Records of the Grand Historian: An Introduction
Tags
Summary
Editor's review
Who it's for
A good fit for
- University students and lovers of literature and history with a strong interest in the Records who wish to study it systematically and in depth
- Teachers and scholars engaged in teaching and research on ancient Chinese history and literary history who need authoritative reference materials
- Advanced readers who have already read portions of the Records and desire to raise their level of understanding and clarify its historiographical framework
- Readers curious about the formation process and research methods of classic works of traditional Chinese culture
Not a good fit for
- Casual readers seeking only vernacular translations of the stories in the Records or mere anecdotes about its figures
- Readers who want quick conclusions and lack patience for academic argumentation
Reading tips
- It is recommended to first read through some core chapters of the Records (such as the "Basic Annals of Xiang Yu" and the "Basic Annals of Gaozu"), then read this introduction for a deeper experience
- While reading, one may revisit the original text of the Records in light of the questions raised in this book for interactive reflection
- The book involves many academic concepts and textual investigations; taking notes to sort out the threads is advisable, and one need not master everything in a single reading
About the publisher
Zhonghua Book Company is a publisher known for collating ancient texts and academic publishing, with its output centered on Eastern philosophy, culture, classic works, art, and historical reading. Its library contains 532 titles, including Chen Shou's Records of the Three Kingdoms, Guo Qingfan's Collected Commentaries on Zhuangzi, the four-volume Chinese Literature: Four Great Classical Novels, and the two-volume Table of Seal and Clerical Script Forms from Qin, Han, Wei, and Jin. These titles span historical classics, commentaries on the philosophers, classical novels, and philological reference works. Representative authors include Chen Shou, Guo Qingfan, Wu Cheng'en, Shi Nai'an, Cao Xueqin, Luo Guanzhong, Xu Wenwu, and the Hanyu Dazidian character-form group, reflecting a focus on primary sources and scholarly editors. Its publishing character lies in combining authoritative editions and annotated texts with both accessible classics and specialized research. Public information on its fuller catalog is limited; this note describes only the directions evident in the library's holdings.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 绪论
- 第一章 《史记》的成书过程
- 第一节 司马谈的奠基工作
- 第二节 司马迁与《史记》
- 第三节 《史记》的亡缺与续补
- 第二章 《史记》的内容
- 第一节 十二本纪
- 第二节 十表
- 第三节 八书
- 第四节 三十世家
- 第五节 七十列传
- 第六节 《太史公自序》
- 第三章 《史记》体例分析
- 第一节 本纪
- 第二节 世家
- 第三节 列传
- 第四节 表
- 第五节 书
- 第四章 《史记》的取材
- 第一节 《史记》称引的文献
- 第二节 《史记》取材的途径
- 第三节 《史记》取材简析
- 第五章 《史记》与几种主要史籍
- 第一节 《史记》与《左传》、《国语》
- 第二节 《史记》与《战国策》
- 第三节 《史记》与《世本》、《楚汉春秋》
- 第六章 史料运用与史料价值
- 第一节 史料取舍的原则
- 第二节 处理史料的方法
- 第三节 《史记》的史料价值
- 第七章 《史记》的述史框架
- 第一节 熔铸百家，自成一体
- 第二节 纵横自如，系统详明
- 第三节 扬长避短，精益求精
- 第四节 规模定格，仪刑后世
- 第八章 《史记》的书法
- 第一节 述而不作
- 第二节 以类相从
- 第三节 以事牵连
- 第四节 互见
- 第五节 据事实录
- 第六节 详变略渐
- 第七节 详近略远
- 第八节 对比
- 第九节 以小见大
- 第十节 寓论断于叙事
- 第十一节 矛盾中显真实
- 第十二节 隐微而彰显
- 第十三节 微文讥刺
- 第十四节 感慨寄托
- 第九章 史学理论的探索
- 第一节 作史目的与史学功能
- 第二节 历史研究方法
- 第三节 真实性原则
- 第十章 《史记》编纂的几个问题
- 第一节 五体篇数
- 第二节 列传编次
- 第三节 《史记》论赞
- 第四节 《史记》标题
- 第十一章 《史记》纪传与传记文学
- 第一节 历史与文学的契合
- 第二节 人物事迹蝉联而下
- 第三节 全面深入研究历史人物
- 第四节 取舍剪裁自由灵活
- 第五节 注意揭示人物个性
- 附录 《史记》、《战国纵横家书》史料价值考论
- 后记
FAQ
What is the fundamental difference between this book and the common vernacular versions or interpretations of the Records on the market?
Can I understand this book without a foundation in classical Chinese?
Can this book serve as an introductory work for research on the Records?
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About the author
Zhao Shengqun is a Chinese researcher of classical texts and the Shiji (Records of the Grand Historian); available public information about him is limited, and his dates of birth and death, native place, and educational background are not clearly recorded. Judging from the two works held in the collection, his writing centers on the Shiji: one is an introductory study that systematically examines the compilation, structure, and historiographical value of the work, and the other is an accessible reading edition for young readers that lowers the barrier of the original text through annotation and plain-language explanation. One is scholarly and the other popular, serving both specialized study and beginners, which shows an approach that balances academic rigor with accessibility. His writing attends to textual sources and the sequence of historical events, in a plain style free of empty discussion. In the category of culture and traditional classics, this combination of an introduction and a popular reader helps readers approach the Shiji, a biographical general history, step by step, and offers useful reference for teaching and self-study.
