Among them, Yuan Gui is called the first of the four great books in the Song Dynasty because of its largest scale, which is several times that of other books. Yuan Gui Bookstore was originally named "Deeds of Monarch and Minister". In the second year of Jingdezhen in northern Song Zhenzong (1005), on September 22nd, the emperor wrote a letter to repair the deeds of emperors and ministers in previous dynasties, which was written on August 13th, the sixth year of Dazhong Xiangfu (10/3). A * * * took eight years to complete. The version was engraved in the Song Dynasty, but it is very rare. Most of them have been lost because of their age.
Yuan Gui in Ci Fu is widely based on official history and factual records, but it doesn't take notes and miscellaneous history, nor does it note the source. There are as many as 1000 volumes in the book, and the main contents are historical records of the Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties. Of course, there are also historical records from ancient times to the Five Dynasties. Yuan Gui in Ci Fu is compiled in chronological order with people, things and things, with extensive historical materials, which basically summarizes the history of seventeen years.
The other three books are Tai Ping Guang Ji, Tai Lan and Wen Yuan Ji.
In March of the second year of Taiping Xingguo (977), Taiping Guangji was compiled by Song Taizong and ended in August of the following year. Because it was compiled in the period of Taiping and Xingguo, it was named "Tai Ping Guang Ji" to collect unofficial history and novels.
Taiping Yu Lan is an encyclopedia in the Song Dynasty. Song Taizong Zhao Guangyi ordered the compilation in the second year of Taiping Xingguo (AD 977), which lasted six years and was completed in December of the eighth year of Taiping Xingguo (984).
Wen Yuan Hua Ying began in the seventh year of Taiping Xingguo (982) and was completed in the third year of Yongxi (986), which lasted for four years. This is a literary work of the Song Dynasty.