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The title 'Zizhi Tongjian' translates to 'A Brief History of Governance.'
Answer: False
The title 'Zizhi Tongjian' translates more accurately to 'Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance,' signifying its purpose as a guide for rulers by reflecting on past events.
The Zizhi Tongjian's title uses 'mirror' metaphorically to represent a tool for learning from the past to guide present actions.
Answer: True
This is correct. The 'mirror' in 'Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance' serves metaphorically as a tool for reflection and learning from historical precedents to inform contemporary governance.
What is the primary purpose of the Zizhi Tongjian, as suggested by its title?
Answer: To act as a comprehensive guide for governance by learning from past events.
The title 'Zizhi Tongjian' translates to 'Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance,' directly indicating its purpose as a didactic tool for rulers, enabling them to learn from historical precedents to guide their governance.
The phrase 'mirror' in the title 'Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance' suggests its function is primarily:
Answer: To serve as a tool for learning and reflection from the past.
The metaphorical use of 'mirror' in the title signifies the chronicle's function as a didactic instrument, enabling rulers and scholars to learn from historical events and reflections.
Which of the following is NOT a correct translation or description of a term related to the Zizhi Tongjian found in the source?
Answer: Biànniàntǐ: Annal-biography style
The term Biànniàntǐ refers to the chronological style, not the annal-biography style. The annal-biography style is known as jìzhuàntǐ.
Emperor Taizong commissioned the Zizhi Tongjian in the 11th century.
Answer: False
The Zizhi Tongjian was commissioned by Emperor Yingzong of Song in 1065, not Emperor Taizong. Its compilation spanned the 11th century, concluding in 1084.
The Zizhi Tongjian was presented to Emperor Yingzong upon its completion.
Answer: False
The completed Zizhi Tongjian was presented in 1084 to Emperor Shenzong of Song, not Emperor Yingzong, although Emperor Yingzong had commissioned the project.
The Zizhi Tongjian's compilation involved debates regarding Sima Guang's potential political biases.
Answer: True
Academic discussions surrounding the compilation of the Zizhi Tongjian do indeed include debates concerning Sima Guang's potential political biases and his methods of source selection.
The Zizhi Tongjian was published during the Northern Song dynasty.
Answer: True
This statement is correct; the Zizhi Tongjian was published in 1084, during the Northern Song dynasty.
Emperor Shenzong of Song commissioned the Zizhi Tongjian project.
Answer: False
Emperor Yingzong of Song commissioned the Zizhi Tongjian project in 1065. The completed work was presented to his successor, Emperor Shenzong.
Which emperor commissioned the monumental task of compiling the Zizhi Tongjian?
Answer: Emperor Yingzong of Song
The compilation of the Zizhi Tongjian was commissioned in 1065 by Emperor Yingzong of Song.
How long did the compilation of the Zizhi Tongjian take Sima Guang and his team?
Answer: 19 years
Sima Guang and his team dedicated 19 years to the monumental task of compiling the Zizhi Tongjian.
What is the total chronological span covered by the Zizhi Tongjian?
Answer: 403 BC to 959 AD
The Zizhi Tongjian provides a comprehensive historical record spanning from 403 BC, marking the beginning of the Warring States period, to 959 AD, the end of the Five Dynasties period.
The Zizhi Tongjian was published during which dynasty?
Answer: Northern Song Dynasty
The Zizhi Tongjian was published in 1084, during the Northern Song Dynasty.
The source mentions academic discussions surrounding the Zizhi Tongjian's creation. What is one of the key points of debate?
Answer: The methods of source selection and potential political bias.
Academic discourse concerning the Zizhi Tongjian's compilation frequently addresses the methodologies employed in source selection and editing, as well as potential political biases influencing Sima Guang's work.
The Zizhi Tongjian was published in 1084. What dynasty was in power at that time?
Answer: Northern Song Dynasty
The Zizhi Tongjian was published in 1084, during the reign of the Northern Song Dynasty.
The Zizhi Tongjian is a brief summary of Chinese history focusing only on the Song Dynasty.
Answer: False
The Zizhi Tongjian is a comprehensive chronicle of Chinese history, not a brief summary focused solely on the Song Dynasty. It covers a vast period from 403 BC to 959 AD.
The Zizhi Tongjian covers a historical period from the Han Dynasty up to the end of the Tang Dynasty.
Answer: False
The Zizhi Tongjian covers a much broader historical period, extending from 403 BC (Warring States period) up to 959 AD (end of the Five Dynasties period), encompassing far more than just the Han and Tang Dynasties.
The main text of the Zizhi Tongjian is organized into biographies of key historical figures.
