Records of the Grand Historian
Encyclopedia
The Records of the Grand Historian, also known in English
by the Chinese name Shiji , written from 109 BC
to 91 BC
, was the Magnum opus
of Sima Qian
, in which he recounted Chinese
history from the time of the Yellow Emperor
until his own time. (The Yellow Emperor, traditionally dated around 2600 BC, is the first ruler whom Sima Qian considered sufficiently established as historical to appear in the Records.) As the first systematic Chinese historical text, the Records profoundly influenced Chinese historiography
and prose.
The Shiji is sometimes bundled with a prologue
written by Sima Zhen
during the Tang Dynasty
, some eight centuries later. It records rulers that existed before the Yellow Emperor that Sima Qian omitted because of the lack of reliable sources.
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Unlike subsequent official historical texts that adopted Confucian doctrine, proclaimed the divine rights of the emperors, and degraded any failed claimant to the throne, Sima Qian's more liberal and objective prose has been renowned and followed by poets and novelists. Most volumes of Liezhuan are vivid descriptions of events and persons. This has been attributed to the belief that the author critically used stories passed on from antiquity as part of his sources, balancing reliability and accuracy of the records. For instance, the material on Jing Ke
's attempt at assassinating the first emperor of China
was allegedly an eye-witness story passed on by the great-grandfather of his father's friend, who served as a low-ranking bureaucrat at court of Qin
and happened to be attending the diplomatic ceremony for Jing Ke. It has been observed that the diplomatic Sima Qian has a way of accentuating the positive in his treatment of rulers in the Basic Annals, but slipping negative information into other chapters, and so his work must be read as a whole to obtain full information. There are also discrepancies of fact between various portions of the work, probably reflecting Sima Qian's use of different source texts; from these it appears that his great work did not receive a final editorial revision.
served as Grand Historian, and Sima Qian succeeded to his position. Thus he had access to the early Han dynasty archives, edicts, and records. Sima Qian was a methodical, skeptical historian who had access to ancient books, written on bamboo and wooden slips
, from before the time of the Han Dynasty. Many of the sources he used did not survive. He not only used archives and imperial records, but also interviewed people and traveled around China to verify information. For example, he writes he "heard" that Xiang Yu
and the ancient ruler Shun both had double pupils in one eye. In his first chapter, "Annals of the Five Emperors," he writes, "I went west as far as Mount Kong and Mount Dong [in Gansu
], north as far as Zhuolu
[in Hebei
], east gradually to the sea, south to the Yangzi
and the Huai
."
In his 13th chapter, "Genealogical Table of the Three Ages," Sima Qian writes, "I have read all the genealogies of the kings (dieji 谍记) that exist since the time of the Yellow Emperor
." In his 14th chapter, "Yearly Chronicle of the Feudal Lords", he writes, "I have read all the royal annals (chunqiu li pudie 春秋曆譜諜) up until the time of King Li of Zhou
."
The Grand Historian used The Annals of the Five Emperors (五帝系諜) and the Classic of History
as source materials to make genealogies from the time of the Yellow Emperor
until that of the Gonghe regency (841-2 BC). Sima Qian often cites his sources. For example, in the first chapter, "Annals of the Five Emperors," he writes, "I have read the Spring and Autumn Annals
and the Guoyu
." In his 15th chapter, "Yearly Chronicle of the Six States," he writes, “I have read the Annals of Qin
(qin ji 秦記), and they say that the Quanrong
[a barbarian tribe] defeated King You of Zhou
[ca 771 BC]." In his 18th chapter, Sima Qian writes, "When I read the records of the distinguished followers of Gaozu who were enfeoffed as marquises, and observe the reasons for which their descendants were deprived of the fiefs of their fathers...." and later in the same chapter, "I have set down only what is certain, and in doubtful cases left a blank."
In the 19th chapter, he writes, "I have occasion to read over the records of enfeoffment and come to the case of Wu Qian, the marquis of Bian...." (The father of Marquis Bian, Wu Rui, was named king (wang) of Changsha in Hunan
for his loyalty to Gaozu. See article on Zhao Tuo
). In his chapter on the patriotic minister and poet Qu Yuan
, Sima Qian writes, "I have read [Qu Yuan's works] Li Sao
, Tianwen ("Heaven Asking"), Zhaohun (summoning the soul), and Ai Ying (Lament for Ying
)”. In the 62nd chapter, "Biography of Guan and of Yan", he writes, "I have read Guan's Mu Min (牧民 - "Government of the People", a chapter in the Guanzi), Shan Gao ("The Mountains Are High"), Chengma (chariot
and horses; a long section on war and economics), Qingzhong (Light and Heavy; i.e. "what is important"), and Jiufu (Nine Houses), as well as the Spring and Autumn Annals of Yanzi." In his 64th chapter, "Biography of Sima Rangju
", the Grand Historian writes, "I have read Sima's Art of War." In the 121st chapter, "Biographies of Scholars", he writes, "I read the Imperial Decrees that encouraged education officials."
wrote in 1954 that there were many scholars who doubted that Sima's Records of the Grand Historian contained accurate information about such distant history as the thirty kings of the Shang Dynasty
(c. 1600–c. 1050 BC). While some scholars argued that Sima could not possibly have had access to written materials which detailed history a millennium before his age, Needham has another conclusion. The discovery of oracle bones at an excavation of the Shang Dynasty capital at Anyang
(Yinxu
) matched twenty-three of the thirty Shang kings that Sima listed. Needham writes that this remarkable archaeological find proves that Sima Qian "did have fairly reliable materials at his disposal—a fact which underlines once more the deep historical-mindedness of the Chinese."
. He explains in it why and under what circumstances he wrote the Shiji.
and his immediate successor Emperor Zhao
. The Shiji was finally disseminated during the reign of Emperor Xuan
by Sima Qian's grandson (through his daughter), Yang Yun (杨惲), after a hiatus of around twenty years.
The changes in the manuscript of the Shiji during this hiatus have always been disputed among scholars. That the text was more or less complete by ca. 91 BCE is established in the Letter to Ren'an
, in which Sima Qian gives the precise number of chapters for each section of his work. After his death (presumably only a few years later), few people had the opportunity to see the whole work. However, various additions were still made to it. The historian Liu Zhiji (劉知幾, 661-721) reported the names of a total of fifteen scholars supposed to have added material to the Shiji during the period after the death of Sima Qian. Only the additions by Chu Shaosun (褚少孫, c.105 - c.30 BCE) are clearly indicated by adding "Mr Chu said," (Chu xiansheng yue, 褚先生曰). Already in the first century AD, Ban Biao
and Ban Gu
claimed that ten chapters in Records of the Grand Historian were lacking. A large number of chapters dealing with the first century of the Han Dynasty (i.e. the 2nd century BCE) correspond exactly to the relevant chapters from Hanshu. It is unclear whether those chapters initially came from the Shiji or from the Hanshu. Researchers Yves Hervouet (1921-1999) and Anthony Hulsewé (1910-1993) assumed that the lost original parts of the Shiji were supplemented with those from the Hanshu.
period (420 – 589 AD). The earliest printed edition, called Shiji jijie (史記集解, literally Records of the Grand Historian, Collected Annotations), was published during the Northern Song Dynasty. Huang Shanfu's edition, printed under the Southern Song dynasty, is the earliest collection of the Sanjiazhu commentaries on Records of the Grand Historian (三家注, literally: The Combined Annotations of the Three Experts).
In modern times, the Zhonghua Book Company (中華書局) in Beijing
has published the book in both simplified Chinese and traditional Chinese editions. The 1959 (2nd ed., 1982) Sanjiazhu edition (based upon the Jinling Publishing House edition, vide infra) contains commentaries interspersed among the main text and is considered to be an authoritative modern edition.
The most well known editions of the Shiji are:
Tang Dynasty
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
by the Chinese name Shiji , written from 109 BC
109 BC
Year 109 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Numidicus and Silanus...
to 91 BC
91 BC
Year 91 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Philippus and Caesar...
, was the Magnum opus
Magnum opus
Magnum opus , from the Latin meaning "great work", refers to the largest, and perhaps the best, greatest, most popular, or most renowned achievement of a writer, artist, or composer.-Related terms:Sometimes the term magnum opus is used to refer to simply "a great work" rather than "the...
of Sima Qian
Sima Qian
Sima Qian was a Prefect of the Grand Scribes of the Han Dynasty. He is regarded as the father of Chinese historiography for his highly praised work, Records of the Grand Historian , a "Jizhuanti"-style general history of China, covering more than two thousand years from the Yellow Emperor to...
