Zizhi Tongjian (Chinese: 資治通鑑; pinyin: Zīzhì Tōngjiàn; lit. 'Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance') is a pioneering reference work in Chinese historiography, published in 1084 AD during the Song dynasty in the form of a chronicle recording Chinese history from 403 BC to 959 AD, covering 16 dynasties and spanning almost 1400 years.The main text is arranged into 294 scrolls (juan Chinese: 卷, equivalent to a chapter) totaling about 3 million Chinese characters.