History may not be reproduced like replaying old movies, but from the accumulated experiences of humanity in history, we can still gain a clearer understanding of humanity as a whole, and thus have a better self-awareness of ourselves. Especially 'knowing oneself' is the true meaning of 'learning from history'.
——Xu Zhuoyun, a renowned historian

History is a mirror and also an art. It can be borrowed and appreciated!
——Yan Chongnian, historian and lecturer of "The Hundred Lectures"

History is the present of the past, and today is a continuation of the past. There is no clear boundary between history and today.
——Wang Liqun, historian and keynote speaker of "The Hundred Lectures"

★ A History Series for the General Reader—Devour Humanity’s Glorious Civilizations in One Sitting!
History + Literature + Philosophy, Spanning Ancient to Modern Times

★ Flip Through 365 Days—Gain Knowledge Effortlessly!
Accessible & Engaging Language, logically structured for public readership
Systematic Content Presentation, with clear priorities and abundant key insights
Concise Entries, each readable in just 2–3 minutes

★ Master 5,000 Years of Chinese History + World History in One Book!
From the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors to the fall of the Qing Dynasty
From primal civilizations to the turmoil of World War II
From human ambition to shifting power, from stellar luminaries to fallen gods
Civilizations · Cultures · Systems · Key Figures · Pivotal Events—A comprehensive survey of humanity’s journey

★ "History Cultivates Wisdom"—Analyzing triumphs and failures, uncovering historical patterns, and seeking solutions from the past.

The "365-Day Casual Reading Series" includes 3 volumes:
"365 Days of History"
"365 Days of Literature"
"365 Days of Philosophy"

This is a popular history reader that spans ancient and modern times, bridging Chinese and global narratives. Through vivid historical events and character-driven stories, it reveals the profound wisdom and lessons of rise and fall embedded in history.
The Book includes two parts: Chinese History spans from the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors to the fall of the Qing Dynasty, distilling 5,000 years into a single volume; World History traces the arc of civilizations from their indigenous origins to the upheavals of World War II, offering a panoramic understanding of global heritage.
The content includesBrilliant cultures, institutions, religions,Pivotal historical figures and epoch-defining events. It is a multidimensional survey of humanity’s evolution, analyzing triumphs and failures, interprets the inertia and laws of history, deciphering historical inertia and patterns to derive strategies and breakthrough insights.
The book is meticulously researched yet infused with wit, emphasizing depth and reflection. Its language is popular and interesting, allowing readers to easily acquire historical knowledge while also being inspired.

365 day Classic Reading Editorial Board

Its members are composed of scholars and researchers from numerous universities and academic institutions in China. Each member of the editorial board has a profound background in history and literature, as well as a rigorous and responsible work attitude. They have participated in the editing of similar books multiple times and have rich experience. The publication of "Reading Classics" has received high praise from numerous readers.

Chinese History

◎ Pre-Qin Period
Pangu Creates the World
Suirenshi Discovers Fire by Drilling Wood
The Battle of Zhuolu
Yao and Shun’s Abdication System
Yu the Great Tames the Floods
Hereditary Rule Begins: "From Father to Son, the Family Owns All Under Heaven"
King Tang of Shang Overthrows the Xia Dynasty
Yi Yin Assists in Governance
The Battle of Muye
The Duke of Zhou Assists in Governance
The Spring and Autumn Period’s Struggle for Hegemony
Cao Gui’s Debate on Warfare
The Friendship of Guan Zhong and Bao Shuya
Guan Zhong’s Reforms
Duke Huan of Qi Unites the Feudal Lords Nine Times
Duke Wen of Jin Retreats Three She (30 Miles)
Duke Zhuang of Chu Astonishes All with a Single Cry
The Rivalry Between Wu and Yue
"When the Rabbits Die, the Hunting Dogs Are Cooked"
The Chaos of the Warring States Period
Reforms by Li Kui and Wu Qi
Shang Yang’s Reforms
Su Qin’s Horizontal Alliance Strategy
Zhang Yi’s Horizontal Alliance Strategy
Tian Dan’s Stratagem to Repel Yan
Returning the Jade to Zhao Unharmed
Bearing Thorns to Ask for Punishment
"Ally with the Distant, Attack the Near" Strategy
The Battle of Changping
"Crowing Like a Rooster, Stealing Like a Dog"
"Sleep Soundly Without Worry"

