Jigupian 稽古篇

Jigupian 稽古篇 "Book of research into antiquity" is an alternative history of China's pre-imperial history written by the late Ming-period 明 (1368-1644) scholar Guo Zhiqi 郭之奇 (1607-1662), courtesy name Zhongchang 仲常, style Shuzi 菽子, Zhengfu 正夫 or Yuxi 玉溪, from Jieyang 揭陽, Guangdong. Guo Zhiqi was an adherent of the Ming dynasty and served in high position of a princely establishment. He continued to serve the Ming after 1644 and followed her princes down into the south as a high member of the civilian administration.

The 55-juan long book is an alternative history of China's age of antiquity, the history before the foundation of the Qin empire 秦 (221-206 BC) in 221 BCE. For all rulers and their most important ministers, Guo Zhiqi compiled tables and biographies. The part describing the time before the Xia period 夏 (17th-15th cent. BCE) are copied from the histories Lushi 路史 and Shantong 禪通. For the other dynasties, Xia, Shang 商 (17th-11th cent. BCE) and Zhou 周 (11th cent.-221 BCE), Guo relied on the sources of the Shiji 史記 and the Hanshu 漢書.