Books such as Outline of China's History and General History of China lay too much emphasis on academic research, omitting too many important historical details.
History is an interactive process of inevitability and contingency, and the position of historians also plays an important role in our understanding of history.
I recommend a set of books that can help you understand the history of China in detail: A Complete Collection of Popular Romances of China in Past Dynasties (12).
For the life of Cai Dongfan, see/view/33445.htm.
Features of this book:
In terms of historical data, the book follows the principle of "taking the official history as the classics, being convinced that it is conclusive, taking anecdotes as the latitude, and not being false or false"; In the genre, it highlights the characteristics of "righteousness carries things, that is, Tao", and writes, comments and discusses by itself.
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If it is not easy to download, you can also contact me and I will send it to your email.
I also want to add one thing:
The writing of this set of books is similar to the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and the main contents are relatively easy to understand. It is no exaggeration to say that words with certain classical Chinese will feel magnificent and can better appreciate the majestic atmosphere of history.
After reading an article, you should savor the historical review in and at the end of the article. I think this is the essence of this set of books.
As for the ancient official positions, the culture of ancient dynasties can refer to the China Children's Encyclopedia (People/Society Volume) I read in middle school. Although it is not long, it is complete and clear.
PS:
According to relevant records, 1 June, 937,1,Mao Zedong called l937 Kenong and asked him to buy two sets of Historical Romance of China to meet the needs of Yan 'an cadres to learn the history of China. What he calls romance is Cai Dongfan's Popular Romance of China in Past Dynasties. Mao Zedong himself treasured this set of books and put them on the bedside of the bedroom to read. The value of Cai Dongfan's works can be reflected from Mao Zedong's profound literary accomplishment and historical foundation.
February River said that "reading this book can introduce national history"; Personally, I think it can be not only an introduction to national history, but also a rich material with great reference value. In a sense, it can even be equated with twenty-four histories.