Historical Records: Biographies

Author: Wang Wenxin (Editor)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: The original name of Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji) was Records of the Grand Historian's Office. It was compiled by Sima Qian of the Western Han Dynasty. It consists of 130 chapters and is considered China's first comprehensive historical record in the biographical style. It was completed around the years of Taichu 1st Year to Zhenghe 2nd Year of Emperor Wu of Han (104 BC - 91 BC). Sima Qian served as a historian and, based on Zuo Zhuan, Guoyu, Shiben, Zhan Guo Ce, Chu Han Chunqiu, and other works of the Hundred Schools of Thought, he utilized state-collected documents and supplemented them with field investigation materials, resulting in rich sources. The narrative begins with the legendary Yellow Emperor and ends with Emperor Wu of Han, covering approximately 3,000 years in total, with particular emphasis on the Warring States period, the Qin Dynasty, and the Han Dynasty. The style is divided into biographies (Basic Annals, Genealogical Tables, and Biographies), with eight treatises documenting the evolution of institutions and ten tables outlining the chronological framework of history, which were later adopted by subsequent dynasties. The Records of the Grand Historian features vivid language and distinct portrayals of historical figures, holding a significant position in the history of literature.