Written by Ouyang Xiu (1007-1072), an intellectual giant of the Song dynasty, "Historical Records of the Five Dynasties" offers a compelling interpretation of the Five Dynasties period (907-979). In overhauling the existing official history, Ouyang Xiu made several notable decisions. He recast the entire narrative in the popular "ancient" style to make for a rare fluency. He adopted rigorous moral categories to evaluate historical figures, reflecting the new regimen of his day. He also annotated portions of the text to ...
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Written by Ouyang Xiu (1007-1072), an intellectual giant of the Song dynasty, "Historical Records of the Five Dynasties" offers a compelling interpretation of the Five Dynasties period (907-979). In overhauling the existing official history, Ouyang Xiu made several notable decisions. He recast the entire narrative in the popular "ancient" style to make for a rare fluency. He adopted rigorous moral categories to evaluate historical figures, reflecting the new regimen of his day. He also annotated portions of the text to establish a methodology for future writers. The "Historical Records" thereby became the official version-the last of China's dynastic histories to be written by an individual in a private capacity. In addition to its provocative commentary and lucid presentation, "Historical Records" is an eloquent statement on the art and craft of historical writing in the eleventh century.
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Seller's Description:
8vo, pp. xiii, 210. Notes, bibliography, index. Illustrated with etchings and photographs of the houses. Near fine in slightly scuffed dj. The author looks at houses made famous by writers, and shows how our ways of seeing are shaped by literature.
