The "Ngoại Kỷ" Outer Annals) consists of 5 volumes, covering the period from the Hồng Bàng clan to the era of the Warring Lords: Volume 1: Annals of the Hồng Bàng clan and the Thục clan; Volume 2: Annals of the Triệu clan; Volume 3: Annals of the Western Han domination, the reign of the Trưng Sisters, Eastern Han domination, and the reign of Sĩ Vương; Volume 4: Annals of the Wu–Jin–Song–Qi–Liang dominations, the early Lý dynasty, the reign of Triệu Việt Vương, and the Later Lý dynasty; Volume 5: Annals of the Sui and Tang dominations, and the Ngô clan