Historical Records (Volume 5)

Name: Historical Records (Volume 5)
ISBN: 9787545132458

Sima QianLiaohai Publishing House · ChinaApr 2025

5.0

Word count: 72 words
Chapters: 6
ISBN: 9787545132458

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Summary

Records of the Grand Historian is a vital wellspring of Chinese literature. Sima Qian's highest aim in writing it was to build an all-encompassing system of historical philosophy, which calls for deeper understanding and must be felt in the act of reading. Yet the work is vast, all-embracing and highly complex, unsuited to ordinary reading and comprehension. We have therefore selected its most famous chapters to make them accessible to general readers. This series is thus ideal for reading and collecting, and for display in libraries at all levels.

Editor's review

This volume is one of the selected readers of Records of the Grand Historian issued by Liaohai Press in 2025, continuing the approach of lowering the threshold through selected famous chapters. For most readers, the original is too bulky and its structure too interwoven for a straight read-through of all Annals, Hereditary Houses and Biographies; the value of this volume's arrangement lies precisely in completing the preliminary screening for readers, gathering the most literary and narratively powerful chapters so that Sima Qian's brushwork and historical insight can be felt within a limited space. As you read, note how the book trims characters' words and deeds, and how the author lodges praise and blame in the narrative—an important reason the work is regarded as a wellspring of literature. This volume suits a permanent place on the family bookshelf and display in school and community libraries, inviting casual browsing and reading in sections. Note that a selection can never replace the original; readers who catch the bug may gradually expand to the complete text or read other selections alongside.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers who wish to approach the Records but are daunted by the original's bulk
Middle school students and teachers needing a selection of famous chapters for extracurricular reading
Buyers seeking classic reading for the family or classroom bookshelf
Enthusiasts of history and literature interested in figures from pre-Qin to early Han times

Not a good fit for

Specialist readers needing the complete original text with detailed annotations for academic research
Readers who have read the complete Records and seek in-depth textual scholarship

Reading tips

Start with chapters rich in character and story; you need not proceed in the book's order from beginning to end.
After each chapter, retell the character's key choices in a few sentences to check whether you have grasped the narrative thread.
Mark unfamiliar place and office names as you go, then look them up together after finishing the chapter to avoid constant interruption.
Read alongside modern historical works on the same subjects and compare how the same figure appears from different narrative angles.

About the publisher

Liaohai Publishing House China · Founded in 1996

Liaohai Publishing House is a comprehensive publisher known for textbooks and the collation of ancient works. Its publishing scope covers state-approved textbooks, local curriculum materials, supplementary educational books, and national and local ancient-text compilation projects, while also extending into humanities fields such as Eastern philosophy. Its catalog contains about 4,694 titles, with representative works including the multi-volume Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), and its author resources include classic writers and works such as Sima Qian and Confucius. Grounded in educational publishing and the transmission of traditional culture, the press maintains sustained investment in ancient-text collation, forming a publishing profile that balances textbooks and scholarship. Due to limited public information, its more specific publishing directions and features require further supplementation.

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FAQ

Is this the complete Records of the Grand Historian?

No. According to the publisher, the series selects famous chapters from the Records, which is too vast for ordinary reading, and is a selection by nature. For the complete original text, seek a full edition.

Can I read it without a foundation in classical Chinese?

The selection is designed precisely to make reading and comprehension easier for general readers: the chapters are relatively concentrated and the volume less intimidating, so readers willing to attempt basic classical Chinese can try. Begin with strongly narrative chapters, skip obstacles at first, and return to study them once you grasp the gist.

Is it suitable for children?

It can supplement middle school students' extracurricular reading, but parents or teachers should guide them to understand the historical context of ancient institutions and values, and avoid judging historical figures by modern standards alone.

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About the author

Sima Qian Author · Chinese (Western Han)

Sima Qian was a historian, man of letters, and thinker of the Western Han dynasty. His courtesy name was Zichang, and he was a native of Xiayang in Zuo Fengyi (present-day Hancheng, Shaanxi). Succeeding his father Sima Tan as Grand Astrologer, he traveled widely to collect historical materials. Later, having suffered punishment in connection with the Li Ling affair, he endured humiliation and devoted himself to his work, ultimately completing the Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji, originally titled Taishigong shu), China's first comprehensive history in the biographical (jizhuanti) style. The work covers events from the Yellow Emperor down to Emperor Wu of Han, organizing three thousand years of history through the five sections of annals, tables, treatises, hereditary houses, and biographies. Its narrative is concise and richly literary, its characters vividly drawn, and it has been praised as "the supreme swan song of historians." Later generations have often classified his writings under historical reading and Eastern philosophy, and his influence on Chinese historiography and literature has been profound.