Following his death, Li Yanshou (李延壽), his son, completed the work on the book between 643 and 659.
[1] As a historian, Li Yanshou also took part of some of the compilation during the early Tang dynasty.
Volumes 13-69 contain biographies of figures from the Liu Song (13–40), Southern Qi (41–50), Liang (51–64), and Chen (65–69) dynasties.
Volumes 70 through 80 contain other biographical content, including virtuous officials (70), Confucian scholars (71), literature (72), filial acts (73–74), recluses (75–76), favorites of nobles (77), foreign peoples (78–79), and treacherous officials (70).
With review by Linghu Defen, Li Yanshou presented his work to the emperor in 659.