In China's long history, when dynasties changed, the compilation of official history books was often affected by the political environment and the will of the rulers at that time. Some records may be tampered with or beautified for political purposes. The following are some common aspects that may be tampered with： ### 1. **The legitimacy of the founding emperor** -**Case **: In order to prove the legitimacy of their rule, the founding emperors of many dynasties may tamper with or fabricate their origin, merits, or destiny. For example, Han Gaozu Liu Bang is depicted as the “Red Emperor”, and Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang is deified as the “True Dragon Emperor”. These records may have the purpose of political propaganda. -**Reason**: By deifying or beautifying the image of the founding emperor, the legitimacy and authority of the regime can be enhanced. ### 2. **The negative image of the last emperor of the previous dynasty** -**Case **: After the establishment of the new dynasty, in order to prove that the demise of the previous dynasty was “providence” or “dereliction of virtue”, the image of the last emperor was often deliberately vilified. For example, the Shang Dynasty was depicted as a tyrant, and the Sui Emperor was described as obscene and immoral. These records may exaggerate the facts. -**Reason**: By vilifying the rulers of the previous dynasty, the justice and necessity of the new dynasty can be highlighted. ### 3. **Evaluation of heroes and opponents** -**Case **: The image of a hero or opponent may be tampered with due to political needs. For example, heroes such as Han Xin in the early Han Dynasty and Lan Yu in the early Ming Dynasty were described as “plotting rebellion” in the later period, possibly to eliminate political threats. Opponents such as Qin Hui of the Southern Song Dynasty were shaped into the image of ”traitors". -**Reason**: By redefining the image of a hero or opponent, the authority of the ruler can be consolidated. ### 4. **Exaggeration of war and victory** -**Case **: In history books, the victory of war may be exaggerated, while the defeat is downplayed or covered up. For example, the Tang Dynasty's war against the Turkic Empire and the Ming Dynasty's war against Mongolia, the scale and impact of their victories may be magnified. -**Reason**: By exaggerating the victory, the prestige of the country and the merits of the ruler can be enhanced. ### 5. **Attribution of natural and man-made disasters** -**Case **: Natural disasters (such as floods, earthquakes) or man-made disasters (such as rebellions, famines) may be attributed to “providence” or the “dereliction of duty” of the previous dynasty to divert people's dissatisfaction. For example, the Yellow Turban Uprising in the late Eastern Han Dynasty was attributed to the corruption of the imperial court, while the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Movement in the Qing Dynasty was attributed to a “cult.” -**Reason**: By attributing disasters to external factors, the ruler's own responsibilities can be alleviated. ### 6. **Rewriting of cultural policy** -**Case **: Some dynasties may rewrite or destroy the cultural heritage of the previous dynasties. For example, Qin Shihuang's “Book burning pit” and the Qing Dynasty's “word prison” were all designed to eliminate ideas and culture that were not conducive to rule. -**Reason**: By controlling culture, ideological unity can be consolidated. ### 7. **Description of frontier and ethnic relations** -**Case **: In the records of frontier and ethnic relations, certain ethnic groups may be glorified or vilified. For example, the Han Dynasty's description of the Xiongnu and the Ming Dynasty's description of Mongolia may be biased or politically motivated. -**Reason**: By shaping the image of a “foreign enemy”, internal cohesion can be enhanced. ### Summary The tampering of historical records is often for political purposes, including consolidating the legitimacy of the regime, eliminating threats, and shaping ideology. These tampering may affect future generations' understanding of history, so when studying history, it is necessary to combine multiple historical materials for critical analysis. Chinese history is a valuable asset of the Chinese nation. We should treat history with a scientific attitude and inherit and carry forward the outstanding cultural traditions in it.