Records of the Grand Historian

Name: Records of the Grand Historian
ISBN: 9787531743071

Sima QianNorthern Literature and Art Publishing House (Beifang Wenyi Chubanshe) · ChinaDec 2020

5.0

Word count: 117K words
Chapters: 13
ISBN: 9787531743071

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Summary

The Records of the Grand Historian is a biographical-historical work written by the Western Han historian Sima Qian. It is the first comprehensive history in biographical form in Chinese history, recording more than 3,000 years from the age of the Yellow Emperor in ancient legend down to the fourth year of the Taichu era of Emperor Wu of Han. The Records of the Grand Historian is listed first among the "Twenty-Four Histories" and, together with the later Book of Han, Book of the Later Han, and Records of the Three Kingdoms, is known as the "First Four Histories"; it has had a profound influence on the development of later historiography and literature. Its pioneering method of compiling history in biographical form was carried on by the "official histories" of later dynasties. The Records of the Grand Historian is also regarded as an outstanding literary work and holds an important place in the history of Chinese literature; Lu Xun praised it as "the supreme achievement of historians, a Li Sao without rhyme," and it has high literary value. Liu Xiang and others considered the book "good at ordering events and principles, argumentative without ostentation, plain without vulgarity."

Editor's review

As China's first comprehensive history in biographical form, the Records of the Grand Historian carries far more weight than an ordinary historical work. This review concerns the Northern Literature and Art Publishing House edition, which is paperback perfect-bound; though not a collector's hardcover, it is affordable and easy to browse, a practical entry point to this monumental work of historiography. With majestic historical talent and prose, Sima Qian forged three thousand years of history, from the Yellow Emperor down to Emperor Wu of Han, into twelve Basic Annals, ten Tables, eight Treatises, thirty Hereditary Houses, and seventy Biographies, creating a model later histories could hardly surpass. Reading it, you gain not only systematic historical knowledge but a deep appreciation of Sima Qian's ambition to "inquire into the relation between Heaven and humanity, comprehend the changes from ancient to modern times, and establish a school of his own," as well as the deep feeling and value judgments embedded between the lines. For modern readers, the value of the Records lies in its being both reliable history and great literature. Its characters are vividly drawn—Xiang Yu's tragic grandeur, Liu Bang's adaptability, Li Guang's misfortunes—and have long become part of the nation's cultural DNA. This Northern Literature edition has relatively concise annotations and is better suited to readers with some grounding in classical Chinese who wish to read the original text through, allowing a more direct experience of the Grand Historian's original force of writing and the spirit of his prose.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with a strong interest in ancient Chinese history and traditional culture who wish to understand systematically the history from the pre-Qin period to the Han dynasty
Lovers of literature and history with middle-level or higher classical Chinese reading ability who long to savor the classic original text directly
Students and scholars engaged in the study or research of literature, history, and philosophy who need core classics at hand
Deep readers who wish to draw wisdom and insights into life from the fates of historical figures and grand narrative

Not a good fit for

Beginners with very weak classical Chinese who depend entirely on vernacular translation to read
Professional researchers seeking the latest academic findings or detailed textual and annotation research

Reading tips

Newcomers can first read the vivid character biographies, such as the Basic Annals of Xiang Yu, the Basic Annals of Gaozu, and the Biography of General Li, to feel their literary charm, then gradually extend to the institutional history sections such as the "Treatises" and "Tables."
Keep a classical Chinese dictionary or a companion vernacular translation as an aid, but make understanding the original text the primary goal, to appreciate the rhythm and concision peculiar to classical Chinese.
You can use historical maps or related documentaries to build a spatiotemporal framework and help understand the geographical background and context of major events.

About the publisher

Northern Literature and Art Publishing House (Beifang Wenyi Chubanshe) China · Founded in 1961

Northern Literature and Art Publishing House focuses on contemporary and modern literary and artistic works, literary theory, and translations of foreign literature, while also covering categories such as history, popular science, Eastern philosophy, and world classics. Its collection includes 737 titles, with representative publications ranging from traditional Chinese classics such as Records of the Grand Historian, The Exploitation of the Works of Nature, and The Analects to foreign literary works including the complete classic plays of Shakespeare, Balzac's Old Goriot and Eugénie Grandet (in celebrated translations by Fu Lei), and The Complete Sherlock Holmes. Its author resources span classical figures such as Sima Qian, Song Yingxing, and Confucius, foreign writers such as Shakespeare and Balzac, and translators such as Zhu Shenghao and Fu Lei. The press combines the transmission of classics with an orientation toward general reading, developing a distinctive profile in both the editing of traditional texts and the translation of foreign literature. Public information is limited, so the above emphasizes the publishing profile reflected in the books held in the collection.

版权信息
周本纪
秦始皇本纪
项羽本纪
高祖本纪
孔子世家
陈涉世家
留侯世家
商君列传
李将军列传
游侠列传
货殖列传
太史公自序

FAQ

What are the features of this Northern Literature and Art Publishing House edition?

This edition is a popular reader, based on the Zhonghua Book Company punctuated edition, with fairly reliable collation. The typesetting is clear and the annotations concise; the focus is on providing a smoothly readable original text, suitable as an edition for daily study or reading on the commute, with good value for money.

How is the Records of the Grand Historian rated on Douban?

As a classic, the Records receives different ratings in different editions. Overall, its classic status means mainstream editions (such as the Zhonghua Book Company "Punctuated Twenty-Four Histories" series) generally score very high on Douban, often above 9.5 year-round; this Northern Literature edition, as a widely circulated affordable version, also enjoys a good reader reputation.

What practical significance does reading the Records have for modern people?

Its significance is multidimensional: for historical understanding, it is the cornerstone for understanding the early forms of Chinese civilization and the evolution of the bureaucratic system; for literary aesthetics, it provides the supreme model of character portrayal and narrative art; at the level of thought, its view of history, moral judgments, and reflections on fate can still provoke profound reflection on power, human nature, and success and failure.

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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.