In China, history books written in Kidentai (biographical historiography) were called 'sho' (such as "Kanjo" (Historical records of the Han Dynasty), "Gokanjo" (Historical records of the Later Han Dynasty)), while other history books in which the reign of the emperor was recorded in chronological order were called 'ki' (紀) (such as "Records of the Han Dynasty" and "Records of Later Han").
中国では紀伝体の史書を「書」（『漢書』『後漢書』など）と呼び、帝王の治世を編年体にしたものを「紀」（『漢紀』『後漢紀』）と呼んでいた。