Sima Qian
Tags
Summary
Editor's review
As a critical biography, the book's strength lies in balancing scholarship with readability. The authors do not merely list events but seek to enter Sima Qian's inner world, exploring how his historiographical ambition—'to examine the interface between Heaven and humanity, to comprehend the transformations of past and present, and to establish a distinct school of thought'—was forged through its collision with real politics. The book offers concise assessments of the Shiji's editorial structure, intellectual content, and pioneering contribution to Chinese historiography, providing readers with a clear contextual framework for understanding this work—'the supreme masterpiece of historians, a Li Sao without rhyme.'
In terms of reading value, the book serves well as an introductory work for understanding Sima Qian and his era. It avoids over-academic textual criticism and sketches the great historian's personality and intellectual trajectory with clear narrative lines. For readers who wish to understand the origins of China's historiographical tradition or who are interested in the story behind the creation of the Shiji, this is a well-structured, level-headed guide. The portrayal of Sima Qian's endurance of humiliation and burden-bearing also gives the biography a life lesson that transcends the historical plane.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- History enthusiasts interested in ancient Chinese historiography and the background of the Shiji's creation
- General readers who wish to learn about Sima Qian's life and character
- Teachers and students in need of biographical material
- Readers who resonate with the theme of creating value in adversity
Not a good fit for
- Professional historians seeking in-depth academic textual research or the latest scholarship
- Readers expecting extensive quotation of primary texts or literary embellishment
Reading tips
- Read alongside selections from the Shiji to appreciate Sima Qian's historical writing and thought
- Note the book's analysis of Han political and cultural background, which helps in understanding Sima Qian's predicament
- Pay attention to the author's psychological and cultural interpretation of 'enduring humiliation to write a book'
About the publisher
International Culture Publishing Corporation is a publisher known for introducing foreign literature and world classics, with about 283 relevant titles in the database. Its representative books include Goethe's The Sorrows of Young Werther, Hesse's Siddhartha, Jiménez's Platero and I, and Gibran's The Prophet, as well as cultural readings such as Zhu Guangqian's Twelve Letters to Youth and Common Talk on Classics. In psychology, it offers the nine-volume Collector's Edition of C. G. Jung's Works, covering social psychology and applied psychology. Its author resources include Goethe, Hesse, Jiménez, Jung, and Zhu Guangqian, along with Chinese authors involved in translation and compilation. Its publishing focus is on foreign literature, classic works, psychology, and culture, serving both academic and general readers. Public information is limited, and the above is based mainly on the books in the database.
Contents
- 版权信息
- “中小学课本里的名人传记丛书”前言
- 龙门司马
- 公元前145年的中国
- 家世渊源
- 其父司马谈
- 儒、道、法
- 卫氏一族
- 壮游东南
- 开始游历
- 汨罗江畔
- 高祖故里
- 伴君如伴虎
- 为郎中
- 汉匈之战
- 李广之死
- 封禅一说
- 武帝与封禅
- 奉使西南
- 父亲的遗命
- 随圣驾游历
- 承父业，任太史令
- 太史令
- 《史记》
- 李陵案序幕
- 李陵败降
- 飞来横祸
- 遭受腐刑
- 一生终结
- 巫蛊之祸
- 《报任安书》
- 谜一样地逝去
FAQ
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About the author
The Pipbo International Celebrity Research Center, founded in 2003, is the compilation team behind the "Pipbo Figures" biography book brand under Guowen Media. Under a collective byline, the center plans and compiles biographies of notable Chinese and foreign figures, with 60 titles in the collection, commonly classified under general biography. Representative works include biographies of Galileo, Edison, Darwin, Franklin, Nightingale, Zhuge Liang, and Chopin in the "Celebrity Biography Series," as well as "Nobel" in the "Celebrity Biographies in Primary and Secondary School Textbooks Series." These works cover fields such as military and political affairs, the humanities, finance and economics, history, and art, and the center also devotes attention to establishing a uniform format for multiple series, introducing famous figures' lives and contributions to primary and secondary school readers and general biography enthusiasts. As the name is an institutional byline, public information is limited, and the specific membership and individual biographies of its members are not covered here.
