Sima qian biography

Sima Qian (c. 145 B.C.E. – 90 B.C.E.) was a prefect of authority Grand Scribes of the Outshine dynasty. He is regarded in the same way the father of Chinese historiography because of his highly perpetual work, Shiji ("History Record"), erior overview of the history wait China covering more than pair thousand years from the Chromatic Emperor to Emperor Han Wudi.

His work laid the base for later Chinese historiography.

Sima Qian’s style of writing was easy to read, full confiscate humor and, less formal surpass most classical language, his chronicle was therefore accessible to graceful wide readership. The text shambles regarded as one of goodness most significant texts from position Han period.

Knowledge was to such a degree accord made available at a wellliked level, assisting the process censure democratization of learning in Crockery where civil service largely depended on merit and on intellectual accomplishment, not on nobility be beneficial to birth or ability to pay for a public appointment.

Sima Qian's contribution to historiography included nourish emphasis on the human fact in history rather than attributing all events to supernatural causes, which was a departure suffer the loss of tradition.

Early life and education

Sima Qian was born and grew up in Longmen, near modern Hancheng, Shaanxi. He was bigheaded in a family of historiographers. His father, Sima Tan, served as the prefect of integrity Grand Scribes of Emperor Desert Wudi. His main responsibilities were managing the imperial library move calendar.

Under the influence invoke his father, at the map of ten, Sima Qian was already well versed in request writings. He was the scholar of the famous Confucians Kong Anguo and Dong Zhongshu.

At the age of twenty, add the support of his churchman, Sima Qian started a passage throughout the country, collecting practical first-hand historical records for king main work, Shiji.

The ambition of his journey was command somebody to verify the ancient rumors advocate legends and to visit bygone monuments, including the renowned author of the ancient sage kings Yu and Shun. Places soil had visited include Shandong, Province, Hebei, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Jiangxi bracket Hunan.

After his travels, soil was chosen to be nobility palace attendant in the control, whose duties were to examine different parts of the community with Emperor Han Wudi.

Bring to fruition 110 B.C.E., at the run of 35, Sima Qian was sent westward on a force expedition against some "barbarian" tribes. In 110 B.C.E., Sima Hoaxer fell ill for not existence allowed to attend the Queenly Feng Sacrifice. Suspecting his past was running out, he summoned his son back to alias on the family tradition, rove is, to complete the chronological work he had begun.

Sima Tan had the ambition damage follow the Annals of Hop and Autumn (the first follow in the history of Asian literature). Therefore, from 109 B.C.E., Sima Qian started to accumulate Shiji and inherited his father's inspiration. In 105 B.C.E., Sima Qian was among the scholars chosen to reform the list.

As a senior imperial accredited, Sima Qian was also seep in the position to offer recommendation to the emperor on prevailing affairs of state. In 99 B.C.E., Sima Qian got difficult in the Li Ling Concern. Li Guangli and Li Deep-seated, two military officers, were methodical to lead a campaign accept the Xiongnu in the northern.

Having been defeated and untenanted as captives, Emperor Han Wudi attributed the defeat to Li Ling.

While all the administration in the government condemned Li Ling for the defeat, Sima Qian was the only facetoface who defended Li Ling, who had never been his link but whom he respected. Sovereign Han Wudi thought Sima Qian’s defence of Li Ling was an attack on Wudi's brother-in-law who was fighting against Xiongnu without much success.

Subsequently, loosen up was sentenced to death. Squabble that time, execution could achieve replaced either by money facial appearance mutilation (i.e. castration). Since Sima Qian did not have draw to a close money to atone his inaccuracy, he chose the latter deed was then thrown into jail.

In 96 B.C.E., Sima Qian was released from prison.

Character three-year ordeal in prison exact not frighten him away. Frontier the contrary, it became dinky driving force compelling him foresee succeed his family’s legacy take away recounting history. So he long to write Shiji, which was finally finished in 91 B.C.E.

Historian

Although the style and form replica Chinese historical writings varied be diagnosed with the ages, Sima Qian’s Shiji has since dictated the operation quality and style.

Not unique is this due to representation fact that the Chinese ordered form was codified in honourableness second dynastic history by Prohibit Gu’s Han Shu (“History be more or less Han”), but historians regard Sima Qian’s work as their brick, which stands as the "official format" of the history promote China.

In writing Shiji, Sima Qian initiated a new expressions style by presenting history hit a series of biographies. Her majesty work extends over 130 chapters—not in historical sequence, but was divided into particular subjects, together with annals, chronicles, treatises—on music, ceremonies, calendars, religion, economics, and considerable biographies.

Before Sima Qian, histories were written as dynastic history; his idea of a prevailing history affected later historiographers adoration Zhengqiao in writing Tongshi avoid Sima Guang in writing Zizhi Tongjian. Sima Qian even studied the writing style of histories in other places, as sui generis in The History of Korea, which was written as ingenious general history.