, in which he recounted Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
history from the time of the Yellow Emperor
Yellow Emperor
The Yellow Emperor or Huangdi1 is a legendary Chinese sovereign and culture hero, included among the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. Tradition holds that he reigned from 2697–2597 or 2696–2598 BC...
until his own time. (The Yellow Emperor, traditionally dated around 2600 BC, is the first ruler whom Sima Qian considered sufficiently established as historical to appear in the Records.) As the first systematic Chinese historical text, the Records profoundly influenced Chinese historiography
Chinese historiography
Chinese historiography refers to the study of methods and assumptions made in studying Chinese history.-History of Chinese Historians:Record of Chinese history dated back to the Shang Dynasty. The Classic of History, one of the Five Classics of Chinese classic texts is one of the earliest...
and prose.
Layout
The 130 volumes (i.e. scrolls, now usually called "chapters") of the text classify information into several categories:- 12 volumes of Benji (本紀) or "Imperial Biographies", contain the biographies of all prominent rulers from the Yellow EmperorYellow EmperorThe Yellow Emperor or Huangdi1 is a legendary Chinese sovereign and culture hero, included among the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. Tradition holds that he reigned from 2697–2597 or 2696–2598 BC...
to Qin Shi HuangQin Shi HuangQin Shi Huang , personal name Ying Zheng , was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 246 BC to 221 BC during the Warring States Period. He became the first emperor of a unified China in 221 BC...
and the kings of XiaXia DynastyThe Xia Dynasty is the first dynasty in China to be described in ancient historical chronicles such as Bamboo Annals, Classic of History and Records of the Grand Historian. The Xia Dynasty was established by the legendary Yu the Great after Shun, the last of the Five Emperors gave his throne to him...
, ShangShang DynastyThe Shang Dynasty or Yin Dynasty was, according to traditional sources, the second Chinese dynasty, after the Xia. They ruled in the northeastern regions of the area known as "China proper" in the Yellow River valley...
, and ZhouZhou DynastyThe Zhou Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty that followed the Shang Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty. Although the Zhou Dynasty lasted longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history, the actual political and military control of China by the Ji family lasted only until 771 BC, a period known as...
dynasties. The biographies of four emperors and one empress dowager of the Western Han DynastyHan DynastyThe Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
before his age are also included. In addition, though Xiang YuXiang YuXiang Yu was a prominent military leader and political figure during the late Qin Dynasty. His given name was Ji while his style name was Yu ....
never actually ruled all the country, his biography was contained in this class. - 10 volumes of Biao (表) or "Tables", are timelineChronologyChronology is the science of arranging events in their order of occurrence in time, such as the use of a timeline or sequence of events. It is also "the determination of the actual temporal sequence of past events".Chronology is part of periodization...
s of events. - 8 volumes of Shu (書) or "Treatises", treat of economics and other topics of the time.
- 30 volumes of Shijia (世家) or "Biographies of the Feudal Houses and Eminent Persons", contain biographies of notable rulers, nobility and bureaucrats mostly from the Spring and Autumn and Warring StatesWarring States PeriodThe Warring States Period , also known as the Era of Warring States, or the Warring Kingdoms period, covers the Iron Age period from about 475 BC to the reunification of China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC...
periods. - 70 volumes of Liezhuan (列傳) or "Biographies and Collective Biographies", contain biographies of important individual figures including LaoziLaoziLaozi was a mystic philosopher of ancient China, best known as the author of the Tao Te Ching . His association with the Tao Te Ching has led him to be traditionally considered the founder of Taoism...
, MoziMoziMozi |Lat.]] as Micius, ca. 470 BC – ca. 391 BC), original name Mo Di , was a Chinese philosopher during the Hundred Schools of Thought period . Born in Tengzhou, Shandong Province, China, he founded the school of Mohism, and argued strongly against Confucianism and Daoism...
, Sun TzuSun TzuSun Wu , style name Changqing , better known as Sun Tzu or Sunzi , was an ancient Chinese military general, strategist and philosopher who is traditionally believed, and who is most likely, to have authored The Art of War, an influential ancient Chinese book on military strategy...
, and Jing KeJing KeJing Ke was a guest residing in the estates of Dan, crown prince of Yan and renowned for his failed assassination attempt of Ying Zheng, King of Qin state, who later became China's first emperor...
.
The Shiji is sometimes bundled with a prologue
Prologue
A prologue is an opening to a story that establishes the setting and gives background details, often some earlier story that ties into the main one, and other miscellaneous information. The Greek prologos included the modern meaning of prologue, but was of wider significance...
written by Sima Zhen
Sima Zhen
Sima Zhen , courtesy name Zizheng , was a Chinese historian born in what is now Jiaozuo, Henan during the Tang Dynasty.Sima Zhen was one of the most important commentators on the Shiji...
during the Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
, some eight centuries later. It records rulers that existed before the Yellow Emperor that Sima Qian omitted because of the lack of reliable sources.
Style
Jing Ke
Jing Ke was a guest residing in the estates of Dan, crown prince of Yan and renowned for his failed assassination attempt of Ying Zheng, King of Qin state, who later became China's first emperor...
's attempt at assassinating the first emperor of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
was allegedly an eye-witness story passed on by the great-grandfather of his father's friend, who served as a low-ranking bureaucrat at court of Qin
Qin (state)
The State of Qin was a Chinese feudal state that existed during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods of Chinese history...
and happened to be attending the diplomatic ceremony for Jing Ke. It has been observed that the diplomatic Sima Qian has a way of accentuating the positive in his treatment of rulers in the Basic Annals, but slipping negative information into other chapters, and so his work must be read as a whole to obtain full information. There are also discrepancies of fact between various portions of the work, probably reflecting Sima Qian's use of different source texts; from these it appears that his great work did not receive a final editorial revision.
Source materials
Sima's family were hereditary historians to the Han emperor. Sima Qian's father Sima TanSima Tan
Sima Tan was an early Chinese historian who worked under the Western Han. He studied astronomy with Tang Du, the I Ching under Yang He and Daoism under Master Huang. He held the position of Grand Historian between 140-110 BC. While Sima Tan had begun the Records of the Grand Historian , he died...
served as Grand Historian, and Sima Qian succeeded to his position. Thus he had access to the early Han dynasty archives, edicts, and records. Sima Qian was a methodical, skeptical historian who had access to ancient books, written on bamboo and wooden slips
Bamboo and wooden slips (writing material)
Bamboo and wooden slips were one of the main media for literacy in early China. The long, narrow strips of wood or bamboo typically carry a single column of brush-written text each, with space for several tens of Chinese characters. For longer texts, many slips may be bound together in sequence...
, from before the time of the Han Dynasty. Many of the sources he used did not survive. He not only used archives and imperial records, but also interviewed people and traveled around China to verify information. For example, he writes he "heard" that Xiang Yu
Xiang Yu
Xiang Yu was a prominent military leader and political figure during the late Qin Dynasty. His given name was Ji while his style name was Yu ....
and the ancient ruler Shun both had double pupils in one eye. In his first chapter, "Annals of the Five Emperors," he writes, "I went west as far as Mount Kong and Mount Dong [in Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
], north as far as Zhuolu
Zhuolu
Zhuolu is a town and the county seat of Zhuolu County, northwestern Hebei province, Northern China. It has an area of and a population of 57,400 as of 2002, 6 communities and 30 villages. It is located southeast of Zhangjiakou...
[in Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
], east gradually to the sea, south to the Yangzi
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
and the Huai
Huai River
The Huai River is a major river in China. The Huai River is located about mid-way between the Yellow River and Yangtze River, the two largest rivers in China, and like them runs from west to east...
."
In his 13th chapter, "Genealogical Table of the Three Ages," Sima Qian writes, "I have read all the genealogies of the kings (dieji 谍记) that exist since the time of the Yellow Emperor
Yellow Emperor
The Yellow Emperor or Huangdi1 is a legendary Chinese sovereign and culture hero, included among the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. Tradition holds that he reigned from 2697–2597 or 2696–2598 BC...
." In his 14th chapter, "Yearly Chronicle of the Feudal Lords", he writes, "I have read all the royal annals (chunqiu li pudie 春秋曆譜諜) up until the time of King Li of Zhou
King Li of Zhou
King Li of Zhou was the tenth sovereign of the Chinese Zhou Dynasty. Estimated dates of his reign are 877–841 BC or 857–842 BC ....
