Historical Records is a biographical history book written by Sima Qian, a historian of the Western Han Dynasty. It is the first biographical general history in the history of China, which records the history of four years and more than 3,000 years from the legendary Huangdi era to the early years of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. In the first year of Taichu (BC 104), Sima Qian began to create Taishi Gongshu, later called Shiji. It took 14 years before and after its completion.

Historical Records includes twelve biographies (recording the political achievements of emperors in past dynasties), thirty biographies (recording the rise and fall of vassal states and governors in Han Dynasty), seventy biographies (recording the words and deeds of important people, mainly describing the characters and ministers, and the last one is the preface), ten tables (chronology of major events) and eight books (recording various laws and regulations, such as etiquette, music, temperament, calendar, astronomy, etc.). ?

Historical Records is listed as the first of the "twenty-four histories", and it is also called the "first four histories" with the later Hanshu, Houhanshu and the History of the Three Kingdoms, which has had a far-reaching impact on the development of later historiography and literature. His original biographical method of compiling history was passed down by the "official history" of later generations.

Historical Records is also an excellent literary work, which occupies an important position in the history of China literature. It is praised by Lu Xun as "a historian's swan song, and Li Sao has no rhyme", which has high literary value. Liu Xiang and others think that this book is "good in order and reason, argumentative but not flashy, qualitative but not vulgar".

2. Sima Qian:

Zichang was born in xia yang (now south of Hancheng, Shaanxi). Historians and essayists in the Western Han Dynasty. Sima Tan's son, Ren Taishiling, was imprisoned for defending Li Ling's defeat and surrender, and later served as the secretariat. He worked hard to complete the historical records he wrote, and was called Shi Qian, Tai Shigong and the father of history by the later Buddha.

Sima Qian studied under Kong Anguo and Dong Zhongshu in his early years, roaming around, learning about customs and collecting rumors. As a first-time doctor, he served in the southwest. In the third year of Yuanfeng (108), he was appointed as the Taishiling, inherited his father's business and wrote history.

He created China's first biography and general history book (formerly known as Taishi Gongshu) with the historical knowledge of "studying the relationship between man and nature, understanding the changes from ancient times to modern times, and making a family statement". It is recognized as a model of China's history books, which records more than 3,000 years' history from the legendary period of the Yellow Emperor to the first year of the founding of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. It is the first of the "twenty-five histories" and is praised by Lu Xun as "a historian's swan song, and Li Sao has no rhyme".

Extended data:

First, Sima Qian's famous saying:

1, Sanjin, a man with many contingencies, Qiang Qin said.

2. A gentleman is ill and nameless.

3, the appearance is also beautiful, the sacred words are true, the bitter words are also medicine, and the words are sweet.

4. The mountains are up and the scenery is finished. Although unattainable, my heart yearns for it.

After Gaizhong died, Boya never played drums again. What is this? A scholar dies as a bosom friend, and a woman is her lover.

6. The ancients were rich and their names were indelible and unforgettable. They are just charming and extraordinary.

7, granary know etiquette, food and clothing know honor and disgrace.

8, bathing does not need rivers and seas, it needs scale; The horse doesn't have to aim at the horse, but walk well.

9. Good people are inspired by it, followed by good guidance, followed by teaching, and then neatness, and the bottom competes with it.

Second, the historical influence of Historical Records:

1, establish an excellent general history school.

Historical Records is the first general history masterpiece in the history of Chinese historiography. It is precisely because Historical Records can integrate the past and the present into a book, set a precedent and set an example, and modify history one by one according to this genre. The style of general historians has always influenced the research and writing of modern historiography.

2. Established the independent position of historiography.

In ancient China, historiography was included in the category of Confucian classics and had no independent status. The history book is included in Liu Xin's Seven Views, with Chunqiu attached.

Since Sima Qian compiled Historical Records, later writers have followed suit, and there are more and more specialized historical works. In order to meet the new requirements, Xun Xu in the Western Jin Dynasty divided ancient books into four parts: A recorded six arts primary schools, B recorded martial arts of various schools, C recorded history books, and D recorded poems. As a result, historiography has gained an independent position in the academic field of China. Thinking about the source of drinking water should be attributed to Sima Qian and his Historical Records.

3. Established the literary tradition of historical biography.

Sima Qian's literary accomplishment is profound, and his artistic means are particularly ingenious. Often, some extremely complicated facts are handled in a very proper and orderly manner, and then they are far-sighted, knowledgeable, vivid in words, tempered in brushwork, full of feelings, handy and vivid in image, which makes people "exclaim and clap their hands, I don't know why."

Among them, Biography of Lian Po and Lin Xiangru is included in the primary school Chinese experimental textbook 18.

References:

Baidu encyclopedia-historical records

References:

Baidu Encyclopedia-Sima Qian