What is the genre of ancient history books?

When the ancients recorded historical events, they used chronological style, biographical style and national style. What do they mean? What is the difference? Let me explain below to enrich your knowledge.

Chronological style/style (in history)

Chronological style is a genre of China's traditional history books. This is a style of history books that arrange historical events according to years. Chronological history books take time as the center and record historical events in the order of year, month and day. Because it takes time as longitude and historical events as latitude, it is easier to reflect the connection of various historical events in the same period. ?

For example, Spring and Autumn Annals, Zuo Zhuan, Zi Tongzhi Bamboo Slips, Bamboo Slips, Han Ji, Later Han Shu, Guo Que and so on.

The biographical style of history (first the chronicles of the emperor, then the biographies of influential people)

Biography is a form of Asian history books, which reflects the genre of historical events by describing the activities of characters. It is believed that historical facts are described by biographies of people (biographies of emperors are called Ji, biographies of ordinary people are called Biography, figures in special circumstances are called Zhi, records of systems, customs and economy are called Zhi, and historical events are arranged in tables as Table).

Sima Qian's Historical Records is the first biographical history book in China (most of the previous history books were narrated in chronological style). Historical books such as The Official History of China and Twenty-four History are compiled in the form of biographies according to the style of Historical Records.

rustic style

Country style is a kind of historical book style which takes the country as the unit and narrates historical events respectively. Guoyu is China's first national history book and a part of historical prose. It started in the west of Zhou Muwang and ended in Lu Daogong in the early Warring States period, including the historical facts of Zhou, Lu, Qi, Jin, Zheng, Chu, Wu and Yue for about 427 years. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, it was compiled into a book by Jin historians.

Differences among Chronological Style, Biographical Style and National Style

1, different genres

Biography reflects history through the activities of characters. It is a genre of historical books initiated by Sima Qian, which began in Historical Records.

Chronological style takes time as a clue to describe history, which began with the Spring and Autumn Annals revised by Confucius.

"National Style" is a historical narrative with the country as the unit, which began with "Guoyu" and was handed down by Zuo Qiuming, a historian in the Spring and Autumn Period.

2, the narrative focus is different.

Biography reflects the historical events at that time through someone's activities in a certain historical period. In other words, biographies focus on historical figures.

Chronological style focuses on time and records historical events in strict accordance with the year, month and day. Specifically, it is something that happened on a certain day of a certain year, which is a bit like a memorabilia.

The focus of the national system is the vassal States, which mainly records the words and deeds of relevant figures in a vassal state.

3. Different advantages and disadvantages

Biography has a wider scope, which is conducive to highlighting some key figures in history. But it also often leads to the exaggeration of some historical figures.

Chronological style takes time as the center, which can clearly reflect the time of historical events and their relationship. However, a historical event cannot be fully displayed, so that some key historical figures are submerged in the long river of history.

The national style pays attention to the record of real history, which is relatively objective, but there are various theories, and the ideological theme will be more complicated. Moreover, because the historical events between the countries concerned are recorded in the units of vassal States, it is inevitable that there will be repeated records.