Since the third year of Hongwu, Su Yonglin ordered the National History Department of the Ministry of Rites to start work on the creation of the Chinese Era.

The National History Department widely collects historical books and private unofficial histories compiled by officials of all dynasties, especially all ancient books from the ancient pre-Qin era. They must be collected and sorted out.

Since we need to do a big review, the first thing that is important is time review.

As far as Su Yonglin knew, there was a republic rule in ancient China that was triggered by the rebellion during the rebellion of King Li of the Western Zhou Dynasty, thus opening up the first year of the republic.

After this, history and chronology have been more obvious continuity, and the credibility of historical events has been greatly improved.

Before this, not only did not have this continuity, but there were also many different records in the time records of many major historical events. It is difficult to say which one is right and which one is wrong, and it is very difficult to explain.

For example, the time when the Battle between King Wu and Shang Muye occurred is about 40 kinds of statements. Each statement has different historical materials or real objects to prove it, making it difficult to judge the authenticity, and the time gap between them can even reach twenty or thirty years.

If this problem is not clear, it cannot be determined the time of the establishment of the Western Zhou Dynasty and the demise of the Shang Dynasty, which will affect the study of the history of the Shang Dynasty.

However, even the beginning of the exact date is divided due to different understandings of the concept of "republic".

There are generally two statements about the republican calendar.

After the riots of the people of the country drove away King Li of Zhou, all the officials and princes recommended Duke Mu and Duke Ding of Zhou to rule together, calling him a republic. This statement comes from Sima Qian's historical records.

It is said that after the riots of the people of the country, the officials and princes recommended the republic, Gongbohe, a famous and virtuous king of the Republic, so it was called the Republic. This statement originated from the Bamboo Book Annals and the Spring and Autumn Period of the Lu Family.

Because the Lu family's Spring and Autumn Period and the Bamboo Book Anniversary were both earlier than the Records of the Grand Historian, the possibility of the second statement is greater than that of the first statement...

This is jointly recognized by all historians of the National History Department.

Therefore, on this issue, all officials of the National History Department clearly prefer the latter statement and decided to use the latter statement as the interpretation of "republic rule".

However, there are too many people who argue about other issues, such as when is the best time for the Chinese chronology?

Some people say that it started with Dayu's flood control.

Some people say it should start after Xia Qi founded the country.

Some people say it should start from the Yao era.

Some people also say that it should start from the era of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.

Some people even think that it should start with Pangu’s creation of the world.

This feeling of Pangu's creation of the world is a bit bizarre. It is completely a myth and legend. It is not supported by the current mainstream ideology of the Ming Dynasty. Therefore, only a few people support it. Most of them have oppositions and are quickly rejected.

The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors generally believe in their existence, but the years are too long. They only know their names and what they have done, what era they lived in, when they established a regime to become emperors, etc., and they have no idea how to record them.

For example, Emperor Xuanyuan, Emperor Shennong, etc., know their existence, but in what year did they rule and establish achievements?

Everyone has no definite opinions on this issue, so they can only put it on hold.

Therefore, the current main disputes in the beginning of the chronology are concentrated between the Yao, Shun and Yu era or the Xia Qi era.

The reason is also very simple. Everyone talks about the Chinese New Year, how can we avoid the Xia Dynasty?

Gu Yu

There are also internal disputes among historians who support the beginning of various periods.

The main disputes in the era of Yao, Shun and Yu also focused on the issues of record of the grandfather and the bamboo book of the year.

Historians debated whether they adopted records of the historical records or the bamboo annals of the year when they recorded history, and what attitude should they use to treat the abdication traditions of the Yao, Shun and Yu eras in the era of pre-Qin history such as the Lu family and the Spring and Autumn Period.

And how to determine a clear year.

These debates lasted for a long time and became more intense. From the three years of Hongwu to the middle of the four years of Hongwu, they were finally stopped by Su Yonglin.

"The establishment of the Chinese Chronicle Law this time mainly focuses on one truth and one accuracy. We must uphold a responsible attitude and promulgate the most true and accurate year. This is to be passed on to future generations and has great significance. You cannot use your personal likes and dislikes as the criterion.

I have said that while chronological records, we need to have a very clear idea of ​​what happened in that year as a supplement and testimony, so that all citizens can clearly understand what happened in that year and what it means to the whole of China.

We study history in order to understand the past and present, gains and losses, and to let people know when tonight and when they live, so that they can feel a real life, rather than a confused life that will pass."

Su Yonglin scolded the historians who had been arguing, and then made a decision in person, using the earliest exact year that can be determined so far as the first year of the Western Zhou Dynasty as the first year of the Chinese calendar, using this as an anchor to unfold backwards, record history, and sort out the years.

This decision was disapproved by many historians of the National History Department.

They think that if the first year of the Republic is used as the first year of China, wouldn’t it be equivalent to denying what happened before the first year of the Republic?

The Chinese people's riots in the first year of the Republic were certainly very important historical events, but weren't there many events before this, especially King Wu's attack on Zhou and the Western Zhou Dynasty to establish Zhou Gong's regent, etc., all of them were very important matters?

The three dynasties of Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties, and the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors who traced upwards, do not count?

Su Yonglin's explanation of this is also denied.

Su Yonglin believed that the anchor point of the first year of China could be temporary. He chose the first year of the Republic as the anchor point, but because the history after the first year of the Republic has traces and can be sorted out, and before this, there was constant debate, and it was probably a matter of ten or eight years without any result.

So, should we sort out the great context of China's history?

So his opinion is that he can first use his greatest energy to sort out the history after the first year of the Republic and rectify this history from the first year of the Republic to the Hongwu period.

As for the history before the first year of the Republic, we will devote more energy to rectifying, collecting ancient classics, and slowly sorting out everything before the first year of the Republic.

After the exact sorting out and sufficient evidence is provided, the time of the first year of China can be set forward, and all subsequent years can be moved forward.

By then it will be simple addition and subtraction, because the years that follow will be exact and there is no controversy.

"What is important in history is what has happened. We must let the things that have happened again, announce them to the world, and let the people of Daming know the long history of our China, rather than putting the sayings of gods and ghosts into it and going astray.

We can devote our energy to investigating things before the first year of the Republic, and I also think it is very meaningful. For example, King Wu defeated Shang, Tang and Wu Revolution, Dayu controls the flood and Xia Qi succeeds to the throne. I think these are all things that can be investigated.

Before the investigation is clear, you can make hypotheses about history in your personal capacity, and you can also write books and put forward hypotheses to express your own opinions. However, as the official of the Ming Dynasty, it is not appropriate to publicize it to the world, so as not to cause misunderstandings among the world about history."

At the meeting, Su Yonglin explained his views.

After internal discussion, this view was unanimously recognized by the National History Department. Therefore, the National History Department used this as a standard to define the Ming Dynasty's attitude towards history and the principles of historical revision.

That is, we do not focus on the history of each dynasty and each generation, but focus on the history in the entire Chinese context.

Not only should we clarify the history after the first year of the Republic, but we should also do our best to investigate the history before the first year of the Republic, restore the truth, and reveal the true face of the lost years.
Chapter completed!