◎ Qin and Han Dynasties
Unification of the Realm
The First Emperor of Qin
Li Si: The Chancellor Who Shaped History
Burning of Books and Burying of Scholars
The Uprising of Chen Sheng and Wu Guang
Liu Bang and Xiang Yu
The Battle of Julu
The Chu-Han Contention
"Surrounded by Songs of Chu"
Han Xin’s Rise to Prominence
The Majesty of the Han Dynasty
"Following Xiao He’s Precedents"
The Rebellion of the Seven States
Emperor Wu of Han’s Grand Ambitions
"Dismissing the Hundred Schools, Solely Honoring Confucianism"
"How Can I Establish a Home While the Xiongnu Remain Unvanquished?"
Zhang Qian’s Journey to the Western Regions
The Debate on Salt and Iron Monopolies
Huo Guang: The Pillar of the Han Dynasty
The Fall of the Western Han
The Green Forest and Red Eyebrows Uprisings
The Restoration Under Emperor Guangwu
The Struggle Between Eunuchs and Consort Clans
The Yellow Turban Rebellion
The Fall of the Eastern Han

◎ Three Kingdoms, Wei-Jin, and Northern-Southern Dynasties
Dong Zhuo’s Tyranny
Warlords Divide the Land
The Hero Cao Cao
"Discussing Heroes Over Green Plums and Warm Wine"
The Battle of Guandu
The Sun Clan Occupies Jiangdong
Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage
The Battle of Red Cliffs
The Three Kingdoms Stand in Rivalry
The Five Tiger Generals
The Empty Fort Strategy
The Sima Clan Seizes Power
A Temporary End to Chaos
The Battle of Feishui
Emperor Wu of Song: Ambition to Swallow All
Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei Unifies the North
Development of the Southern Regions

◎ Sui, Tang, and Song Dynasties
Yang Jian Establishes the Sui Dynasty
The Reign of Kaihuang
The Establishment of the Imperial Examination System
The Dynasty Falls in Just Two Generations
Peasant Uprisings in Late Sui
Li Yuan Founds the Tang Dynasty
The Xuanwu Gate Incident
The Alliance at the Wei River
The Zhenguan Golden Age
"Fang Xuanling’s Planning, Du Ruhui’s Decisions"
The Only Female Emperor
"Please Step into the Vat"
Di Renjie: The Tang Dynasty’s Pillar
The Prosperous Kaiyuan Era
The Splendor of the High Tang
The An Lushan Rebellion
The Yongzhen Reforms
Huang Chao’s Rebellion
The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
"Draped in the Yellow Robe" (Zhao Kuangyin’s Rise)
"Relieving Generals of Their Commands Over a Cup of Wine"
Emperor Taizu of Song: Vigorous Reforms
The Treaty of Chanyuan
Kou Zhun Cancels a Banquet
The Qingli New Policies
Wang Anshi’s Reforms
The Humiliation of Jingkang
The Treaty of Shaoxing

◎ Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties
The Establishment of the Mongol Empire
Conquering the World
Marco Polo’s Journey to China
A Short-Lived Dynasty
The Red Turban Rebellion
The Commoner Emperor (Zhu Yuanzhang)
The Jingnan Rebellion
Zheng He’s Voyages to the Western Seas
The Tumu Crisis
Zhang Juzheng’s Reforms
Matteo Ricci Arrives in China
"Every Sound Enters the Ear, Every Matter Concerns the Heart"
Nurhaci Founds the Later Jin Dynasty
Li Zicheng Enters Beijing
The Qing Army Crosses the Pass
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang of the Qing
Kangxi Outsmarts Oboi
The Revolt of the Three Feudatories
The Golden Age of Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong
Literary Inquisitions
The Macartney Embassy to China
The First Opium War
The Second Opium War
The Taiping Rebellion
Empress Dowager Cixi’s Rule Behind the Curtain
The Self-Strengthening Movement
Li Hongzhang: "The Minister of the Restoration"
The First Sino-Japanese War
The Hundred Days’ Reform
The Eight-Nation Alliance Captures Beijing
The Last Emperor

World History
◎ Ancient Civilization
Menes unifies Egypt
Pharaoh and Pyramid
Tutankhamun's Spells
Thutmose III
Ancient Egyptian solar calendar
The Rise and Fall of Sumerian City States
The Invention of Writing
The Conquest of Sargon
The Charm of Babylon in Cuba
Hittite Empire
King David of Judah
Assyrian
The Revival of the Babylonian Kingdom
Sky Garden
Mohenjo Daro
Shakyamuni founded Buddhism
Cyrus the Great
Darius I's Reforms