Answer: False
The primary organizational structure of the Zizhi Tongjian's main text is a year-by-year chronological narrative, not a collection of biographies.
Sima Guang chose the chronological style because he found the traditional annal-biography format easier to understand.
Answer: False
Sima Guang adopted the chronological style because he believed the traditional annal-biography format was too diffuse and difficult to comprehend, aiming instead for a clearer, sequential historical record.
The Zizhi Tongjian contains approximately 300,000 Chinese characters spread across 294 scrolls.
Answer: False
The Zizhi Tongjian is a substantial work, containing approximately 3 million Chinese characters spread across 294 scrolls, not 300,000.
The Tang Dynasty receives the most extensive coverage within the Zizhi Tongjian, with 81 chapters dedicated to it.
Answer: True
Indeed, the Tang Dynasty is the most extensively covered period in the Zizhi Tongjian, occupying 81 chapters of the chronicle.
The Zizhi Tongjian includes supplementary sections titled 'maps' and 'genealogies'.
Answer: False
The Zizhi Tongjian includes supplementary sections titled 'tables' (mùlù) and 'critical analysis' (kǎoyì), not 'maps' and 'genealogies'.
The Han Dynasty is covered by fewer chapters than the Jin Dynasty in the Zizhi Tongjian.
Answer: False
The Han Dynasty is covered by 60 chapters, while the Jin Dynasty is covered by 40 chapters. Therefore, the Han Dynasty is covered by more chapters than the Jin Dynasty.
The Zizhi Tongjian was primarily written in the traditional Chinese annal-biography format.
Answer: False
The Zizhi Tongjian was primarily written in a chronological style (biànniàntǐ), departing from the traditional annal-biography format (jìzhuàntǐ).
The Zizhi Tongjian covers the history of exactly 10 Chinese dynasties.
Answer: False
The Zizhi Tongjian documents the history of 16 distinct Chinese dynasties, not exactly 10.
The Five Dynasties period is covered by a single, continuous block of chapters in the Zizhi Tongjian.
Answer: False
The Five Dynasties period is not covered by a single, continuous block of chapters but is distributed across various dynasties within that era, such as Later Liang, Later Tang, etc.
The Zizhi Tongjian contains approximately 3 million characters and is organized into 294 scrolls.
Answer: True
This statement is accurate. The Zizhi Tongjian comprises approximately 3 million Chinese characters organized into 294 scrolls.
The Qin Dynasty's history is documented in more chapters than the Han Dynasty's history within the Zizhi Tongjian.
Answer: False
The Han Dynasty is documented in 60 chapters, while the Qin Dynasty is covered in 3 chapters. Therefore, the Han Dynasty has significantly more coverage.
Which of the following dynasties is NOT covered by the Zizhi Tongjian?
Answer: Song Dynasty
The Zizhi Tongjian covers the period up to 959 AD, concluding with the Five Dynasties period. The Song Dynasty, which began in 960 AD, is therefore not covered by the chronicle.
How many distinct dynasties are documented within the Zizhi Tongjian?
Answer: 16
The Zizhi Tongjian documents the history of 16 distinct dynasties, providing a broad overview of China's dynastic cycles.
What is the approximate number of Chinese characters contained in the main text of the Zizhi Tongjian?
Answer: 3 Million
The main text of the Zizhi Tongjian is extensive, containing approximately 3 million Chinese characters.
Sima Guang's decision to use a chronological style (biànniàntǐ) was a departure from which traditional Chinese historiographical format?
Answer: Annals-biography style (jìzhuàntǐ)
Sima Guang's adoption of the chronological style (biànniàntǐ) represented a significant departure from the traditional Chinese historiographical format known as the annals-biography style (jìzhuàntǐ).
Why did Sima Guang prefer the chronological style over the traditional annal-biography format?
Answer: He believed the traditional format was too diffuse and hard to comprehend.
Sima Guang articulated that the traditional annal-biography format was too diffuse and difficult for scholars to comprehend, leading him to favor the chronological style for greater clarity and utility.
Besides the main narrative, what supplementary sections are included in the Zizhi Tongjian?
Answer: Tables (mùlù) and critical analysis (kǎoyì)
In addition to its main chronological narrative, the Zizhi Tongjian incorporates two supplementary sections: 'tables' (mùlù) and 'critical analysis' (kǎoyì).
Which dynasty receives the most extensive coverage in terms of chapter count within the Zizhi Tongjian?
Answer: Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty is afforded the most extensive coverage within the Zizhi Tongjian, comprising 81 chapters.
The Han Dynasty, a significant period in Chinese history, is covered extensively in the Zizhi Tongjian. How many chapters are dedicated to it?
