Research on the Grammatical Features of the Records of the Grand Historian

Author: He Leshi
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-01-01
Features: The Records of the Grand Historian is one of the author's favorite works, and its author, Sima Qian, is a scholar the author deeply admires. In Letter to Ren Shaoqing, Sima Qian once explained the birth of great works: "When King Wen was detained, he elaborated the Book of Changes; when Confucius was in distress, he wrote the Spring and Autumn Annals; when Qu Yuan was exiled, he composed the Li Sao; when Zuo Qiu lost his sight, the Records of the States was created; when Sun Tzu lost his feet, the Art of War was compiled; when Zhang Yi was exiled to Shu, the Lü’s Spring and Autumn Annals was passed down; when Han Fei was imprisoned in Qin, the Sayings of Difficulties and Solitary Anguish were written; the Three Hundred Poems, for the most part, were the works of sages and scholars expressing their grievances." Today, as we read The Records of the Grand Historian, we truly want to add, "Sima Qian endured severe punishment and completed The Records of the Grand Historian!" Scholars who study the characteristics and historical development of our mother tongue are no exception. The Records of the Grand Historian has left us with the living language used by our ancestors two thousand years ago, and when we read it, we feel as if we see them and hear their voices. The language of a particular era provides the source for the creation of writers and scholars of that time. One of the important reasons why great works have a wide readership is that they resonate with the language of the general public, making them familiar and beloved to them. The Records of the Grand Historian provides us with extremely valuable linguistic materials for studying the language of the Han Dynasty, hence attracting great attention from linguists. The Records of the Grand Historian is one of the author's favorite works, and its author, Sima Qian, is a scholar the author deeply admires. In Letter to Ren Shaoqing, Sima Qian once explained the birth of great works: "When King Wen was detained, he elaborated the Book of Changes; when Confucius was in distress, he wrote the Spring and Autumn Annals; when Qu Yuan was exiled, he composed the Li Sao; when Zuo Qiu lost his sight, the Records of the States was created; when Sun Tzu lost his feet, the Art of War was compiled; when Zhang Yi was exiled to Shu, the Lü’s Spring and Autumn Annals was passed down; when Han Fei was imprisoned in Qin, the Sayings of Difficulties and Solitary Anguish were written; the Three Hundred Poems, for the most part, were the works of sages and scholars expressing their grievances." Today, as we read The Records of the Grand Historian, we truly want to add, "Sima Qian endured severe punishment and completed The Records of the Grand Historian!" Scholars who study the characteristics and historical development of our mother tongue are no exception. The Records of the Grand Historian has left us with the living language used by our ancestors two thousand years ago, and when we read it, we feel as if we see them and hear their voices. The language of a particular era provides the source for the creation of writers and scholars of that time. One of the important reasons why great works have a wide readership is that they resonate with the language of the general public, making them familiar and beloved to them. The Records of the Grand Historian provides us with extremely valuable linguistic materials for studying the language of the Han Dynasty, hence attracting great attention from linguists.