◎ Greek and Roman period
Athena
Aegean Civilization
Homer's Epic
The Holy Truce Treaty
Wolf Boy and the City of Rome
City-state system
Persian Wars
Greece's' Golden Age '
peloponnesian war
The Rise of Macedonia
The Death of Alexander
Aesop's Fables
Ancient Greek Tragedy
uprising led by Spartacus
Julius Caesar
Julian calendar
The Devil Nero
Diocletian and the Creation of Monarchy
Constantine the Great
The downfall of the Western Roman Empire

◎The Middle Ages
Clovis converted to Christianity
Byzantine Empire
Japan's Daihatsu Innovation
Arab Empire
charlemagne
The Norman Conquest
Crusades
The rise of Ottoman Türkiye
Fall of Constantinople
The Rise of Russia
The Black Death invaded Europe
The Hundred Years’ War
Great Schism of the Catholic Church
The War of Roses

◎The Renaissance
Gutenberg and Printing
Geographic Discoveries
the Renaissance
The Three Masters of the Renaissance
Machiavelli and The Prince
The Great Shakespeare
Copernicus and the Theory of the Motion of Celestial Bodies
Bruno, who insists on the truth
Galileo and the Astronomical Telescope
Martin Luther and the Reformation
Anglo-Spanish War
The Dutch Revolution
the thirty years war

◎Bbourgeois Revolution
revolution
Bill of Rights
Rise of Prussia
French and Indian War
the Boston Tea Party
The gunshots of Lexington
Declaration of Independence
The United States Constitution of 1787
Conquer the Bastille
The Declaration of Human Rights
French Republic
French Empire
Russian Decemberist Uprising
congress of vienna

◎The Industrial Revolution
What is the Industrial Revolution
New textile machinery
James Watt and the Steam Engine
Steamboats and trains
Faraday discovered electromagnetic induction
Bell invented the telephone
Darwin and the Theory of Evolution
Pasteur discovered the pathogen
Nobel Prize and Nobel Prize
Invention King Edison
Madame Curie and Radium
The Wright Brothers and the Plane
Einstein and the Theory of Relativity
The British Charter Movement
The 1848 European Revolution
communist manifesto
international
paris commune

◎Two World Wars
Triple Alliance and Triple Entente
Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
The Schlieffen Plan
Battle of Jutland
Verdun's meat grinder
the October Revolution
Germany signs ceasefire agreement
Everything for the Eastern Front
Paris Peace Conference
washington conference
New Economic Policy and the Establishment of the Soviet Union
Mussolini ascends to the position of Prime Minister
Adolf Hitler
The Great Depression
The New Deal
policy of appeasement
The 226 Incident
Munich Agreement
Soviet-German Treaty of Non-Aggression
Germany launches surprise attack on Poland
Dunkirk evacuation
Battle Of Britain
Battle Of Moscow
Attack On Pearl Harbor
The Atlantic Charter
Battle of Midway Island
Battle of Stalingrad
the invasion of Sicily
Tehran Conference
Cairo Declaration
Normandy Invasion
Yalta Conference
Japan's unconditional surrender
Establishment of the United Nations

◎Post war New World
Truman Doctrine
marshall plan
The Berlin Crisis
NATO established
Korean War
Establishment of the European Community
Bandung Conference
African Independence Year
The Cuban Missile Crisis
the Non-Aligned Movement
Prague Spring
Vietnam war
Unification of East and West Germany
Nixon's visit to China
Persian Gulf War
collapse of the Soviet Union
asian financial turmoil
Kosovo War
The 9/11 Incident in the United States
The Iraq War
Peace and Development

Before Pangu's death, the breath he exhaled turned into spring breeze and clouds in the sky; The sound turned into thunder in the sky; Pangu's left eye turned into the sun, shining on the earth; The right eye becomes a bright moon, bringing light to the night; Thousands of strands of hair turn into stars, embellishing the beautiful night sky; Blood turns into rivers, lakes, and seas, galloping endlessly; Muscles become fertile fields for thousands of miles, providing survival for all things; Bones turn into trees, flowers, and plants for people to appreciate; The tendons and veins have become roads; Teeth turn into stone and metal for people to use; The essence becomes bright pearls for people to collect; Sweat turns into rain and dew, nourishing the seedlings. When Pan Gu fell, his head was transformed into Mount Taishan in the east, his feet into Huashan in the west, his left arm into Hengshan in the south, his right arm into Hengshan in the north, and his belly into Songshan in the middle. Legend has it that the spirit of Pangu's elves also turned into humans after his death, which is why there is a saying that 'humans are the spirits of all things'.
Pangu is the embodiment of the natural path, which contains extremely rich and profound cultural, scientific, and philosophical connotations in the legend of the creation of the world. It is an important clue for studying the origin of the universe, creation theory, and the origin of humanity. And his selfless spirit of 'dedicating oneself to the cause until death' is the highest realm of human spirit.