."
The Grand Historian used The Annals of the Five Emperors (五帝系諜) and the Classic of History
Classic of History
The Classic of History is a compilation of documentary records related to events in ancient history of China. It is also commonly known as the Shàngshū , or simply Shū...
as source materials to make genealogies from the time of the Yellow Emperor
Yellow Emperor
The Yellow Emperor or Huangdi1 is a legendary Chinese sovereign and culture hero, included among the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. Tradition holds that he reigned from 2697–2597 or 2696–2598 BC...
until that of the Gonghe regency (841-2 BC). Sima Qian often cites his sources. For example, in the first chapter, "Annals of the Five Emperors," he writes, "I have read the Spring and Autumn Annals
Spring and Autumn Annals
The Spring and Autumn Annals is the official chronicle of the State of Lu covering the period from 722 BCE to 481 BCE. It is the earliest surviving Chinese historical text to be arranged on annalistic principles. The text is extremely concise and, if all the commentaries are excluded, about 16,000...
and the Guoyu
Guoyu (book)
The Discourses of the States or Guoyu is a classical Chinese history book that collected the historical records of numerous states from Western Zhou to 453 BC. Its author is unknown, but it is sometimes attributed to Zuo Qiuming, a contemporary of Confucius...
." In his 15th chapter, "Yearly Chronicle of the Six States," he writes, “I have read the Annals of Qin
Qin (state)
The State of Qin was a Chinese feudal state that existed during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods of Chinese history...
(qin ji 秦記), and they say that the Quanrong
Quanrong
The Quǎnróng , literally "Dog Rong", were an ethnic group active in the north western part of China during the Zhōu and later dynasties. Their language is classified as part of the Tibeto-Burman branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages family....
[a barbarian tribe] defeated King You of Zhou
King You of Zhou
King You of Zhou was the twelfth sovereign of the Chinese Zhou Dynasty and the last of Western Zhou Dynasty. He reigned from 781 to 771 BCE.In 780 BCE, a major earthquake hit Guanzhong...
[ca 771 BC]." In his 18th chapter, Sima Qian writes, "When I read the records of the distinguished followers of Gaozu who were enfeoffed as marquises, and observe the reasons for which their descendants were deprived of the fiefs of their fathers...." and later in the same chapter, "I have set down only what is certain, and in doubtful cases left a blank."
In the 19th chapter, he writes, "I have occasion to read over the records of enfeoffment and come to the case of Wu Qian, the marquis of Bian...." (The father of Marquis Bian, Wu Rui, was named king (wang) of Changsha in Hunan
Hunan
' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
for his loyalty to Gaozu. See article on Zhao Tuo
Zhao Tuo
Zhao Tuo , was the founder of the kingdom of Nanyue |Zhao]]. The state of Zhao was defeated and absorbed by the state of Qin in 222 BC, whereupon Zhao Tuo became a citizen of the state of Qin. He later served in a Qin expeditionary force that was sent south...
). In his chapter on the patriotic minister and poet Qu Yuan
Qu Yuan
Qu Yuan was a Chinese poet who lived during the Warring States Period in ancient China. He is famous for his contributions to the poetry collection known as the Chu-ci...
, Sima Qian writes, "I have read [Qu Yuan's works] Li Sao
Li Sao
Li Sao is a Chinese poem dating from the Warring States Period, largely written by Qu Yuan of the Kingdom of Chu. One of the most famous poems of pre-Qin China, it is a representative work of the Chu Ci form of poetry.-Title:The title's meaning has been debated about even in historical times...
, Tianwen ("Heaven Asking"), Zhaohun (summoning the soul), and Ai Ying (Lament for Ying
Lament for Ying
Lament for Ying is a poem written by noted Chinese poet Qu Yuan in around 278 BCE. It is from the "Nine Declarations" section of the Chuci poetry anthology, compiled in ancient China.-Background:...
)”. In the 62nd chapter, "Biography of Guan and of Yan", he writes, "I have read Guan's Mu Min (牧民 - "Government of the People", a chapter in the Guanzi), Shan Gao ("The Mountains Are High"), Chengma (chariot
Chariot
The chariot is a type of horse carriage used in both peace and war as the chief vehicle of many ancient peoples. Ox carts, proto-chariots, were built by the Proto-Indo-Europeans and also built in Mesopotamia as early as 3000 BC. The original horse chariot was a fast, light, open, two wheeled...
and horses; a long section on war and economics), Qingzhong (Light and Heavy; i.e. "what is important"), and Jiufu (Nine Houses), as well as the Spring and Autumn Annals of Yanzi." In his 64th chapter, "Biography of Sima Rangju
Sima Rangju
Sima Rangju or Tian Rangju was a famous Chinese military general during the Spring and Autumn period, often seen as the spiritual successor of Jiang Ziya. He served in the State of Qi, defending it from the States of Jin and Yan , and went as high in the army as Da Sima, the Minister of War...
", the Grand Historian writes, "I have read Sima's Art of War." In the 121st chapter, "Biographies of Scholars", he writes, "I read the Imperial Decrees that encouraged education officials."
Reliability
Joseph NeedhamJoseph Needham
Noel Joseph Terence Montgomery Needham, CH, FRS, FBA , also known as Li Yuese , was a British scientist, historian and sinologist known for his scientific research and writing on the history of Chinese science. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1941, and as a fellow of the British...
wrote in 1954 that there were many scholars who doubted that Sima's Records of the Grand Historian contained accurate information about such distant history as the thirty kings of the Shang Dynasty
Shang Dynasty
The Shang Dynasty or Yin Dynasty was, according to traditional sources, the second Chinese dynasty, after the Xia. They ruled in the northeastern regions of the area known as "China proper" in the Yellow River valley...
(c. 1600–c. 1050 BC). While some scholars argued that Sima could not possibly have had access to written materials which detailed history a millennium before his age, Needham has another conclusion. The discovery of oracle bones at an excavation of the Shang Dynasty capital at Anyang
Anyang
Anyang is a prefecture-level city in Henan province, People's Republic of China. The northernmost city in Henan, Anyang borders Puyang to the east, Hebi and Xinxiang to the south, and the provinces of Shanxi and Hebei to its west and north respectively....
(Yinxu
Yinxu
Yinxu is the ruins of the last capital of China's Shang Dynasty. The capital served 255 years for 12 kings in 8 generations.Rediscovered in 1899, it is one of the oldest and largest archeological sites in China and is one of the historical capitals of China and a UNESCO World Heritage Site...
) matched twenty-three of the thirty Shang kings that Sima listed. Needham writes that this remarkable archaeological find proves that Sima Qian "did have fairly reliable materials at his disposal—a fact which underlines once more the deep historical-mindedness of the Chinese."
