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Chinese Literature
Alternative histories (bieshi 別史)
The type of alternative histories (bieshi lei 別史類) is a sub-category to the literary category of historiography (shibu 史部) in the collectaneum Siku quanshu 四庫全書. This type of history is seen as an unofficial but qualitatively good history, in contrast to the official dynastic histories. The term bieshi first appears in a Song period 宋 (960-1279) catalogue. The Qidan guo zhi 契丹國志 and Da-Jin guo zhi 大金國志 can be seen as alternatives to the official Liaoshi 遼史 and Jinshi 金史, the Mingshu 明書 as alternative to the official Mingshi 明史. Although the term bieshi is often used in various bibliographies, the books in such a section are not always the same. Except the above-mentioned books, the section on alternative histories in the Siku quanshu includes the books Yizhoushu 逸周書, Dongguan hanji 東觀漢紀, Jiankang shilu 建康實錄, Tongzhi 通志 and Dongdu shilüe 東都事略, in total 20 books.

書名 Title Composer(s)
逸周書 Yizhoushu Anon.; (Jin) 孔晁 Kong Chao (comm.)
東觀漢記 Dongguan hanji (Han) 劉珍 Liu Zhen (et al.)
古史 Gushi (Song) 蘇轍 Su Che
通志 Tongzhi (Song) 鄭樵 Zheng Qiao
東都事略 Dongdu shilüe (Song) 王稱 Wang Cheng
路史 Lushi (Song) 羅泌 Luo Qin
欽定重訂契丹國志 (Qinding chongding) Qidan guo zhi (Song) 葉隆禮 Ye Longli
欽定重訂大金國志 (Qinding chongding) Da-Jinguo zhi (Song) 宇文懋昭 Yuwen Maozhao
蕭氏續後漢書 Xiaoshi Xu houhanshu (Song) 蕭常 Xiao Chang
郝氏續後漢書 Haoshi Xu houhanshu (Yuan) 郝經 Hao Jing; 苟宗道 Gou Zongdao (comm.)
春秋别典 Chunqiu biedian (Yuan) 薛虞畿 Xue Yuji
唐紀 * Tangji (Ming) 孫慤 Sun Que
宋史新編 * Songshi xinbian (Ming) 柯維騏 Ke Weiqi
南宋書 * Nansongshu (Ming) 錢士升 Qian Shicheng
稽古篇 * Jigupian (Ming) 郭之奇 Guo Zhiqi
明書 * Mingshu (Qing) 傅維麟 Fu Weilin
晉記 * Jinji (Qing) 郭倫 Guo Lun
西魏書 * Xiweishu (Qing) 謝啓昆 Xie Qikun
元史類編 * Yuanshi leibian (Qing) 邵遠平 Shao Yuanping
欽定續通志 (Qinding) Xu tongzhi (Qing) (imp. ord.)
欽定皇朝通志 (Qinding) Huangchao tongzhi (Qing) (imp. ord.)
尚史 Shangshi (Qing) 李鍇 Li Kai
元書 * Yuanshu (Qing) 曾廉 Zeng Lian
元史新編 * Yuanshi xinbian (Qing) 魏源 Wei Yuan
宋史翼 * Songshiyi (Qing) 陸心源 Lu Xinyuan

* not contained in the Siku quanshu
Chinese literature according to the four-category system

July 3, 2010 © Ulrich Theobald · Mail