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Title : Translation and Annotation: China History on Foreign Relations 5
      ―  with Regard to Foreign Nations

Northeast Asian History Foundation (Ed.)

Since the  of Sima Qian, Chinese dynasties had compiled previous dynasties' history in the form of a series of biographies. These compilations of history are called official dynastic histories or Zhengshi. The collection of Chinese historical books including  are referred to as 25 Histories, and these books and  ― which has not been incorporated into official history ― are called 26 Histories. The objective of compiling official histories in China was to establish a unified perception of history with national power. As such, their content and format strongly reflect Chinese dynasties' views, and these histories were written from a sino-centric perspective, in particular for parts related to foreign countries or other tribes. This means that description of foreign countries in Chinese history not only reflects the realities at that time but also is greatly influenced by sino-centric ideology. In this regard, texts concerning foreign countries in China's official dynastic histories, reveal China's sino-centric perception of history, frontiers, and the world.

Table of Contents

• Commentary of texts concerning foreing countries in
• Chapters of Xianbei and Tuyuhun (鮮卑吐谷渾)
• Chapters of Yimo(夷蠻)
• Chapters of Dihu(氐胡)