Suirenshi Discovers Fire by Drilling Wood
There are many legends in ancient China about how human life evolved from primitive populations to early tribal communes. In legends, achievements are often attributed to individual big shots.
The tools of primitive humans were very simple, and there were many fierce beasts around them that could harm them anytime and anywhere. Later, they saw birds making nests in trees, and wild beasts couldn't climb up and harm them. Primitive people learned to nest in trees like birds, that is, to build a small house on the tree. Later people called it "building a nest out of wood". The person who imparts this method is known as the "Youchao clan".
The early primitive people did not know that the plants, fruits, and wild animals they harvested using fire were all eaten raw. Later on, fire was invented (traces of fire have been found on the Peking Man site in Zhoukoudian, indicating that our ancestors had already known how to use fire at that time). The phenomenon of fire has existed in nature for a long time. When volcanoes erupt, thunder and lightning strike, forests can also catch fire. But primitive people began to see fire and didn't know how to use it, instead they were scared to death. Later on, I occasionally picked up a wild beast that had been burned to death and tried it. The taste was quite fragrant. After multiple experiments, people gradually learned to burn food over fire and found ways to preserve the flame so that it could last forever. After a considerable period of time, people drilled hard and sharp wood on another piece of hard wood, creating sparks; Some also knock flint and create sparks. In this way, people understand that humans can also make fire (from archaeological discoveries, cave dwellers have already learned how to make fire artificially). Since then, people have been able to eat cooked food at any time, and the variety of food has also increased. People refer to the person who taught them the method of manual ignition as the "Suiren clan". It is said that the Suiren clan also taught people how to fish. Originally, things like fish, turtles, clams, and clams had a fishy and unpleasant taste when they were raw. With the method of cooking, they could be cooked and eaten. In this way, people's physical fitness has greatly improved.
After an unknown amount of time, people began to use ropes to build nets, hunt with nets, and even invented bows and arrows. In this way, animals on the flat ground, birds in the sky, and fish swimming in the water can all be shot and captured for human consumption. Most of the captured birds and animals are live and cannot be eaten at once. They can be kept for the next time, so people learn how to raise them again. The experience of building nets, hunting, and raising livestock is all accumulated by people through labor.
This fishing and hunting period has gone on for countless years, and human civilization has been advancing steadily. At first, people occasionally scattered some wild foxtail millet on the ground. The following year, they found that seedlings had grown on the ground, and in autumn, more foxtail millet had grown. So people began to plant in large quantities. They used wood to make a farming tool called a plow. They use plows to cultivate land, plant grains, and harvest even more crops. Later on, it was said that these people who planted crops were one person named "Shennong Shi". The legendary Shen Nong personally tasted the flavors of various wild grasses and fruits, some sweet and some bitter, and even encountered poisonous ones. He not only discovered many edible foods, but also discovered many medicinal herbs that can cure people's illnesses.
From the Youchao clan to the Shennong clan, these legendary figures actually do not exist. From drilling wood to making fire, to fishing, hunting, and animal husbandry, the development of agriculture reflects the progress of primitive civilization.