Annals
Benji (本紀, annals), 12 volumes. Royal biographies in strict annalistic form that offer an overview of the most important events, especially from the time of the Zhou dynasty to that of the emperor of the Han dynasty.| Number | Title | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 五帝本紀 | Annals of the Five Emperors | Traditional Chinese view of prehistoric China, beginning from the Yellow Emperor Yellow Emperor The Yellow Emperor or Huangdi1 is a legendary Chinese sovereign and culture hero, included among the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. Tradition holds that he reigned from 2697–2597 or 2696–2598 BC... 's reign |
| 2. | 夏本紀 | Annals of the Xia Dynasty Xia Dynasty The Xia Dynasty is the first dynasty in China to be described in ancient historical chronicles such as Bamboo Annals, Classic of History and Records of the Grand Historian. The Xia Dynasty was established by the legendary Yu the Great after Shun, the last of the Five Emperors gave his throne to him... |
|
| 3. | 殷本紀 | Annals of the Shang Dynasty Shang Dynasty The Shang Dynasty or Yin Dynasty was, according to traditional sources, the second Chinese dynasty, after the Xia. They ruled in the northeastern regions of the area known as "China proper" in the Yellow River valley... |
|
| 4. | 周本紀 | Annals of the Zhou Dynasty Zhou Dynasty The Zhou Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty that followed the Shang Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty. Although the Zhou Dynasty lasted longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history, the actual political and military control of China by the Ji family lasted only until 771 BC, a period known as... |
|
| 5. | 秦本紀 | Annals of the feudal state of Qin Qin (state) The State of Qin was a Chinese feudal state that existed during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods of Chinese history... |
|
| 6. | 秦始皇本紀 | Annals of the First Emperor of Qin | Qin Shi Huang Qin Shi Huang Qin Shi Huang , personal name Ying Zheng , was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 246 BC to 221 BC during the Warring States Period. He became the first emperor of a unified China in 221 BC... , 221-210 BC |
| 7. | 項羽本紀 | Annals of Xiang Yu Xiang Yu Xiang Yu was a prominent military leader and political figure during the late Qin Dynasty. His given name was Ji while his style name was Yu .... |
(in place of the Annals of Emperor Yi of Chu Emperor Yi of Chu Emperor Yi of Chu , also known as King Huai II of Chu , personal name Xiong Xin was the ruler of the Chu state during the late Qin Dynasty... ) |
| 8. | 高祖本紀 | Annals of Gaozu | Emperor Gaozu of Han, 206-195 BC |
| 9. | 呂太后本紀 | Annals of Empress Dowager Lü | Empress Lü Zhi Empress Lü Zhi Empress Lü Zhi , commonly known as Empress Dowager Lü or formally as Empress Gao , courtesy name Exu , was the wife and empress of Emperor Gaozu of Han, founder of the Han Dynasty. They had two known children—the eventual Emperor Hui and Princess Luyuan... (regent 195-180 BC) |
| 10. | 孝文本紀 | Annals of the Xiaowen Emperor | Emperor Wen of Han Emperor Wen of Han Emperor Wen of Han was the fifth emperor of the Han Dynasty in China. His given name is Heng.Liu Heng was a son of Emperor Gao of Han and Consort Bo, later empress dowager... , 179-157 BC |
| 11. | 孝景本紀 | Annals of the Xiaojing Emperor | Emperor Jing of Han Emperor Jing of Han Emperor Jing of Han was an emperor of China in the Han Dynasty from 156 BC to 141 BC. His reign saw the limit and curtailment of power of feudal princes which resulted in the Rebellion of the Seven States in 154 BC. Emperor Jing managed to crush the revolt and princes were thereafter denied rights... , 156-141 BC |
| 12. | 孝武本紀 | Annals of the Xiaowu Emperor | Emperor Wu of Han Emperor Wu of Han Emperor Wu of Han , , personal name Liu Che , was the seventh emperor of the Han Dynasty of China, ruling from 141 BC to 87 BC. Emperor Wu is best remembered for the vast territorial expansion that occurred under his reign, as well as the strong and centralized Confucian state he organized... , 140-87 BC |
Tables
Biao (表, tables), 10 tables: overview of the reigns of the successive lords of the feudal states from the time of the Zhou dynasty till that of the early Han. At the same time the most important events of their reigns are mentioned.| Number | Title | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13. | 三代世表 | Genealogical Table of the Three Ages | From the Yellow Emperor's time to the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties |
| 14. | 十二諸侯年表 | Yearly Chronicle of the Feudal Lords | The lords who ruled the twelve feudal states in the Spring and Autumn Period |
| 15. | 六國年表 | Yearly Chronicle of the Six States | The six feudal states in the Warring States Period Warring States Period The Warring States Period , also known as the Era of Warring States, or the Warring Kingdoms period, covers the Iron Age period from about 475 BC to the reunification of China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC... |
| 16. | 秦楚之際月表 | Monthly Table of (the Events) between Qin Qin (state) The State of Qin was a Chinese feudal state that existed during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods of Chinese history... and Chu Chu (state) The State of Chu was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state in present-day central and southern China during the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States Period . Its ruling house had the surname Nai , and clan name Yan , later evolved to surname Mi , and clan name Xiong... |
The war between the feudal states of Qin and Chu |
| 17. | 漢興以來諸侯王年表 | Yearly Table of the Nobles of the Imperial Clan since the Han Dynasty's Founding | Nobles of the imperial family who held titles of nobility |
| 18. | 高祖功臣侯者年表 | Yearly Table of the Officials who became Marquises in the Time of Gaozu | Officials who received marquis titles in the time of Emperor Gaozu of Han |
| 19. | 惠景閒侯者年表 | Yearly Table of the Officials who became Marquises between the Reigns of Emperor Hui Emperor Hui of Han Emperor Hui of Han was the second emperor of the Han Dynasty in China. He was the second son of the first Han emperor, Han Gaozu and Empress Dowager Lü. He is generally remembered as a weak character dominated by his mother, Empress Dowager Lü, personally kind and generous but unable to escape... and Emperor Jing Emperor Jing of Han Emperor Jing of Han was an emperor of China in the Han Dynasty from 156 BC to 141 BC. His reign saw the limit and curtailment of power of feudal princes which resulted in the Rebellion of the Seven States in 154 BC. Emperor Jing managed to crush the revolt and princes were thereafter denied rights... |
Officials who received marquis titles from 194 to 141 BCE |
| 20. | 建元以來侯者年表 | Yearly Table of the Officials who became Marquises since the Jianyuan Period | Jianyuan was the reign period of Emperor Wu of Han Emperor Wu of Han Emperor Wu of Han , , personal name Liu Che , was the seventh emperor of the Han Dynasty of China, ruling from 141 BC to 87 BC. Emperor Wu is best remembered for the vast territorial expansion that occurred under his reign, as well as the strong and centralized Confucian state he organized... from 140-135 BC |
| 21. | 建元已來王子侯者年表 | Yearly Table of the Nobles' Sons who became Marquises since the Jianyuan period | |
| 22. | 漢興以來將相名臣年表 | Yearly Table of Statesmen, Generals and Officials since the Han Dynasty's Founding |
Treatises
Shu (書, treatises), 8 volumes. Each treatise describes an area of state interest.| Number | Title | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23. | 禮 | Rites | |
| 24. | 樂 | Music | |
| 25. | 律 | Bells | Harmony and measurements |
| 26. | 曆 | Calendars | |
| 27. | 天官 | Astronomy | |
| 28. | 封禪 | Religious sacrificial ceremonies | Sacrifices to Heaven and Earth |
| 29. | 河渠 | Rivers and canals | |
| 30. | 平準 | Equalization | Names of officials who had to buy crops in a year of bountiful harvest and sell in a year of crop failure |
Genealogies
Shijia (世家, genealogies), 30 volumes. Descriptions in chronicle form of the events of the states from the time of the Zhou Dynasty until the early Han Dynasty and of eminent people.| Number | Title | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31. | 吳太伯世家 | House of Wu Taibo Wu Taibo Wu Taibo is the name of eldest son of King Tai of the Zhou dynasty and the ancestor of King Wu of Zhou. His birth and death dates are still unknown due to lack of historical records.-Biography:... |
