Abstract：The present studies on historiography thought of the Ming dynasty mostly focus on several representative scholars instead of adopting a holistic approach. A wide variety of private history books sprang up in the middle and late Ming dynasty, which can represent the historiography thought of that period.Given the problems of present studies: undiversified object and limited research method, we summerized the historiography thought of the Ming dynasty combining with its historical background.

Keyword：historiography thought;the middle and late Ming dynasty;review;