Veritable Records

Veritable Records
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese實錄
Simplified Chinese实录
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinShílù
Wade–GilesShih2-lu4
Vietnamese name
VietnameseThực lục
Chữ Hán寔錄
Korean name
Hangul실록
Hanja實錄
Transcriptions
Revised RomanizationSillok
Japanese name
Hiraganaじつろく
Shinjitai実録
Transcriptions
RomanizationJitsuroku

Veritable Records are historical records compiled by government (court) historians of Chinese dynasties since the 6th century, and later in Korea, Japan and Vietnam which adopted the Chinese bureaucratic system and the writing system of Classical Chinese. Typically they were compiled immediately following the death of a monarch (preparations sometimes began while he was still alive[1]) and follow a strictly prescribed format. Veritable Records are highly detailed and contain a wealth of political, economical, military, and biographical information.[2]

Famous examples include (all written in Classical Chinese):

During the Yuan and Qing dynasties of China, Veritable Records were also written in Mongol and Manchu respectively.

  1. ^ Twitchett, p. 40.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Theobald was invoked but never defined (see the help page).