|
| 32. | 齊太公世家 | House of Qi Taigong Jiang Ziya Jiang Ziya was a Chinese historical and legendary figure who resided next to the Weishui River about 3,000 years ago. A sage and military strategist, Jiang Ziya was called upon by King Wen of Zhou to serve as prime minister... |
|
| 33. | 魯周公世家 | House of Lu Zhougong | |
| 34. | 燕召公世家 | House of Yan Shaogong | |
| 35. | 管蔡世家 | Houses of Guan and Cai | |
| 36. | 陳杞世家 | House of Chen Qi | |
| 37. | 衛康叔世家 | House of Wei Kangshu | |
| 38. | 宋微子世家 | House of Song Weizi | |
| 39. | 晉世家 | House of Jin | |
| 40. | 楚世家 | House of Chu Chu (state) The State of Chu was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state in present-day central and southern China during the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States Period . Its ruling house had the surname Nai , and clan name Yan , later evolved to surname Mi , and clan name Xiong... |
|
| 41. | 越王句踐世家 | House of King Goujian of Yue | |
| 42. | 鄭世家 | House of Zheng Zheng (state) Zheng （) was a vassal state in China during the Zhou Dynasty located in the centre of ancient China in modern day Henan Province on the North China Plain about east of the royal capital at Luoyang. It was the most powerful of the vassal states at the beginning of the Eastern Zhou... |
|
| 43. | 趙世家 | House of Zhao Zhao (state) Zhao was a significant Chinese state during the Warring States Period, along with six others... |
|
| 44. | 魏世家 | House of Wei Wei (state) The State of Wei was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. Its territory lay between the states of Qin and Qi and included parts of modern day Henan, Hebei, Shanxi and Shandong... |
|
| 45. | 韓世家 | House of Han Han (state) Han was a kingdom during the Warring States Period in China, located in modern-day Shanxi and Henan. Not to be confused with South Korea which shares the same character.... |
|
| 46. | 田敬仲完世家 | House of Tian Jingzhong | also called House of Wan |
| 47. | 孔子世家 | House of Kongzi | Confucius Confucius Confucius , literally "Master Kong", was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period.... |
| 48. | 陳涉世家 | House of Chen She | |
| 49. | 外戚世家 | Houses of the External Relatives | The empresses and their families |
| 50. | 楚元王世家 | House of Prince Chu Yuan | |
| 51. | 荊燕世家 | Houses of Jing and Yan | |
| 52. | 齊悼惠王世家 | House of Prince Daohui of Qi | Liu Fei Liu Fei Liu Fei , also known as Prince Daohui of Qi was the oldest son of Emperor Gaozu of Han and Consort Cao—initially Emperor Gao's mistress... |
| 53. | 蕭相國世家 | House of Chancellor Xiao | Xiao He Xiao He Xiao He was a Chinese statesman who lived during the early Han Dynasty. He served Liu Bang during the insurrection against the Qin Dynasty, and fought on Liu's side in the Chu–Han contention against Xiang Yu. After the founding of the Han Dynasty, Xiao He became chancellor and held office until... |
| 54. | 曹相國世家 | House of Chancellor Cao | Cao Shen |
| 55. | 留侯世家 | House of Marquis of Liu | Zhang Liang |
| 56. | 陳丞相世家 | House of Chancellor Chen | Chen Ping Chen Ping (Han Dynasty) Chen Ping was an adviser to Liu Bang during the Chu–Han Contention period of Chinese history. After Liu Bang founded the Han Dynasty and became known as Emperor Gaozu, Chen Ping served as a chancellor and received titles of a marquis.-Biography:Chen Ping was a native of Huyou Town , Yangwu... |
| 57. | 絳侯周勃世家 | House of Zhou Bo, Marquis of Jiang | |
| 58. | 梁孝王世家 | House of Prince Xiao of Liang | |
| 59. | 五宗世家 | House of the Five Clans | The sons of Emperor Jing of Han Emperor Jing of Han Emperor Jing of Han was an emperor of China in the Han Dynasty from 156 BC to 141 BC. His reign saw the limit and curtailment of power of feudal princes which resulted in the Rebellion of the Seven States in 154 BC. Emperor Jing managed to crush the revolt and princes were thereafter denied rights... |
| 60. | 三王世家 | House of the Three Kings | The rulers of Qi, Yan Yan (state) Yān was a state during the Western Zhou, Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods of Chinese history. Its capital was Ji... and Guangling |
Biographies
Liezhuan (列傳, exemplary lives, often called biographies), 70 volumes. Biographies of important people. The biographies are limited to the description of the events that show the exemplary character of the subject, but in the Shiji is often supplemented with legends. One biography can treat two or more people if they are considered to belong to the same type. The last biographies describe the relations between the Chinese and the neighboring peoples.| Number | | Title | | Translation | | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61. | 伯夷列傳 | Biography of Bo Yi | |
| 62. | 管晏列傳 | Biographies of Guan and Yan | Guan Zhong Guan Zhong Guǎn Zhòng was a politician and statesman during the Spring and Autumn Period of Chinese history. His given name was Yíwú . Zhong was his courtesy name. Recommended by Bao Shuya, he was appointed Prime Minister by Duke Huan of Qi in 685 BC.-Achievements:Guan Zhong modernized the Qi State by... and Yan Ying Yan Ying Yan Ying was prime minister of the ancient Chinese state of Qi during the Spring and Autumn Period,"noted for his thrifty habits of life. At meals, he would not eat of two kinds of meat, neither would he allow his womenfolk to wear silk. A small shoulder of pork sufficed for his ancestral... (晏嬰) |
| 63. | 老子韓非列傳 | Biographies of Laozi Laozi Laozi was a mystic philosopher of ancient China, best known as the author of the Tao Te Ching . His association with the Tao Te Ching has led him to be traditionally considered the founder of Taoism... and Han Fei Han Fei Han Fei was a Chinese philosopher who, along with Li Si, Gongsun Yang, Shen Dao and Shen Buhai, developed the doctrine of the School of Law or Legalism... |
Includes the biographies of Zhuangzi Zhuangzi Zhuangzi was an influential Chinese philosopher who lived around the 4th century BCE during the Warring States Period, a period corresponding to the philosophical summit of Chinese thought — the Hundred Schools of Thought, and is credited with writing—in part or in whole—a work known by his name,... and Shen Buhai Shen Buhai Shen Buhai was a Chinese bureaucrat who was the Chancellor of Han under Marquis Zhao of Han from 351 BC to 337 BC. Shen was born in the State of Zheng; he was likely to have been a minor official for the State of Zheng. After Han conquered Zheng in 375 BC, he rose up in the ranks of the Han... |
| 64. | 司馬穰苴列傳 | Biography of Sima Rangju | |
| 65. | 孫子吳起列傳 | Biographies of Sun Tzu Sun Tzu Sun Wu , style name Changqing , better known as Sun Tzu or Sunzi , was an ancient Chinese military general, strategist and philosopher who is traditionally believed, and who is most likely, to have authored The Art of War, an influential ancient Chinese book on military strategy... and Wu Qi Wu Qi Wu Qi was a Chinese military leader and politician in the Warring States period.-Biography:Born in the State of Wei , he was skilled in leading armies and military strategy. He had served in the states of Lu and Wei. In the state of Wei he commanded many great battles and was appointed Xihe Shou... |
|
| 66. | 伍子胥列傳 | Biography of Wu Zixu Wu Zixu Wu Yun , better known by his style name Zixu , is the most famous ancestor of people with the surname of Wu . All branches of the Wu clans claim him as their "first ancestor"... |
|
| 67. | 仲尼弟子列傳 | Biographies of the disciples of Zhongni | Zhongni refers to Confucius Confucius Confucius , literally "Master Kong", was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period.... |
| 68. | 商君列傳 | Biography of Lord Shang | Shang Yang Shang Yang Shang Yang was an important statesman of the State of Qin during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. Born Wei Yang in the State of Wei, with the support of Duke Xiao of Qin Yang enacted numerous reforms in Qin... |
| 69. | 蘇秦列傳 | Biography of Su Qin Su Qin Su Qin , was an influential political strategist during the Warring States Period of Chinese history . He was born in Chengxuan Village, Luoyang in present day Henan Province. According to legend Su Qin was a disciple of Gui Guzi, the founder of the School of Diplomacy... |
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| 70. | 張儀列傳 | Biography of Zhang Yi Zhang Yi (strategist) Zhang Yi was born in the Wei state during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. He was an important strategist in helping Qin to dissolve the unity of the other states, and hence pave the way for Qin to unify China... |