Yao and Shun’s Abdication System
Yao, the legendary sage king of ancient China, with the surname Yin Qi and the given name Fang Xun. Because he was enfeoffed in the Tang Dynasty (now within Hebei Province), he was called "Tang Yao". Both the Book of Documents and the Records of the Grand Historian state that his name was Fang Xun. Later generations also said that his given name was Tao Tang and his surname was Yi Qi, hence he was called Tang Yao. Yao became the leader of the tribal alliance, living in a thatched hut like everyone else, eating rough rice, cooking wild vegetables and making soup. In summer, he wore coarse hemp clothes, and in winter, he only added a piece of deer skin to keep warm. He never changed his clothes or shoes until they were worn out. The common people support him with the same love they held for their parents, the sun and the moon.
Shun's name was Chonghua, also known as Yushun, and his founding title was Youyu. According to the custom of using the country name as a surname in the pre Qin era, he was known as the Yu Emperor Shun. Legend has it that he was the seventh generation descendant of Zhuanxu, born in Zhufeng (located in present-day Shandong Province) after the ninth generation of Huangdi. His family background was very humble.
During his seventy year reign, Yao had a virtuous government and often sought the opinions of the Four Great Mountains. He also established slanderous trees to allow civilians to express their opinions, established multiple political organizations, and demanded the recommendation and appointment of talented individuals. Legend has it that Yao also invented Go. In Yao's later years, he wanted to find a capable successor, and people unanimously elected Shun. Yao heard that Shun was very virtuous, and even married his two daughters, E Huang and N ü Ying, to him. After some investigation, Yao gave all the powers of the tribal alliance leader to Shun. This is the historical 'abdication of Yao and Shun'. If we summarize the abdication system in four words, it would be: those who are capable reside there.
After taking over the throne, Shun personally cultivated the fields, fished, and made pottery, which was deeply loved by everyone. He improved the social management system through tribal alliance meetings, where Eight Yuan was in charge of land, Eight Kai was in charge of education, deeds were in charge of civil affairs, Boyi was in charge of mountains, forests, rivers, and marshes, Boyi was in charge of worship, and Gao Tao was in charge of punishment. He also held a succession candidate meeting modeled after Yao, and after democratic discussions, everyone elected Yu as the successor. In his later years, Shun suffered from poor health and continued to patrol various places in the south. However, he died of illness on his way to Cangwu (now within Hunan province). After Shun's death, Yu became the leader of the tribal alliance.

Yu the Great Tames the Floods
Yu, also known as Wenming and styled Gaomi, is said to have been born in the Western Qiang (present-day Gansu, Ningxia, and southern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region) and later migrated with his father to Chong (near Dengfeng, Henan). His father was a Qiang, and during the reign of Yao, he was conferred the title of Xiabo, hence also known as Xiayu or Bo. He was the founder of the Xia Dynasty in China and the creator of the slave society.
During the reign of Yao, a major flood occurred in the Yellow River basin, and Yao sent Yu's father, Xiao, to control the water. After Shun took over as the leader of the tribal alliance from Yao, he personally went to inspect the water control area. He found that Gun was not doing well in his work, so he killed Gun and sent Gun's son Yu to control the water. Yu changed his father's practice of using dams to block water, and instead diverted floodwaters into the sea by opening channels for drainage and dredging the river. At that time, Yu was newlywed and had been running around to control the floods. He passed by his own house three times but did not enter, leaving behind the legend of "crossing the house three times but not entering". After thirteen years of hard work, he finally achieved success.
While controlling floods, Dayu actively guided people to restore and develop agricultural production, promote water transportation, and rebuild their homes. According to historical records, after the flood receded, patches of plain surfaced. He led people to build ditches and canals in the fields, divert water for irrigation, and plant crops such as millet, sorghum, beans, and hemp. He also allowed people to plant rice in low-lying areas. Dayu made outstanding contributions to the development of agriculture at that time. No wonder Confucius was generous in his praise of Yu:"Yu, I find no fault in him. He ate coarse food and drink, yet showed utmost reverence to the spirits and gods. He wore humble garments, yet adorned his ceremonial robes with splendor. He dwelt in plain dwellings, yet exhausted his strength on ditches and waterways. Yu, I find no fault in him." Confucius believed that the merits of King Yu were beyond reproach: Yu himself had a meager diet, but the sacrificial offerings were very rich, which was the utmost filial piety; Normally, he only wears coarse and vulgar clothes, but in court, he pays attention to elegance, which is a sign of respect for his courtiers; He didn't pay attention to his palace, so it was very simple. However, he tried his best to build ditches and canals for farmers to benefit the farmland, which was a show of great love for the people. After Confucius said these facts, he once again praised "Yu, I find no fault in him".
In 2070 BC, Shun officially abdicated the throne to Yu. Yu took Anyi (now Shanxi Xia County) as his capital city, with the country name Xia. He was enfeoffed with Danzhu in Tang and Shangjun in Yu, and changed the calendar date to Xia Li. He also collected copper from all over the world and cast it into nine cauldrons as a symbol of the common ruler of the world. Due to Yu's achievements in flood control, the prestige and power of the tribal alliance leaders were enhanced. Legend has it that when Yu was old, he went to the East for inspection and gathered many tribal leaders on Mount Kuaiji (in present-day Shaoxing, Zhejiang). The people who went to meet Yu in court held jade and silk in their hands, and the ceremony was very grand. There was a tribal leader named Fengfeng who was absent, and Yu believed that he had disobeyed his orders and beheaded the Fengfeng clan. This indicates that Yu had already transformed from the leader of the tribal alliance to a true king at that time. After Yu's death, his son Qi ascended to the throne, breaking the abdication system and creating a hereditary dynastic system where the son succeeded the father.