Topic summary

Historical Records of the Five Dynasties

Historical Records of the Five Dynasties
New History of the Five DynastiesChinese

The Historical Records of the Five Dynasties (Wudai Shiji) is a Chinese history book on the Five Dynasties period (907–960), written by the Song dynasty official Ouyang Xiu in private. It was drafted during Ouyang's exile from 1036 to 1039 but not published until 1073, a year after his death. An abridged English translation by Richard L. Davis was published in 2004. The history book is a typical representative of the use of Spring and Autumn style (春秋笔法).

One of the official Twenty-Four Histories of China, the book is frequently referred to as the New History of the Five Dynasties (Xin Wudai Shi) in order to distinguish it from the Old History of the Five Dynasties which was published in 974. Though both books follow a similar format, Ouyang's book is more concise and markedly more analytical.