The swan song of a historian, a rhymeless dissociation - Lu Xun

Sima Qian's writing is profoundly exquisite - Qian Zhongshu

Since Liu Xiang , Yang Xiong's Boji group of books are all said to have good historical materials, and they are good at ordering things and reasoning, distinguishing but not flashy, quality but not slang, his writing is straight, and his facts are true, and he does not pretend to be beautiful, and does not hide evil, so he is The actual record. ——Ban Gu

However, he is good at describing prefaces and events, he is discerning but not flashy, he is qualitative but not wild, his literary quality is commensurate, and he is a good historian. ——Ban Biao

There were no people in the Han Dynasty who could not write, but Sima Xiangru, Tai Shigong, Liu Xiang, and Yang Xiong were the best. ——Han Yu

Resume

Sima Qian (145 BC - not available for examination), courtesy name Zichang, was born in Xia Yang (south of Hancheng, Shaanxi today). Historian and essayist of the Western Han Dynasty. Sima Tan's son was appointed Taishi Ling. He was castrated for defending Li Ling's defeat and surrender, and was later appointed Zhongshu Ling. He worked hard to complete the historical books he wrote, and was honored as Shi Qian, Tai Shi Gong and the Father of History by later generations.

Sima Qian studied under Kong Anguo and Dong Zhongshu in his early years. He traveled around various places, learned about customs and collected rumors. When he was first appointed as a doctor, he was envoy to the southwest. In the third year of Yuanfeng (108 BC), he was appointed Taishi Ling, inherited his father's business, and wrote history.

Main Achievements

1. Literature and History

He created China with his historical knowledge of "studying the relationship between heaven and man, understanding the changes in ancient and modern times, and forming a family" The first biographical general history is "Shi Ji" (originally known as "Tai Shi Gong Shu"). In 91 BC (the second year of Zhenghe), the entire "Historical Records" was completed. ?The book has 130 chapters and more than 526,500 words, including twelve chronicles, thirty families, seventy biographies, ten tables, and eight books. It has had a huge impact on later generations and is known as "real records and trustworthy history." ". This book is recognized as a model of Chinese history books. It records a history of more than 3,000 years from the Huangdi period in ancient legends to the first year of Yuanshou, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. It is the first of the "Twenty-Five Histories". It is listed as the first of the first "Four Histories", and together with "Zi Zhi Tong Jian", is called "the twin gems of history".

2. Thoughts

Sima Qian used Laozi to express the ideal of governance that he had transformed and developed. It retains the core of Taoism and nature, and consciously eliminates the ideas that reflect the primitive society of "small country and few people" and the slave society of "envoying people", and embodies the idea of ??"migration with time" that is deeply rooted in the essence of Taoism. Its core is the natural way of heaven, and its main purpose is the people's desires. ?

3. Astronomy

Sima Qian inherited his father's legacy and completed the task of "unveiling the changes in the ancient world", and clearly stated that "to understand the changes in ancient and modern times, to study the relationship between heaven and man" ". Its conclusion is expressed in the "Book of Heavenly Officials", which is based on the thirty-six solar eclipses, comets and three sights between the Spring and Autumn Period 242, and connects the decline of the emperor, the power of the princes, the rise of the Five Bo Dynasties to the Warring States Period and the Qin and Han Dynasties. The social upheavals and turmoil at that time, and it can be concluded that the fate of destiny changes slightly in thirty years, changes once in one hundred years, major changes in five hundred years, three major changes into one era, and "big changes in three eras" "Number", and finally thought that "the time between heaven and man continues to prepare". This is the most important example of the application of Sima Qian's astronomy and occupies the highest position in the entire history of astrology.

Famous Quotes

1. There were many people in the Three Jin Dynasties who acted as a contingency plan, and they tried to dominate and strengthen the Qin Dynasty.

2. The beautiful words are beautiful, but the holy words are true, the bitter words are medicine, and the sweet words are disease.

3. Looking up at the high mountains, you can see the scenery. Although you can't reach it, your heart yearns for it.

4. Gai Zhongzi died in Qi, and Boya stopped playing the harp for the rest of his life. Why? A man dies for a man who knows himself, and a woman looks good for a man who pleases her.

5. You don’t need rivers and seas to bathe, you need them to be cleansed; horses don’t need to ride, you need them to walk well.

Evaluation

Sima Qian is a person who is unwilling to succumb to the pressure of any power and has a strong spirit of resistance. The attitude of Sima Qian and many historical characters in his works towards the honor and disgrace of life and death shines with Tai Shigong's search for the dignity of life and embodies the tragic spirit of his outlook on life that moves the world. The answer can undoubtedly be found from his great personality as he endured the castration and still managed to survive, writing books vigorously. Sima Qian's unique life experience and experience formed a magnificent personality. His potential character traits were formed, and his great personality spirit was expressed through writing history. Sima Qian also promoted the national spirit.