Sima Qian, a native of Hancheng, Shaanxi Province, is said to have been born in 145 BC or 135 BC, and his death year is unknown. He is a rare historian, writer and thinker in the history of China.

With historical courage (Bao Ren An Shu), he wrote and compiled China's first biographical history book (formerly known as Taishi Gongshu), which is recognized as a model of China's history books.

The book records the history of more than 3,000 years from the legendary period of the Yellow Emperor to the first year of founding ceremony, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. It is the first of the "twenty-five histories" and is praised by Mr. Lu Xun as "a historian's swan song, and Li Sao has no rhyme." It, together with Sima Guang's great historical work "Learning from the Same Resources as a Mirror", is called the "double gem" of China's historiography.

Extended data:

Characteristics of historical records;

Profound narration and vivid description of characters are skillfully combined to form the unique style of Historical Records. Historical Records also successfully created a large number of tragic characters, making the book full of tragic flavor and legend.

The narrators of Historical Records all revolve around the purpose of "studying the nature and man, connecting the changes of ancient and modern times". Although Sima Qian also started from the trivial details of life, most biographies of people ended up with magnificent pictures, interspersed with a series of historical events.

Sima Qian did not describe the historical process and the life stories of characters in general, but thought deeply about the historical laws and the fate of characters, explored the essence through appearances, and grasped the inevitable laws through contingency. This makes the biographies of Historical Records have both magnificent pictures and profound implications, forming a magnificent and elegant style.

People's Network —— Sima Qian's Economic Achievements —— On the Commodities in Historical Records and Biographies of Huo Zhi