Answer: 60
The Han Dynasty, a pivotal era in Chinese history, is extensively documented within the Zizhi Tongjian, occupying 60 chapters.
Besides the main narrative, what supplementary sections are included in the Zizhi Tongjian? What are their Chinese terms?
Answer: Tables (mùlù) and critical analysis (kǎoyì)
Beyond the primary chronological narrative, the Zizhi Tongjian incorporates supplementary sections identified as 'tables' (mùlù) and 'critical analysis' (kǎoyì).
Which of the following pairs correctly identifies a dynasty and its chapter count in the Zizhi Tongjian according to the source?
Answer: Liu Song Dynasty: 16 chapters
According to the provided data, the Liu Song Dynasty is covered in 16 chapters, making this pairing correct. Other dynasties mentioned have different chapter counts (e.g., Wei: 10, Sui: 8, Qin: 3).
The chronicle covers the history of 16 dynasties, but which of these had the *least* number of chapters dedicated to it?
Answer: Later Han (Five Dynasties)
Among the Five Dynasties period, the Later Han dynasty is documented with the fewest chapters (4), compared to Later Liang (6), Later Jin (6), and Later Zhou (5).
How many chapters does the Zizhi Tongjian allocate to the Liang Dynasty?
Answer: 22
The Zizhi Tongjian allocates 22 chapters to the Liang Dynasty (502-557 AD).
How many chapters does the Zizhi Tongjian dedicate to the Wei and Jin dynasties combined?
Answer: 50 chapters
The Wei period is covered in 10 chapters, and the Jin Dynasty in 40 chapters, totaling 50 chapters for the combined Wei and Jin dynasties.
The Zizhi Tongjian covers the period from 403 BC to 959 AD. Which of the following is the earliest dynasty covered in detail?
Answer: Zhou Dynasty
While the chronicle begins in 403 BC, the earliest dynasty covered in detail within the Zizhi Tongjian is the Zhou Dynasty, specifically its later period (Warring States).
What is the total number of scrolls comprising the supplementary sections ('tables' and 'critical analysis') of the Zizhi Tongjian?
Answer: 60 scrolls
The supplementary sections of the Zizhi Tongjian, comprising the 'tables' (mùlù) and 'critical analysis' (kǎoyì), each consist of 30 scrolls, totaling 60 scrolls for these sections.
How many chapters does the Zizhi Tongjian allocate to the Liu Song dynasty?
Answer: 16
The Zizhi Tongjian dedicates 16 chapters to the Liu Song Dynasty (420-479 AD).
Endymion Wilkinson considered the Zizhi Tongjian to be of only moderate historical importance.
Answer: False
Endymion Wilkinson regarded the Zizhi Tongjian as exceptionally important, describing it as 'reference quality' and a 'first reference' for its comprehensive coverage and influence on subsequent historical writing.
Achilles Fang noted that the Zizhi Tongjian was obscure and unknown to most readers in pre-Republican China.
Answer: False
Achilles Fang observed the opposite, noting that the Zizhi Tongjian was practically the only general history familiar to most readers in pre-Republican China.
According to Achilles Fang, what was the status of the Zizhi Tongjian among the reading public in pre-Republican China?
Answer: It was practically the only general history familiar to most readers.
Achilles Fang observed that the Zizhi Tongjian, along with its abridgments, served as the primary general history familiar to the vast majority of the reading public in pre-Republican China.
What does Endymion Wilkinson describe as a key characteristic of the Zizhi Tongjian's value?
Answer: Its status as a reference quality work and first reference.
Endymion Wilkinson highlighted the Zizhi Tongjian's value by describing it as a 'reference quality work' and an indispensable 'first reference' for its comprehensive historical coverage.
The Zizhi Tongjian is described as having immense influence on what aspect of Chinese history?
Answer: Later Chinese historical writing.
The Zizhi Tongjian is widely recognized for its profound and lasting influence on subsequent Chinese historical writing, shaping how history was recorded and understood for centuries.
The Zizhi Tongjian is considered a landmark achievement primarily because of its:
Answer: Comprehensive scope, chronological structure, and lasting influence.
The Zizhi Tongjian is recognized as a landmark achievement due to its comprehensive historical scope, its innovative chronological structure, and its profound and enduring influence on subsequent Chinese historiography.
The Zizhi Tongjian was considered highly influential, serving as a primary source for centuries. Who observed its practical ubiquity among the reading public before the Republican era?
Answer: Achilles Fang
Achilles Fang, a scholar of Chinese history, observed the widespread familiarity with the Zizhi Tongjian among the reading public in pre-Republican China.
Joseph-Anne-Marie de Moyriac de Mailla translated the original Zizhi Tongjian into French.
