New Historical Records cover

New Historical Records

Rating 3.2
Word count
255K words
Chapters
124
ISBN
9787513311922

Tags

Summary

Lin Yutang said that history repeats itself: what happens today has happened before, or will happen again. Reading history, especially Chinese history, therefore always gives a sense of déjà vu — a feeling that is both delightful and frightening. With this mixed feeling, and on the premise of respecting historical facts and historical sources, the author follows the principles of the historian, trims the sources only slightly, and interprets history in the language of today, testing once more the proposition that "there is nothing new under the sun." Hence the title "New Historical Records": the facts have never changed, ancient or modern; only the narrative style is new.

Editor's review

New Records of the Grand Historian is Professor Wang Qinghuai's masterly reinterpretation of the Records of the Grand Historian from a modern perspective. Rather than stopping at plain vernacular translation, the author draws on deep historical scholarship and literary cultivation to offer insightful re-readings of the text, its figures, and its events. The book's greatest value lies in building a cognitive bridge between the ancient classic and modern readers—Wang Qinghuai both respects Sima Qian's original text and boldly applies modern historical methods, psychology, and even management perspectives to analyze historical figures, freeing images such as Chen Sheng, Xiang Yu, and Liu Bang from stereotypes and revealing the complex, multidimensional light and shadow of human nature.

From an editorial standpoint, the book's narrative language combines academic rigor with literary readability; the annotations are precise without being cumbersome, making it suitable for readers who wish to understand the Records of the Grand Historian in depth but are daunted by classical Chinese. The author is especially adept at capturing the psychology of decision-making at critical historical moments—for example, analyzing Xiang Yu's hesitation at the Hongmen Banquet not as mere political naivety but as a manifestation of the conflict between his aristocratic spirit and practical interests. Such interpretations are both fresh and persuasive. The book's analysis of the literary value of the Records is also excellent, pointing out how Sima Qian achieved his historiographical pursuit of 'inquiring into the relation between heaven and humanity' through detailed description and the arrangement of dialogue.

It should be noted that this book is not an introductory work meant to replace the original Records of the Grand Historian but a companion for in-depth interpretation. Readers will gain more if they read it alongside the original text. Overall, New Records of the Grand Historian injects contemporary thought into a classic and is an excellent work that brings history to life.

Who it's for

A good fit for

  • Readers interested in the Records of the Grand Historian who find classical Chinese difficult
  • Thinkers who enjoy analyzing historical figures from multidisciplinary angles (such as psychology and management)
  • General readers who wish to learn about Chinese history without getting bogged down in trivial textual research
  • Secondary-school history teachers or students in the humanities and social sciences

Not a good fit for

  • Readers seeking a word-for-word vernacular translation of the Records of the Grand Historian
  • Professional researchers committed to traditional historical textual criticism who reject modern interpretive approaches

Reading tips

  1. Read the relevant passages of the original Records first, then compare them with this book's interpretations to appreciate the difference in perspective
  2. Focus on the author's analysis of character psychology and decision-making logic—this is the book's highlight
  3. Take notes while reading, recording views you agree with or doubt, to form an interactive reading process

About the publisher

New Star Press China · Founded in 1989

New Star Press focuses on classic works, mystery and detective fiction, science fiction, history, foreign literature and art, and its 602 titles in the library show a balance between popular reading and humanistic depth. Representative books include The Complete Works of Shakespeare: Illustrated Collector's Edition, And Then There Were None, Murder on the Orient Express, The Player of Games, Local Government in Qing China, A Good Man Is Hard to Find and A Collection of Fine Ukiyo-e Prints, spanning classic literature, detective fiction, science fiction, local history and visual art. Its authors and contributors include William Shakespeare, Agatha Christie and Iain M. Banks, as well as translators such as Zhu Shenghao and Su Fuzhong and illustrators such as John Gilbert and George Cruikshank. Known for the detective series Midnight Library and for social-science and humanities titles, the press emphasizes edition design and reading experience; public information is limited, so this profile highlights the publishing features reflected in the library's books.

