唐代 

 history books written is biographical style： 《南史》 《北史》 Read works of Li Yanshou at 历史大观

　　Years of his birth and death loss contained in history books, and now know that his political and academic activity is basically the early years of the Tang to the early years of the last 30 years Gaozong conducted. He served over Orient House Dian Shan Cheng, Bachelor Chongxian Hall, Imperial main book, and direct national history Fu Xi Lang, Imperial History and other official. What he did not, as in politics, history writing was the main cause of his life. He took part in the Tang Dynasty official history books, "Sui Shu", "Five Chronicles," "Book of Jin" and Tang's Xiuzhuan work of contemporary national history. Also the author of 30 volumes alone, "Taizong Masanori", but also inherited his father's master's behest, to 16 years of martial arts, independent repair "History of Southern Dynasties" and "Northern History."
　　Tang Li Yanshou Writing "History of Southern Dynasties," 80 volumes, "History of Northern Dynasties," 100 volumes. From Wei Sui Northern History, "History of Southern Dynasties," from the Song Dynasty to Chen. According to the "Song" and "qi", "Liang", "Chen", "Wei", "Qi", "Week", "Sui" eight books to fill a vacancy made deleted complicated than the old history as a simple. Li Yanshou home because of the north, close to the Northern knowledge, so "Northern History" inferior to "History of Southern Dynasties" is more meticulous. Qing Li Qing of "History of North-South co-injection" 190 roll, Zhoujia You have "sort the history of North and South China," eight volumes. "History of Southern Dynasties" and "Northern History" is biographical in History.
　　"History of Southern Dynasties," a total of 80, there are 10 volumes of this century, biographies of 70 volumes. Records from the early Southern Song Wu Diyong first year (420) to the Southern Chen Zhen Ming emperor of three years (589 years) is about 170 years, Song, Qi, Liang, Chen history of the rise and fall of four regime. "Northern History" has 12 volumes of this century, Biography, 88 volumes and 100 rolls. Notes from the Northern Wei Daowu in the first year of Emperor Tang China (386 years), limited to the Sui Emperor Gong Yi Ning years (618 years), including the Northern Wei, Qi, Zhou and Sui four feudal regime, the historical events 230 years.
　　"History of Southern Dynasties", "Northern History" in the ideological value, the most prominent is thought to promote the unity of one family. It has changed more than a century the South and the North has been Xiyong call each other "Dao Yi" and "cable prisoner" of bad habits. Li Yanshou that the Southern and Northern Dynasty holds the same place in history. He was opposed to the minority regime in the North before the Northern Wei Dynasty History "series of four barbarians." Also pointed out that the Eastern Jin, Song, Qi Liang, Chen dynasties, although he sacrifice the long south, but around each other more than 300 years, recognition of their historical status of the practice is not desirable. Li Yanshou in the "History of Southern Dynasties," "Northern History" in regardless of being a leap, to the Northern and Southern political power in the same position each. Compilation of this history is no longer emphasized in the north and south confrontation and China, the Foreign boundaries of knowledge and practice, reflecting the great achievements of national integration is a historical progress. Formed in particular, the Li Yanshou also taken a number of appropriate practices to promote a sense of unity. He was a war between North and South to take "between the two countries at war unknown set" (Zhao Yi, "廿二 Literary History" Volume 13 "north and south between the two countries at war history unknown set" section) approach, which is intended to reduce the excessive entanglement.
　　"History of Southern Dynasties" and "Northern History" in the account of the history of activities people usually regarded the account of the person and his family rise and fall of gains and losses, joys and sorrows of Honor link, but with particular emphasis on the characters explain the causal link with social activities, " Family Voice "," house style "relationship. Second, history also note the rise and fall with the imperial family, the relationship between the rise and fall. These reflect the historical characteristics of Northern and Southern Dynasties and social outlook.