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| 71. | 樗里子甘茂列傳 | Biographies of Shu Lizi and Gan Mao | Includes the biography of Gan Luo (甘羅) |
| 72. | 穰侯列傳 | Biography of the Marquis of Rang | Wei Ran (魏冉) |
| 73. | 白起王翦列傳 | Biographies of Bai Qi Bai Qi Bái Qǐ was an outstanding military leader of the State of Qin during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. Born in Mei , as commander of the Qin army for more than 30 years, Bai Qi was responsible for the deaths of a total over 890,000 enemy soldiers, earning him the nickname Ren Tu... and Wang Jian Wang Jian (Qin) Wang Jian , a military leader of Qin in the Warring States Period. He was born in Guanzhong county, city of Pinyang, Dongxiang village .-Major Achievement:... |
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| 74. | 孟子荀卿列傳 | Biographies of Mengzi and Xun Qing | Mencius Mencius Mencius was a Chinese philosopher who was arguably the most famous Confucian after Confucius himself.-Life:Mencius, also known by his birth name Meng Ke or Ko, was born in the State of Zou, now forming the territory of the county-level city of Zoucheng , Shandong province, only thirty kilometres ... and Xunzi |
| 75. | 孟嘗君列傳 | Biography of Lord Mengchang of Qi Lord Mengchang of Qi Lord Mengchang , born Tian Wen, was an aristocrat of the State of Qi during the Warring States Period of China. He was born as Tian Wen, son of Tian Ying and grandson of King Wei of Qi. He succeeded to his father's fief in Xue. Lord Mengchang is well known for the size of his entourage... |
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| 76. | 平原君虞卿列傳 | Biographies of Lord Pingyuan of Zhao and Yu Qing | |
| 77. | 魏公子列傳 | Biographies of the Sons of Duke Wei of Lu | |
| 78. | 春申君列傳 | Biography of Lord Chunshen of Chu | |
| 79. | 范睢蔡澤列傳 | Biographies of Fan Sui and Cai Ze | |
| 80. | 樂毅列傳 | Biography of Yue Yi Yue Yi Yue Yi was an officer of the State of Yan during the Warring State period, also known as Lord Guojun. He was the son of the prime minister of the small nation of Zhongshan, but when Zhongshan was destroyed by Zhao's King Wuling, he was forced to wander from country to country... |
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| 81. | 廉頗藺相如列傳 | Biographies of Lian Po Lian Po Lian Po was a prominent military General of Zhao during the Warring States period of China. Bai Qi, Wang Jian, Li Mu and he were commonly known as the Four Greatest Generals in Warring States.... and Lin Xiangru Lin Xiangru Lin Xiangru was a politician of the Warring States Period, who served the state of Zhao. He figures prominently in two stories of the period, namely the episode of "Returning the Jade to Zhao", as well as the story of "Carrying Thorned Grass and Pleading Guilt".Lin Xiangru was born sometime in the... |
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| 82. | 田單列傳 | Biography of Tian Dan | |
| 83. | 魯仲連鄒陽列傳 | Biographies of Lu Zhonglian and Zou Yang | |
| 84. | 屈原賈生列傳 | Biographies of Qu Yuan Qu Yuan Qu Yuan was a Chinese poet who lived during the Warring States Period in ancient China. He is famous for his contributions to the poetry collection known as the Chu-ci... and Master Jia |
Master Jia refers to Jia Yi Jia Yi Jia Yi was a Chinese poet and statesman of the Han Dynasty.- Life:Jia Yi was born in 201 BCE in Luoyang.... |
| 85. | 呂不韋生列傳 | Biography of Master Lü Buwei Lü Buwei Lü Buwei , Lord Wenxin 文信侯 was a Warring States Period merchant who schemed his way into governing the State of Qin. He served as Chancellor of China for King Zhuangxiang of Qin, and as regent and Chancellor for the king's young son Zheng, who became Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China... |
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| 86. | 刺客列傳 | Biographies of Assassins | Cao Mo (曹沫), Zhuan Zhu Zhuan Zhu Zhuan Zhu was an assassin in the Spring and Autumn Period. As Prince Guang wanted to kill King Liao of Wu and take the throne himself, Zhuan Zhu was recommended to Prince Guang by Wu Zixu. In 515 BC he managed to kill King Liao in a party with a dagger hidden in a fish... , Yu Rang (豫讓), Nie Zheng (聶政) and Jing Ke Jing Ke Jing Ke was a guest residing in the estates of Dan, crown prince of Yan and renowned for his failed assassination attempt of Ying Zheng, King of Qin state, who later became China's first emperor... |
| 87. | 李斯列傳 | Biography of Li Si Li Si Li Si was the influential Prime Minister of the feudal state and later of the dynasty of Qin, between 246 BC and 208 BC. A famous Legalist, he was also a notable calligrapher. Li Si served under two rulers: Qin Shi Huang, king of Qin and later First Emperor of China—and his son, Qin Er Shi... |
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| 88. | 蒙恬列傳 | Biography of Meng Tian Meng Tian Meng Tian was a general of the Qin Dynasty who distinguished himself in campaigns against the Xiongnu and in the construction of the Great Wall of China. He was the elder brother of Meng Yi. He descended from a great line of military generals and architects... |
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| 89. | 張耳陳餘列傳 | Biographies of Zhang Er and Chen Yu | |
| 90. | 魏豹彭越列傳 | Biographies of Wei Bao and Peng Yue Peng Yue Peng Yue , style name Zhong , was a prominent military leader and political figure in the late Qin Dynasty and early Han Dynasty. He was involved in the Chu–Han contention and served Liu Bang as an ally... |
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| 91. | 黥布列傳 | Biography of Qing Bu | Ying Bu (英布) |
| 92. | 淮陰侯列傳 | Biography of the Marquis of Huaiyin | Han Xin Hán Xìn Han Xin was a military general who served Liu Bang during the Chu–Han contention and contributed greatly to the founding of the Han Dynasty... |
| 93. | 韓信盧綰列傳 | Biographies of Hán Xin (King of Hán) and Lu Wan Lu Wan Lu Wan was a military general serving under Liu Bang .-Biography:Lu Wan was from Fengyi, Pei County . He was a childhood friend of Liu Bang and they both studied in the same school in their hometown. Besides, they also shared the same birthday... |
Includes the biography of Chen Xi (陳豨) |
| 94. | 田儋列傳 | Biography of Tian Dan | |
| 95. | 樊酈滕灌列傳 | Biographies of Fan, Li, Teng and Guan | Fan Kuai, Li Shang (酈商), Xiahou Ying Xiahou Ying Xiahou Ying was a Minister Coachman of the early Han Dynasty. He also participated in the Chu–Han contention on Liu Bang 's side and contributed to the founding of the Han Dynasty.-Biography:... , Guan Ying (灌嬰) |
| 96. | 張丞相列傳 | Biography of Chancellor Zhang | Zhang Cang (張蒼) |
| 97. | 酈生陸賈列傳 | Biographies of Li Yiji Li Yiji Li Yiji was an advisor to Liu Bang during the Chu–Han contention.-Biography:Li Yiji was from Gaoyang, Chenliu . He joined Liu Bang around 207 BC during the insurrection against the Qin Dynasty... and Lu Gu |
Includes the biography of Zhu Jian (朱建) |
| 98. | 傅靳蒯成列傳 | Biographies of Fu, Jin, and the Marquis of Kuaicheng | Fu Kuan (寬), Jin She (歙) and Zhou Xue (周譄) |
| 99. | 劉敬叔孫通列傳 | Biographies of Liu Jing and Shusun Tong Shusun Tong Shusun Tong - official and ritual specialist at Qin and W.Han courts. He is known for organization of the first court worship for the Emperor Gaozu of Han, as well as for the custody over the young prince Ying, the future Emperor Hui. His biography is presented in the Chapter 99 of the Records of... |
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| 100. | 季布欒布列傳 | Biographies of Ji Bu and Luan Bu | |
| 101. | 袁盎晁錯列傳 | Biographies of Yuan Ang Yuan Ang Yuan Ang was a Han Dynasty minister who served Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing. His biography appears in the Shi Ji, and a parallel one is in Han Shu... and Chao Cuo Chao Cuo Cháo Cuò was a Chinese political advisor and official of the Han Dynasty , renowned for his intellectual capabilities and foresight in martial and political matters. Although not against the philosophy of Confucius , he was described by later Eastern Han scholars as a Legalist... |
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| 102. | 張釋之馮唐列傳 | Biographies of Zhang Shizhi and Feng Tang | |
| 103. | 萬石張叔列傳 | Biographies of Wan Shi and Zhang Shu | |
| 104. | 田叔列傳 | Biography of Tian Shu | |
| 105. | 扁鵲倉公列傳 | Biographies of Bian Que and the Duke of Cang | Duke of Cang refers to Tai Cang (太倉) |