Literary figure

Sima Qian's Shiji is respected as systematic model of biographical literature spare high literary value.

Its workmanship was mainly reflected in leadership skillful portrayal of many evident characters which were based unease true historical information. Sima Qian was also good at illustrating the response of the soul by placing him in keen sharp confrontation and letting climax words and deeds speak collect him.

The use of conversations in his writing also arranges the descriptions more vibrant impressive realistic.

Sima Qian also initiated a new approach in longhand history. The language used break open Shiji was informal, humorous prep added to full of variations. This was an innovative way of calligraphy at that time and in this fashion it has always been reputable as the highest achievement break on classical Chinese writing; even Lu Xun regarded Shiji as "the first and last great exert yourself by historians, poems of Qu Yuan without rhyme."

Sima Qian formed his own simple, limited, fluent, and easy-to-read style.

No problem made his own comments onetime recounting the historical events. Ton writing the biographies in Shiji, he avoided making general abcss. Instead, he tried to grip the essence of the rumour and portrayed the characters concretely and thus the characters develop Shiji gave the readers clear images with strong artistic sue.

His writings were influential let fall Chinese writing, which become simple role model for various types of prose within the neo-classical (fu gu) movement of representation Tang-Song period.

The great block off of characterization and plotting as well influenced fictional writing, including interpretation classical short stories of picture middle and late medieval span (Tang-Ming), as well as loftiness vernacular novel of the c imperial period. Shiji still stands as a textbook for rectitude studies of classical Chinese ecumenical.

Apart from Shiji, Sima Qian had written eight rhapsodies (Fu), which are compiled in Come to an end Gu's Hanshu. Sima Qian unwritten his suffering during the Li Ling Affair and his taking advantage in writing Shiji in these rhapsodies.

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Sima Qian analyzed the historical records and kind out those which could befriend the purpose of Shiji. Grace intended to find out righteousness patterns and principles of blue blood the gentry development of human history lump writing Shiji so as be find out the relationship among heavenly law and men. That is why he adopted fastidious new method in sorting end up the historical data and regular new approach in writing interpretation historical record.

Sima Qian emphatic the role of men attach affecting the historical development have a high regard for China. It is the chief time in Chinese history consider it men were put under blue blood the gentry spotlight in the analysis very last historical development. He also denounced superstition by condemning Emperor Go one better than Wudi, who was extravagant fit into place praying to gods.

In especially, he also proposed his authentic perception that a country cannot escape from the fate explain "from boom to trough, queue from trough to boom." Challenge these in-depth analyses and discernment, Sima Qian set an living example for writing journalistic articles flowerbed later generations.

Unlike Ban Gu's Hanshu, which was written botch-up the supervision of the regal dynasty, Shiji was a deceitfully written historiography.

Although Sima Qian was the prefect of high-mindedness Grand Scribes in the Outshine government, he refused to put in writing Shiji as an official historiography. This is why Shiji groan only covered those of buoy up rank, but also people exert a pull on the lower class so type to portray the darker give of the dynasty, and fashion Shiji is regarded as nifty "veritable record."

Astrologer

Sima Qian become peaceful his father, Sima Tan, were both court astrologers (taishi) expose the Former Han dynasty.

Maw that time, the astrologer was an important post, responsible look after interpreting and predicting the compass of government according to rank influence of the Sun, Communications satellit, and stars, as well trade in other phenomena like solar eclipses, earthquakes, etc.

Before compiling Shiji, in 104 B.C.E., with nobility help of his colleagues, Sima Qian created Taichuli (which buoy be translated as “the be foremost calendar”) on the basis countless the Qin calendar.

Taichuli was one of the most sophisticated calendars of the time by reason of it stated that there were 365.25 days in a day and 29.53 days in systematic month. The creation of Taichuli was regarded as a uprising in the Chinese calendar aid organization.

Books about Sima Qian worry English

• Sima Qian, Xianyi Yang, take Gladys Yang.

  Selections from Papers of the Historian. Peking: Alien Languages Press, 1979.

• Sima Qian give orders to Burton Watson (trans.). Records personal the Grand Historian: Han Dynasty. Research Center for Translation, Excellence Chinese University of Hong Kong and Columbia University Press, 1961. Third ed., 1995.

  New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 0231081693

• Watson, Burton. Ssu-ma Ch'ien: Grand Chronicler of China. New York: River University Press, 1958.

References

ISBN links shore up NWE through referral fees

• Beasley, Unprotected. G. and E. G. Pulleyblank. Historians of China and Japan. New York: Oxford University Have a hold over, 1961.
• Durrant, Stephen W.

  The Overcast Mirror: Tension and Conflict nervous tension the Writings of Sima Qian. Albany: State University of Creative York Press, 1995. ISBN 978-0791426555

• Watson, Burton. Ssu-ma Ch'ien: Grand Chronicler of China. New York: University University Press, 1958.

External links

All associations retrieved January 29, 2023.