Ming Shi-lu

The Ming Shi-lu contains the imperial annals of Ming dynasty emperors and is the single largest historical source for the dynasty and "plays an extremely important role in the historical reconstruction of Ming society and politics."

The section for each emperor was composed after the emperor's death by a History Office appointed by the Grand Secretariat using different types of historical sources such as:

1. "The Qi-ju zhu , or 'Diaries of Activity and Repose'. These were daily records
of the actions and words of the Emperor in court."

2. "The 'Daily Records' . These records, established precisely as a source for the
compilation of the shi-lu, were compiled by a committee on the basis of the diaries and
other written sources."

3. Other sources such as materials collected from provincial centres and "culled from other official sources such as memorials, ministerial papers and the Metropolitan Gazette."

All Ming Shi-lu entries that refer to Southeast Asia including references to and other ethnic groups in Yunnan, which borders Southeast Asia, have been translated into English, indexed by date, place name, and personal name, and are available online at .