chen Jiaju, a quartermaster in the 69th Provisional Division. Though born a spoiled rich boy, he raises a force and joins the main battlefield of the war against Japan. Fighting alongside troops from all walks of life, they pit their flesh and blood against the Japanese army to the bitter end, turning ever 4.2kReads6.4Score293Shelves
47. 47 秦 Qin Qi: Raising Horses and Founding a Nation 秦启：牧马立国 Xiaoyao Shisanlang逍遥十三郎Historical340k WordsCompleted An Early Qin Epic: Book One [Great Qin + Qin Feizi + Founder of Qin + First Lord of Qin] During the turbulent final years of the Western Zhou, Qin Feizi, raised on the grasslands of Longxi, saves King Xiao of Zhou from danger with his extraordinary skill at horse training and is granted fifty li of land in Qin. From then on, the young herdsman embarks on a thorny path of founding a state. He builds cities and settlements, unites the Zhou and Rong peoples, and lays the foundations of a kingdom am 56Reads—Score—Shelves
48. 48 开 From the Start, I Drew a Barren Field: I Rise by Slaying Insects 开局抽到废田：我靠杀虫逆袭宗门 Cold Hands, Normal Pulse手冰凉脉正常Eastern Fantasy1.1M WordsCompleted [Cautious cultivation + farming + earning spirit stones + no System + no harem]. Important things bear repeating: this is a cautious cultivation story, a farming story, and the protagonist is the sort who will keep hiding and playing it safe until the end of time. If that's not your thing, please don't click in. The heavens collapse, countless realms sink into ruin, and all living beings are but ants swept along by the tides. Even the Supreme Immortal Emperor cannot escape the fate of being cons 2.5kReads—Score192Shelves
49. 49 秦 Qin Li: Expanding the Realm Across Four Generations 秦立：四世开疆 Xiaoyao Shisanlang逍遥十三郎Historical261k WordsCompleted Early Qin Epic: Part Two [Great Qin, Qin Zhong, Duke Zhuang of Qin, Duke Xiang of Qin, Duke Wen of Qin] In the late Western Zhou, the royal house was in decline and the Western Rong tribes ran rampant. On the war-torn frontier of Longxi, Feizi, a young man from the Ying clan, drew the attention of the Zhou court with his innate talent for taming horses. From breaking the wild horse Chasing Wind and using fire horses to smash through enemy lines and relieve the siege of Quanqiu, to presenting hor 22Reads—Score—Shelves
50. 50 宗 My Sect Ordered Me to Marry, So I Activated an Infinite Exchange System 宗门强令娶妻，激活无限兑换系统 Cold Hands, Normal Pulse手冰凉脉正常Eastern Fantasy1.6M WordsCompleted [“Good-for-nothing’s comeback” + “System exchange” + “Marriage and growth” + “Play the pig to eat the tiger”] The sect orders an old man in his seventies to take a wife, and he activates the Marriage and Longevity System! A different kind of System, a different kind of thrill! While everyone else has to grovel to survive and grow, the protagonist insists on fighting back, soaring through the skies on his sword. Immortality is no longer a dream. 3.4kReads6.4Score304Shelves

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