There were indeed different versions and classifications of ancient Chinese history, such as official history, alternative history, miscellaneous history, and unofficial history. Official history books were written by the government, recording the views of the government and the decisions of the imperial court, which were important references for historical research. Bie shi was written by private history books, recording the views and opinions of different sects and interest groups, which were often political. Unofficial history, on the other hand, was a history book that had no official records and was privately written. The content of the book was often more realistic, but it was also limited by historical conditions, making it difficult to draw a comprehensive and accurate conclusion. From an academic point of view, official history, alternative history, miscellaneous history, and unofficial history are all important materials for historical research, but their value and accuracy will be evaluated according to different research methods and standards. In historical research, official history, as an official work, has high historical and cultural value, but it also needs to be comprehensively analyzed and compared with other materials to draw a comprehensive and accurate conclusion. Unofficial history, as a history book without official records, might be more authentic, but it also needed to be treated with caution to avoid being influenced by subjective assumptions. In short, official history, alternative history, miscellaneous history and unofficial history were all important components of ancient Chinese history. They were of great significance to the understanding and study of ancient Chinese history. In the study of history, we need to use a variety of materials such as official history, alternative history, miscellaneous history, and unofficial history to analyze and compare them in order to draw a comprehensive and accurate conclusion.
Ancient Chinese history was indeed mostly based on "official history". These official histories were written and recorded by the government and usually had high authority and credibility. However, unofficial history did exist. It was written by folk people or different interested parties. There might be some inaccuracy or missing situations. Unofficial history may be more realistic and closer to historical facts than official history, but there may also be some subjective and prejudice. Because official history and unofficial history often came from different classes and groups, with different writing purposes and interest tendencies, the gap between the two could be relatively large. When we read history, we need to make a comprehensive analysis and judgment of official history and unofficial history to obtain more comprehensive and accurate historical information. At the same time, we also need to maintain an objective and fair attitude towards history to avoid blind superstition or excessive criticism.
The Romance of Ancient Chinese History was a novel and not a history book. The novel is a fictional art form that tells stories through exaggeration, imagination, and fictional plots. Although novels may involve historical events and characters, they are usually a re-description or adaptation of historical events and characters, adding the author's own imagination and views. Therefore, there was a big difference between novels and official history.
There were many famous generals in ancient Chinese history (including official history, unofficial history, and legends). Among them, fierce generals and Confucian generals were also common categories. The following were some famous generals: Fierce General: - Guan Yu: During the Three Kingdoms period, the general of Shu Han was known as Guan Yunchang, and later generations called him the Warrior Sage. - Zhang Fei: During the Three Kingdoms period, the generals of Shu Han were known as "Yi De" and later generations called them "Tiger General". - Zhao Yun: During the Three Kingdoms period, the generals of Shu Han were known as "loyal and brave men". - Yue Fei: A famous general who fought against the Jin Dynasty in the Southern Song Dynasty. He was known as Yue Wumu. Confucian General: - Confucius: During the Spring and Autumn Period, the people of the State of Lu were known as the "Saints." - Sun Tzu: During the Warring States Period, a military strategist was known as the "father of military strategists." - Xun You: During the Warring States Period, Xun Zi's disciple was known as the "Ancestor of Confucianism." - Li Si: The prime minister of the Qin Dynasty was known as the "Master of Confucianism." This was only a small portion of the famous generals in ancient China's history. There were many other famous generals who had their own unique historical background and contributions.
Usually, the author who adapted the official history into a novel was a man-made author. Therefore, whether the novel was called "official history" depended on the reader's evaluation and recognition of the novel. Some people may think that the novel is similar to official history and call it "official history", while others think that the novel is different from official history or does not conform to historical facts, so they call it "unofficial history". However, in some cases, the author may deliberately ignore certain details or plots or reinterpret or arrange historical events, thus causing readers to doubt the authenticity of the novel. In this case, the author needs to clearly explain the authenticity and accuracy of the novel to the reader or it will be regarded as a fictional novel. Therefore, it was up to the reader's opinion and judgment whether or not to regard the adaptation of official history into a novel as "official history".
If you are interested in Buddhist history, I can recommend the following novels: " The Tragedy of Nirvana and Rebirth ": A short story. After the protagonist recovers from his illness, he feels the indifference of society and the coldness of the world. Nirvana's cultivation method runs through the entire story. << Unofficial History of Taoism >>: A suspense and funny novel about the strange experience of the wild Taoist Wang Tianhua during the Republic of China. I hope that this fairy's recommendation can meet your needs.😘
The Secret History of Yongzheng is a novel and not an official history. Yongzheng was an emperor of the Qing Dynasty, and his secret history was written into a novel about how he won the political struggle and established his own dynasty. Although this novel had a certain historical background and fictional elements, it was not an official history but a literary work.
" The Secret History of Xiaozhuang " was not an official history book. It was an ancient novel and not an official history book. Although it is called a novel, it contains some historical events and characters, so it can be regarded as a historical novel. Although it had a great influence, it was not an official history book and could not be regarded as a history textbook.
The credibility of official history was relatively high. Official history was an official history book compiled and published by the imperial court. It had high authority and credibility. The official history was relatively well preserved and complete. The court rarely interfered with the historical facts recorded by historians, so it was more credible. The source of official history was often first-hand information, while the information of unofficial history had been passed on many times, and its original appearance could no longer be verified. It was difficult to distinguish between authenticity and falsehood. Although there might be some changes and modifications in the official history, the overall framework and major events would not deviate too much. Unofficial history often did not respect historical materials. It might add oil to the fire and make it difficult to determine its credibility. Therefore, although there might be some problems with the official history, the credibility of the official history was relatively high.
Official history was an official book that recorded historical events, people, culture, geography, and other information. It was usually written by the government or academic institutions of the past dynasties with authority and seriousness. The purpose of official history was to record history objectively and truthfully to provide historical knowledge and cultural inheritance for future generations. In China, official history was usually divided into Xia, Shang, Zhou, Qin, Han, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing, and other periods to record the historical events and figures of different dynasties. In foreign countries, official history was also known as official history. It was a book that officially recorded the history of a certain period or region written by government agencies or academic institutions.
I'm not a real novelist and I can't provide books on the history of the Qing Dynasty. However, if you want to understand the history of the Qing Dynasty, I can recommend some classic books such as Qing History Manuscript, Qing Unofficial History Collection, Qing Celebrity Biography, etc. These books cover the politics, economy, culture, society, and other aspects of the Qing Dynasty, allowing you to have a deeper understanding of the history of the Qing Dynasty.