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 皇帝列传
  3. 尧·多此一举
  4. 舜·逆境天才
  5. 禹·追查谣言
  6. 始皇帝·“始”皇帝
  7. 秦二世·皇帝的苦恼
  8. 汉高祖(上)·英雄本色
  9. 汉高祖(下)·革命家庭的喜剧
  10. 汉文帝·羞愧疗法
  11. 昭烈帝·老实皇帝
  12. 晋惠帝·接班人
  13. 梁武帝·新好男人
  14. 陈后主·诗之罪
  15. 隋文帝·我要自由
  16. 唐太宗·蜕变
  17. 能臣列传
  18. 管仲(上)·管鲍之交
  19. 管仲(下)·遗嘱
  20. 晏婴·君臣逗
  21. 范睢·咸鱼翻身
  22. 李斯·鼠世界
  23. 曹参·懒丞相
  24. 周昌·怕你啦
  25. 张释之·懒得说话
  26. 张汤·我酷
  27. 曹操·红白脸
  28. 袁绍·美男子
  29. 周瑜·谁嫉妒
  30. 诸葛亮·士为知己者忙
  31. 陶侃·钻营大将军
  32. 魏徵·佳话与假话
  33. 秦琼敬德·门神门神扛大刀
  34. 乱臣列传
  35. 商臣·熊掌难熟
  36. 楚君臣·群丑图
  37. 黄歇、吕不韦·大买卖
  38. 苏秦·罪人英雄
  39. 王莽·智者也痴迷
  40. 吕布·悲凉的喜感
  41. 王衍·三重像
  42. 黄巢·满城尽戴苦菜花
  43. 李自成(上)·过把瘾就死
  44. 李自成(下)·外战外行
  45. 张献忠·职业杀人者
  46. 冤臣列传
  47. 桓温·千古奇冤
  48. 杨勇·谁说虎毒不食子
  49. 李建成·老大总是倒霉
  50. 袁崇焕·险些成了沉冤
  51. 智者列传
  52. 老子(上)·高端学术
  53. 老子(下)·听证会
  54. 庄子·化蝶与悟道
  55. 孔子·下岗
  56. 孟子(上)·伪君子
  57. 孟子(下)·保护中产阶级
  58. 墨子·兼爱
  59. 杨子·“一毛不拔”的道理
  60. 贤者列传
  61. 介子推·割股啖君
  62. 蹇叔·眼泪与唾沫
  63. 公叔瘗·三大怪
  64. 许氏兄弟·排行榜
  65. 竹林七贤·士的歧途
  66. 周顗·超级醉汉
  67. 王导·忏悔
  68. 谢道韫·谁说女子不如男
  69. 李勉·大恩无以为报
  70. 妖者列传
  71. 张角·以贤良的名义
  72. 于吉·妖雾满江东
  73. 孙恩·妖道走江湖
  74. 洪秀全(下)·洪杨斗
  75. 义和团·国家将亡,必有妖孽
  76. 附:纪念李鸿章
  77. 文苑列传
  78. 司马相如·琴挑
  79. 左思·虚拟的大奖
  80. 陶渊明·大饿人
  81. 王维·首席文学家
  82. 李白·你却只能给我一个梦
  83. 杜甫·房子啊房子
  84. 李贺·与鬼为邻
  85. 黑帮列传
  86. 郭解(上)·谁敢比我黑
  87. 郭解(下)·仗义与大度
  88. 伍子胥(上)·黑呵,真黑
  89. 伍子胥(下)·侬本多黑
  90. 灌夫·其人可诛,其情可悯
  91. 恐怖列传
  92. 专诸·一场事先张扬的谋杀
  93. 要离·为行刺而行刺
  94. 豫让·一个人的战争
  95. 聂政·给个理由先
  96. 曹沫·从将军到刺客
  97. 唐雎·扫黄的确很重要
  98. 荆轲·非专业刺客
  99. 滑稽列传
  100. 陈灵公·致命的粉红色
  101. 公子宋·染指
  102. 齐景公·战争游戏
  103. 陈涉·透底
  104. 郭巨·孝的笑话
  105. 王戎·贪婪病
  106. 石崇·不要明天
  107. 附:滑稽外传
  108. 佞幸列传
  109. 栾大·“长生”将军
  110. 那罗迩·炼丹大师
  111. 张果·作伪专家
  112. 柳泌·谋杀者
  113. 赵归真·借机灭佛
  114. 林灵素·神仙的末路
  115. 张元吉·耳朵“听”字
  116. 邵元节、段朝用·纵横皇宫
  117. 佞幸后传:大结局
  118. 女祸列传
  119. 舜母·历山脚下女老虎
  120. 妹喜·深宫里的深喉
  121. 武姜·无良妈
  122. 贾南风·黑就黑到底
  123. 武皇后·惹不起就躲
  124. 附 女娲后传

FAQ

What is the relationship between this book and the original Records of the Grand Historian?
This book is an in-depth interpretation and reinterpretation of the Records of the Grand Historian, not a direct translation. Through a modern perspective, the author analyzes the original's figures, events, and narrative logic to help readers understand the complex texture behind history.
Do I need to finish the Records of the Grand Historian before reading this book?
Not necessarily. The book stands on its own, though familiarity with the basic plot of the Records will deepen the reading experience. The book provides necessary context for key events, so it can be read independently without difficulty.
Is this book highly academic? Is it suitable for general readers?
The author balances academic rigor with readability, offering solid historical analysis while avoiding excessive jargon. General readers can read it smoothly and gain deep insights.

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About the author

王清淮 Author

Wang Qinghuai is an author about whom limited public information is available; what can be confirmed is that he works mainly in cultural and historical writing. Three of his works are included in the collection: An Introduction to Public Security Culture, Easily Finishing the Twenty-Four Histories, and New Records of the Grand Historian. Judging from these titles, his writing covers both thematic cultural studies and the popularization of history: on the one hand, he offers a systematic survey of public security culture; on the other, he turns voluminous historical works into accessible reading for general readers. The phrase "easily finishing" in the title Easily Finishing the Twenty-Four Histories points to a popular readership, while New Records of the Grand Historian shows him attempting a new narrative approach beyond raw historical sources. Overall, he focuses on bringing cultural and historical knowledge out of specialist circles and presenting it in a readable form to a wider audience. Details of his life, education, and positions are limited in public sources and are not inferred here.

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