| 106. | 吳王濞列傳 | Biographies of Pi, the Prince of Wu | Liu Pi Liu Pi (prince) Liu Pi was a nephew of Emperor Gao of Han, son of Liu Xi, Prince of Dai, and created as Prince of Wu by Emperor Gao. During Emperor Jing of Han reign, he initiated the Rebellion of the Seven States to resist centralizing policies, in which he was defeated and killed.-Biography:In 196 BC, he was... |
| 107. | 魏其武安侯列 | Biographies of the Marquis of Weiqi and the Marquis of Wu'an | Dou Ying (竇嬰) and Tian Fen (田蚡) |
| 108. | 韓長孺列傳 | Biography of Han Changru | |
| 109. | 李將軍列傳 | Biography of General Li | Li Guang Li Guang Lĭ Guăng , born in Tianshui, Gansu, was a famous general of the Han Dynasty. Nicknamed The Flying General by his Xiongnu enemies , he fought primarily in the campaigns against the Xiongnu peoples to the north of Han China... |
| 110. | 匈奴列傳 | Treatise on the Xiongnu Xiongnu The Xiongnu were ancient nomadic-based people that formed a state or confederation north of the agriculture-based empire of the Han Dynasty. Most of the information on the Xiongnu comes from Chinese sources... |
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| 111. | 衛將軍驃騎列傳 | Biography of Cavalry General Wei | Wei Qing Wei Qing Wei Qing , born Zheng Qing in Linfen, Shanxi, was a famous general during Han Dynasty of China, whose campaigns against the Xiongnu earned him great acclaim. He was the younger half-brother of Empress Wei Zifu, making him the the Emperor Wu's brother-in-law... |
| 112. | 平津侯主父列傳 | Biographies of the Marquis of Pingjin and Zhufu | Gongsun Hong (公孫弘) and Zhufu Yan (主父偃) |
| 113. | 南越列傳 | Treatise on the Nanyue Nanyue Nanyue was an ancient kingdom that consisted of parts of the modern Chinese provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, and Yunnan and northern Vietnam. Nanyue was established in 204 BC at the final collapse of the Qin Dynasty by Zhao Tuo, who was the military commander of Nanhai Commandery at the time, and... |
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| 114. | 東越列傳 | Treatise on the Eastern Yue | |
| 115. | 朝鮮列傳 | Treatise on Chosun | Korea Korea Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the... |
| 116. | 西南夷列傳 | Treatise on the Southwestern Yi people | |
| 117. | 司馬相如列傳 | Biography of Sima Xiangru Sima Xiangru Sima Xiangru, also known as Ssu-ma Hsiang-ju was a Chinese writer. He was a minor official of the Western Han Dynasty, but was better known for his poetic skills, jiu business, and controversial marriage to the widow Zhuo Wenjun after both eloped... |
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| 118. | 淮南衡山列傳 | Biographies of Huainan Huainan Huainan is a prefecture-level city with 2,334,000 inhabitants in central Anhui Province, People’s Republic of China. It borders the provincial capital of Hefei to the south, Lu’an to the southwest, Fuyang to the west, Bozhou to the northwest, Bengbu to the northeast and Chuzhou to the east.Its... and Hengshan |
The kings of Huainan and Hengshan |
| 119. | 循吏列傳 | Biographies of Upright Officials | Sunshu Ao Sunshu Ao Sun Shu-Ao was an ancient Chinese court minister serving the administration of King Zhuang of Chu during the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. During his governmental career, SUN Shu-Ao was given notice by King Zhuang, who had him promoted to the rank of Prime Minister in the State of Chu... , Zi Chan Zi Chan Zi Chan , also known as Gongsun Qiao , was a statesman of the State of Zheng in ancient China during the Spring and Autumn Period. Born in Zheng to an aristocratic family, Zi Chan was a statesman of Zheng from 544 BC until his death. Under Zi Chan, Zheng even managed to expand its territory, a... , Gong Yixiu (公儀休), Shi She (石奢) and Li Li (李離) |
| 120. | 汲鄭列傳 | Biographies of Ji and Zheng | Ji An (汲黯) and Zheng Dangshi (鄭當時) |
| 121. | 儒林列傳 | Biographies of Confucian Scholars | Gongsun Hong (公孫弘), Sheng Gong (申公), Yuan Gu (轅固), Han Ying (韓嬰), Fu Sheng (伏勝), Dong Zhongshu Dong Zhongshu Dong Zhongshu was a Han Dynasty Chinese scholar. He is traditionally associated with the promotion of Confucianism as the official ideology of the Chinese imperial state.-History:... and Hu Wu (胡毋) |
| 122. | 酷吏列傳 | Biographies of Cruel Officials | Hou Feng (侯封), Zhi Du (郅都), Ning Cheng Ning Cheng Ning Cheng was an official of the western Han dynasty under Emperors Jing and Wu. He was known for his harsh application of the law, such that officials travelling to and from his area of governance would say to each other "Better to face a nursing tigress than the wrath of Ning Cheng!"Ning Cheng... , Zhou Yangyou (周陽由), Zhao Yu (趙禹), Zhang Tang Zhang Tang Zhang Tang was a high ranking official of the Western Han dynasty under Emperor Wu.-Personal life:Zhang Tang was a native of Du, the son of a deputy in Changan's city government. His father died before Zhang Tang became a minor official, but his mother, along with a number of younger brothers,... , Yi Zong (義縱), Wang Wenshu (王溫舒), Yin Qi (尹齊), Yang Pu (楊僕), Jian Xuan (減宣)and Du Zhou (杜周) |
| 123. | 大宛列傳 | Treatise on the Dayuan Dayuan The Dayuan or Ta-Yuan were a people of Ferghana in Central Asia, described in the Chinese historical works of Records of the Grand Historian and the Book of Han. It is mentioned in the accounts of the famous Chinese explorer Zhang Qian in 130 BCE and the numerous embassies that followed him into... |
|
| 124. | 游俠列傳 | Biographies of Knight-errant Chinese knight-errant Youxia was a type of chivalrous hero which came into existence during the Han Dynasty and disappeared during the Qing Dynasty .... s |
Lu Zhujia (魯朱家) and Guo Jie (郭解) |
| 125. | 佞幸列傳 | Biographies of Flatterers | |
| 126. | 滑稽列傳 | Biographies of Jesters | Chunyu Kun Chunyu Kun Chunyu Kun was a wit, Confucian philosopher, emissary, and official during the Chinese Warring States Period. He was a contemporary and colleague of Mencius.... , You Meng (優孟), You Zhan (優旃) and Dongfang Shuo Dongfang Shuo Dongfang Shuo was a Han Dynasty scholar-official, fangshi , author, and court jester to Emperor Wu... ) |
| 127. | 日者列傳 | Biographies of Soothsayers | |
| 128. | 龜策列傳 | Biographies of Diviners | |
| 129. | 貨殖列傳 | Biographies of Usurers | People who enriched themselves |
Afterword
The last important section features an afterword that includes an autobiography by Sima QianSima Qian
Sima Qian was a Prefect of the Grand Scribes of the Han Dynasty. He is regarded as the father of Chinese historiography for his highly praised work, Records of the Grand Historian , a "Jizhuanti"-style general history of China, covering more than two thousand years from the Yellow Emperor to...
. He explains in it why and under what circumstances he wrote the Shiji.
| Number | Title | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 130. | 太史公自序 | Autobiographical Afterword of the Grand Historian |
Transmission and supplementation by other writers
After the completion of the Shiji in ca. 91 BCE, the nearly completed manuscript was hidden in the residence of the daughter of Sima Qian, Sima Ying (司馬英), to avoid destruction under Emperor WuEmperor Wu of Han
Emperor Wu of Han , , personal name Liu Che , was the seventh emperor of the Han Dynasty of China, ruling from 141 BC to 87 BC. Emperor Wu is best remembered for the vast territorial expansion that occurred under his reign, as well as the strong and centralized Confucian state he organized...
and his immediate successor Emperor Zhao
Emperor Zhao of Han
Emperor Zhao of Han was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty from 87 BC to 74 BC.Emperor Zhao was the youngest son of Emperor Wu of Han. By the time Zhao was born, Emperor Wu was already 62. Zhao ascended the throne after the death of Emperor Wu in 87 BC. He was only 8 years old...
. The Shiji was finally disseminated during the reign of Emperor Xuan
Emperor Xuan of Han
Emperor Xuan of Han was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty from 74 BC to 49 BC. His life story was a riches-to-rags-to-riches story.Emperor Xuan was the great grandson of Emperor Wu...
by Sima Qian's grandson (through his daughter), Yang Yun (杨惲), after a hiatus of around twenty years.
The changes in the manuscript of the Shiji during this hiatus have always been disputed among scholars. That the text was more or less complete by ca. 91 BCE is established in the Letter to Ren'an
Sima Qian
Sima Qian was a Prefect of the Grand Scribes of the Han Dynasty. He is regarded as the father of Chinese historiography for his highly praised work, Records of the Grand Historian , a "Jizhuanti"-style general history of China, covering more than two thousand years from the Yellow Emperor to...
