Li Xinchuan failed his imperial examinations at the age of thirty and decided to abandon his aspirations for an official career, dedicating himself entirely to historical research. Li Xinchuan based his work on official histories such as 'The High Emperor's Daily Record (高宗日曆)' and 'The Essentials of the Restoration (中興會要)'. He also referenced a variety of other official documents and over one hundred private records, including collections of writings, biographies, epitaphs, and inscriptions. After conducting detailed research, he followed the example of Li Tao's 'Continuation of the Comprehensive Mirror to Aid in Government (續資治通鑑長编)' and compiled this work.

The full title 'The Annals of the Years of Restoration (中興繫年要錌)' also appears, as the term "restoration" was frequently used during Emperor Gaozong's reign. The so-called "restoration" refers to the period after Emperors Huizong and Qinzong were captured by the Jin, when Zhao Gou established the Southern Song dynasty.

'The Annals of the Years Since the Jianyuan Era' covers a span of thirty-six years from the first year of the Jianyan era (1127) to the thirty-second year of the Shaoxing era (1162). It provides extensive documentation on political, military, economic, and cultural events during Emperor Gaozong's reign. For instance, it details Qin Hui's persecution of Yue Fei.

'The Annals of the Years Since Jianyan' was published in engraved form during the Song dynasty. At the beginning of the Baoyou era, Jia Sidao had it printed in Yangzhou. Later works such as 'History of the Song Dynasty (宋史)' and 'Continuation of the Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government (續資治通鑑)' often referred to this book.

Li Xinchuan did not complete a similar work for Emperor Xiaozong's reign, which was later finished by his disciple Gao Sige.

The original text of 'The Annals of the Years Since Jinian' has been lost. The current edition was compiled in the early Qing dynasty from extracts found in the 'Great Canon of Yongle (永樂大典)'.

'The Annals of the Years Since Jingyan' can be used to complement Xu Mengxin's 'Comprehensive Compilation of the Three Dynasties' Northern Alliance (三朝北盟会编)'.

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《建炎以來繫年要錄》，原名《高宗繫年要錄》，凡二百卷，南宋李心傳著。

李心傳三十歲科舉不第，遂絕意於仕途，專心從事史學研究。李心傳以《高宗日曆》《中興會要》等史書為基礎，又參考各類官書，以及一百多種私家記載、文集、傳記、行狀、碑銘等史料，進行詳細的考訂，仿李燾的《續資治通鑑長編》體例，編成此書。《要錄》也出現過《中興系年要錄》的全稱，主要是高宗一朝最好言「中興」，所謂「中興」，是指徽欽二帝為金人掠走後，趙構建立南宋。《建炎以來繫年要錄》記述了建炎元年（1127年）至紹興三十二年（1162年）共三十六年的史事，宋高宗一代的政治、軍事、經濟、文化有大量史料記載，如秦檜陷害岳飛之事，此書記載甚詳。《建炎以來系年要錄》在宋時已有刻本，寶祐初，賈似道曾刻之揚州。後來的《宋史》和《續資治通鑑》等作品，多以此書為參考。另有孝宗朝《系年要錄》，李心傳未完成，由其弟子高斯得完成。

《建炎以來繫年要錄》原書已佚，今本是清初四庫館臣自《永樂大典》中輯出。《建炎以來繫年要錄》可與徐夢莘《三朝北盟會編》互為補充。

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