Answer: False
Joseph-Anne-Marie de Moyriac de Mailla translated the *Zizhi Tongjian Gangmu*, a condensed version, into French, not the original chronicle compiled by Sima Guang.
Rafe de Crespigny's translations cover the early Warring States period of Chinese history.
Answer: False
Rafe de Crespigny's translations focus on the period from 57 AD to 220 AD, which falls within the Han Dynasty, not the early Warring States period. Joseph P. Yap's translations cover the Warring States and Qin periods.
Léon Wieger's *Textes historiques* was based on Sima Guang's original Zizhi Tongjian.
Answer: False
Léon Wieger's *Textes historiques* was primarily based on the condensed *Zizhi Tongjian Gangmu*, not Sima Guang's original comprehensive chronicle.
Joseph P. Yap's translations focus on the later periods of Chinese history covered by the Zizhi Tongjian.
Answer: False
Joseph P. Yap's translations, such as his work on chapters 1-8, focus on the earlier periods, specifically the Warring States and Qin periods (403-207 BC), not the later periods.
The French translation *Histoire générale de la Chine* by de Mailla was based on which version of the chronicle?
Answer: The Zizhi Tongjian Gangmu
The French translation *Histoire générale de la Chine*, published by Joseph-Anne-Marie de Moyriac de Mailla, was based on the condensed version, the Zizhi Tongjian Gangmu, not Sima Guang's original work.
Which historian published annotated translations of Zizhi Tongjian chapters covering the period 57 AD to 220 AD?
Answer: Rafe de Crespigny
Rafe de Crespigny is the historian credited with publishing annotated translations of Zizhi Tongjian chapters that cover the period from 57 AD to 220 AD.
The Zizhi Tongjian was published in 1084. What dynasty was in power at that time?
Answer: Northern Song Dynasty
The Zizhi Tongjian was published in 1084, during the reign of the Northern Song Dynasty.
What historical period does Joseph P. Yap's translation, covering chapters 1-8, focus on?
Answer: The Warring States and Qin periods (403-207 BC)
Joseph P. Yap's translation of chapters 1-8 of the Zizhi Tongjian specifically focuses on the Warring States and Qin periods, spanning from 403 to 207 BC.
What specific information does Achilles Fang's 1952 annotated translation provide access to?
Answer: Chapters 70-79, covering events up to 265 AD.
Achilles Fang's 1952 annotated translation provides access to chapters 70 through 79 of the Zizhi Tongjian, detailing historical events up to 265 AD.
Léon Wieger's 1929 work, *Textes historiques*, covered Chinese political history from antiquity up to which year?
Answer: 906 AD
Léon Wieger's *Textes historiques*, drawing from the Zizhi Tongjian Gangmu, covered Chinese political history from antiquity up to the year 906 AD.
Which of the following scholars wrote a commentary on the Zizhi Tongjian titled *Du Tongjian Lun*?
Answer: Wang Fuzhi
The philosopher Wang Fuzhi authored the commentary titled *Du Tongjian Lun* (*Comments After Reading the Tongjian*) concerning the Zizhi Tongjian.
The Zizhi Tongjian Gangmu is the original, complete chronicle compiled by Sima Guang.
Answer: False
The Zizhi Tongjian Gangmu is a condensed and reworked version compiled by Zhu Xi in the 12th century, not the original chronicle compiled by Sima Guang.
Only a handful of original manuscript pages from the Zizhi Tongjian exist today.
Answer: True
It is documented that only eight original manuscript pages from the Zizhi Tongjian survive today, preserved in the National Library of China.
The Zhonghua Book Company edition of the Zizhi Tongjian includes commentary from the Yuan dynasty historian Hu Sanxing.
Answer: True
This is accurate. The Zhonghua Book Company edition incorporates the textual criticism and commentary provided by the Yuan dynasty historian Hu Sanxing.
Who was the scholar responsible for creating the condensed version known as the Zizhi Tongjian Gangmu?
Answer: Zhu Xi
The condensed version of the Zizhi Tongjian, known as the Zizhi Tongjian Gangmu, was created by the prominent Neo-Confucian scholar Zhu Xi in the 12th century.
Which historian is credited with providing textual criticism included in the Zhonghua Book Company edition of the Zizhi Tongjian?
Answer: Hu Sanxing
The Zhonghua Book Company edition of the Zizhi Tongjian incorporates textual criticism from the Yuan dynasty historian Hu Sanxing.
What is the significance of the surviving eight original chapters of the Zizhi Tongjian manuscript?
Answer: They represent the only known original manuscript pages of the chronicle.
The eight surviving original chapters of the Zizhi Tongjian manuscript are significant because they constitute the only known original manuscript pages of this monumental historical work.