, in which Sima Qian gives the precise number of chapters for each section of his work. After his death (presumably only a few years later), few people had the opportunity to see the whole work. However, various additions were still made to it. The historian Liu Zhiji (劉知幾, 661-721) reported the names of a total of fifteen scholars supposed to have added material to the Shiji during the period after the death of Sima Qian. Only the additions by Chu Shaosun (褚少孫, c.105 - c.30 BCE) are clearly indicated by adding "Mr Chu said," (Chu xiansheng yue, 褚先生曰). Already in the first century AD, Ban Biao
Ban Biao
Ban Biao , courtesy name , was a Chinese historian, and an official born in what is now Xianyang, Shaanxi during the Han Dynasty. He was the nephew of Consort Ban, a famous poet and concubine to Emperor Cheng....
and Ban Gu
Ban Gu
Ban Gu , courtesy name Mengjian , was a 1st century Chinese historian and poet best known for his part in compiling the Book of Han. He also wrote in the main poetic genre of the Han era, a kind of poetry interspersed with prose called fu. Some are anthologized by Xiao Tong in his Selections of...
claimed that ten chapters in Records of the Grand Historian were lacking. A large number of chapters dealing with the first century of the Han Dynasty (i.e. the 2nd century BCE) correspond exactly to the relevant chapters from Hanshu. It is unclear whether those chapters initially came from the Shiji or from the Hanshu. Researchers Yves Hervouet (1921-1999) and Anthony Hulsewé (1910-1993) assumed that the lost original parts of the Shiji were supplemented with those from the Hanshu.
Editions
The earliest extant copy of Records of the Grand Historian, handwritten, was made during the Southern and Northern DynastiesSouthern and Northern Dynasties
The Southern and Northern Dynasties was a period in the history of China that lasted from 420 to 589 AD. Though an age of civil war and political chaos, it was also a time of flourishing arts and culture, advancement in technology, and the spreading of Mahayana Buddhism and Daoism...
period (420 – 589 AD). The earliest printed edition, called Shiji jijie (史記集解, literally Records of the Grand Historian, Collected Annotations), was published during the Northern Song Dynasty. Huang Shanfu's edition, printed under the Southern Song dynasty, is the earliest collection of the Sanjiazhu commentaries on Records of the Grand Historian (三家注, literally: The Combined Annotations of the Three Experts).
In modern times, the Zhonghua Book Company (中華書局) in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
has published the book in both simplified Chinese and traditional Chinese editions. The 1959 (2nd ed., 1982) Sanjiazhu edition (based upon the Jinling Publishing House edition, vide infra) contains commentaries interspersed among the main text and is considered to be an authoritative modern edition.
The most well known editions of the Shiji are:
| Year | Publisher | Printing technique | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Song Dynasty (1127 – 1279) | Shan-fu | Block-printed | Abbreviated as the Huang Shanfu edition (黄善夫本) |
| Ming Dynasty Ming Dynasty The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic... , between the times of the Jiajing Jiajing Emperor The Jiajing Emperor was the 11th Ming Dynasty Emperor of China who ruled from 1521 to 1567. Born Zhu Houcong, he was the former Zhengde Emperor's cousin... and Wanli Wanli Emperor The Wanli Emperor was emperor of China between 1572 and 1620. His era name means "Ten thousand calendars". Born Zhu Yijun, he was the Longqing Emperor's third son... Emperors (between 1521 and 1620) |
The Northern and Southern Imperial Academy Guozijian The Guozijian , or Kuo Tzu Chien, the School of the Sons of State, sometimes called the Imperial Academy, Imperial College, Imperial Central School, was the national central institute of learning in Chinese dynasties after the Sui. It was the highest institute of learning in China's traditional... |
Block-printed | published in 21 Shi. Abbreviated as the Jian edition (监本) |
| Ming Dynasty Ming Dynasty The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic... |
Publisher: the bibliophile Mao Jin (毛晋), 1599 – 1659) and his studio Ji Gu Ge (汲古閣 or the Drawing from Ancient Times Studio) | Block-printed | Published in 17 Shi. Abbreviated as the Mao Ke edition (毛刻本) or the Ji Gu Ge edition (汲古閣本) |
| Qing Dynasty Qing Dynasty The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China.... , in the time of the Qianlong Emperor (1711 – 1799) |
Wu Yingdian | Block-printed | Published in the Twenty-Four Histories Twenty-Four Histories The Twenty-Four Histories is a collection of Chinese historical books covering a period from 3000 BC to the Ming Dynasty in the 17th century. The whole set contains 3213 volumes and about 40 million words... , abbreviated as the Wu Yingdian edition (武英殿本) |
| Qing Dynasty Qing Dynasty The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China.... , in the time of the Tongzhi Emperor Tongzhi Emperor The Tongzhi Emperor , born Aisin-Gioro Dzai Šun, was the tenth emperor of the Manchu-led Qing Dynasty, and the eighth Qing emperor to rule over China, from 1861 to 1875. His reign, which effectively lasted through his adolescence, was largely overshadowed by the rule of his mother, the Empress... (1856 – 1875) |
Jinling Publishing House (in Nanjing Nanjing ' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions... ) |
Block-printed | Proofreading and copy editing done by Zhang Wenhu. Published with the Sanjiazhu commentaries, 130 volumes in total. Abbreviated as the Jinling Ju or Jinling Publishing edition (金陵局本) |
Annotations and commentaries
The best known annotations are Shiji Jijie,Shiji Suoyin and Shiji Zhengyi. Huang Shanfu combined the three, which make up The Combined Annotations of the Three Experts. After the Shanfu edition, Sanjiazhu became mandatory for students of shiji and ancient Chinese history. During the Qing Dynasty, Liang Yusheng authored shiji Zhi yi ("records doubts on shiji"). In modern times, Japanese scholar Takigawa Kametaro published a book called 史记会注考证,.Tang DynastyTang DynastyThe Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
- Sima ZhenSima ZhenSima Zhen , courtesy name Zizheng , was a Chinese historian born in what is now Jiaozuo, Henan during the Tang Dynasty.Sima Zhen was one of the most important commentators on the Shiji...
(司马贞) Shiji Suoyin (史记索隐) - Zhang Shoujie (张守节) Shiji Zhengyi (史記正義)
Further reading
- Dorn'eich, Chris M. (2008). Chinese sources on the History of the Niusi-Wusi-Asi(oi)-Rishi(ka)-Arsi-Arshi-Ruzhi and their Kueishuang-Kushan Dynasty. Shiji 110/Hanshu 94A: The Xiongnu: Synopsis of Chinese Original Text and several Western Translations with Extant Annotations. Berlin. To read or download go to: http://chrisdorneich.tumblr.com/
- Hulsewé A.F.P. (1993), “Shih chi”, Early Chinese Texts: a bibliographical guide (editor—Loewe M.) p. 405-414 (Berkeley: Society for the Study of Early China).
- Sima Qian (1993), Records of the Grand Historian of China. Qin Dynasty. Translated by Burton Watson (Hong Kong: The Research Centre for Translation [The Chinese University of Hong Kong]; New York, Columbia University Press). ISBN 0-231-08168-5 (hbk); ISBN 0-231-08169-3 (pbk)
- Sima Qian (1993), Records of the Grand Historian of China. Han Dynasty II. (Revised Edition). Translated by Burton Watson (New York, Columbia University Press). ISBN 0-231-08168-5 (hbk); ISBN 0-231-08167-7 (pbk)
- Ssu-ma Ch'ien (1961), Records of the grand historian of China: Han Dynasty I, Translated from the Shih chi of Ssu-ma Ch'ien by Burton Watson (Hong Kong: The Research Centre for Translation [The Chinese University of Hong Kong]; New York: Columbia University Press). Revised Edition (1993): ISBN 0-231-08165-0 (pbk), 0-231-08164-2.
- Ssu ma Ch’ien (1994), The Grand Scribe’s Records I: the basic annals of pre-Han China (editor—Nienhauser W.H. Jr.) (Bloomington: Indiana University Press). (An annotated translation.)
- Ssu ma Ch’ien (1994), The Grand Scribe’s Records VII: the memoirs of pre-Han China (editor—Nienhauser W.H. Jr.) (Bloomington: Indiana University Press). (An annotated translation.)
- Ssu ma Ch’ien (2002), The Grand Scribe’s Records II: the basic annals of pre-Han China (editor—Nienhauser W.H. Jr.) (Bloomington: Indiana University Press). (An annotated translation.)
- Ssu ma Ch’ien (2006), The Grand Scribe’s Records V.1: the hereditary houses of pre-Han China (editor—Nienhauser W.H. Jr.) (Bloomington: Indiana University Press). (An annotated translation.)
- Ssu ma Ch’ien (2008), The Grand Scribe’s Records VIII: the memoirs of Han China (editor—Nienhauser W.H. Jr.) (Bloomington: Indiana University Press). (An annotated translation.)