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Yuanshi xubian 元史續編

Oct 23, 2013 © Ulrich Theobald

Yuanshi xubian 元史續編 "Continuation of the History of the Yuan Dynasty" is a history of the Yuan dynasty 元 (1279-1368) written by Hu Cuizhong 胡粹中 (c. 1400, personal name You 由, Cuizhong his courtesy name), an amateur historian who was aware that the official dynastic history of the Mongolian Yuan dynasty, the Yuanshi 元史, was not very well balanced.

While the political rise and the campaigns of the dynastic founder Činggis Qaɣan (temple name Taizu 元太祖, r. 1206-1227) were described in great detail, the "peace government" of the Mongols, beginning with the Great Khan Temür (Emperor Chengzong 元成宗, r. 1294-1307), was neglected. Hu Cuizhong therefore compiled his 16-juan long supplement to fill this gap.

The book is written in an annalistic style. It begins in 1286, in the late years of Qubilai Khan (Emperor Shizu 元世祖, r. 1260-1294) and ends with the reign of Toqōn Temür (Emperor Shundi 元順帝, r. 1333-1370), the last emperor of the Yuan on Chinese soil. The text consists of core sentences and commentaries to it, and so imitates the structure of Zhu Xi's 朱熹 (1130-1200) history Tongjian gangmu 通鑑綱目. According to the descriptive bibliography Siku quanshu zongmu tiyao 四庫全書總目提要, the historiographical value of the book is not very great. It was printed during the Yongle reign 永樂 (1402-1424).

The Yuanshi xubian is included in the imperial series Siku quanshu 四庫全書.

Source:
Li Xueqin 李學勤, Lü Wenyu 呂文鬰, eds. (1996). Siku da cidian 四庫大辭典 (Changchun: Jilin daxue chubanshe), Vol. 1, 933.