隋书

This book is the earliest existing historical monograph of Sui dynasty and one of the historical books with high historical value among the Twenty-five Dynastic Histories. Firstly, it has clear guideline. The Emperor Taizong of Tang dynasty who ordered to compile the history of Sui witnessed the war to overthrow Sui and often talked about the lessons learned from the extinction of Sui after taking the power clearly proposed his point of view that with history as the mirror, the rules of governance can be summarized. Therefore, learning lessons from history with reference to history is the guideline of the compilation of the history of Sui. Secondly, it succeeds the great historiographical tradition to write about truth and avoid flattering words. Wei Zheng, the chief-editor, righteous and honesty, kept telling the truth without preferential comments on respectable figures, describing the meanness and arbitrariness and dislike of reading of the Emperor of Wen of Sui dynasty, contentiousness and blaspheme of parents, siblings and loyal officials without constraints. Thirdly, it preserves numerous materials about politics, economy, science and technology, and culture. Therein, ten annals records the ceremonial systems of Liang, Chen, Northern Qi, Northern Zhou and five dynasties of Sui, some even traced back to Han and Wei dynasties.