Reading the Records of the Grand Historian 1
Tags
Summary
Editor's review
In professional judgment, this book is suitable as the "first key" for modern readers to enter the world of the Records of the Grand Historian. It is not as abstruse as an academic monograph, yet has more intellectual depth than popular works. Yang Yanqi's interpretation pays particular attention to the literary qualities of the Records of the Grand Historian, analyzing in detail Sima Qian's narrative art, character portrayal techniques, and their influence on later literature; this part is of great significance for understanding China's classical narrative tradition.
In terms of reading value, this book helps readers build an overall cognitive framework for the Records of the Grand Historian. Modern readers often feel at a loss when facing this monumental work, and the systematic guidance provided here effectively lowers the threshold. Notably, Yang Yanqi repeatedly compares the historiographical methods of the Records of the Grand Historian with modern historical research; this dialogue between past and present is highly inspiring, enabling readers to reflect on how we record history today while understanding ancient historiography.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- General readers who wish to systematically begin studying the Records of the Grand Historian but do not know where to start
- Those interested in ancient Chinese historiographical thought and compilation methods
- Literature enthusiasts who want to understand the literary value and narrative art of the Records of the Grand Historian
- University students or teachers who need guided-reading reference materials for the Records of the Grand Historian
Not a good fit for
- Readers seeking a full vernacular translation or word-by-word annotation of the Records of the Grand Historian
- Professional historians hoping to conduct in-depth specialized research
Reading tips
- It is recommended to first read through the framework established in this book, then choose chapters of interest in the Records of the Grand Historian for comparative reading
- While reading, pay attention to the connections between different chapters of the Records of the Grand Historian pointed out by Yang Yanqi and appreciate Sima Qian's ingenuity in arrangement
- The discussions of historiographical method in the book are worth savoring repeatedly; compare them with works of modern historians for reflection
About the publisher
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.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 主编
- 特邀顾问
- 前言
- 接班人大选拔 尧舜禅让的故事
- 洪水是一场考试 大禹治水的故事
- 一场三千年前的革命 成汤建国的故事
- 甲骨文的秘密
- 用仁义打造个王国 周文王、周武王的故事
- 大器晚成的军事家 吕尚的故事
- 周天子，吃我一箭 郑庄公称霸的故事
- 第一位盟主的诞生 齐桓公称霸的故事
- 知贤、荐贤和让贤 管仲和晏婴的故事
- 被嘲笑了两千年 宋襄公称霸的故事
- 文武双全的兵法家 司马穰苴的故事
FAQ
Does this book include the original text of the Records of the Grand Historian?
What is distinctive about Yang Yanqi's interpretation?
How many volumes are in this series?
Comments
Find this book
This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.
About the author
Yang Yanqi is an author who writes primarily on historical subjects. Publicly available information about him is limited, and his life, education, and professional positions remain unclear. Judging from the seven works recorded in the library, his writing centers on the Shiji (Records of the Grand Historian). His representative work is the eight-volume Reading the Shiji series, which also includes the individual volumes Reading the Shiji 1 through 5, Reading the Shiji-7, and Reading the Shiji-8, indicating that he interprets this biographical general history systematically in separate volumes. Such works are usually aimed at general readers, focusing on turning the original content into readable narratives that help readers understand the figures and events recorded in the Shiji. Yang Yanqi's approach tends toward popularization rather than rigorous academic textual research, making his books suitable as introductory historical reading. Because the available information is limited, the specific reception of his works among scholars and in the market cannot be determined, but the continued publication of these volumes suggests a certain systematic quality in his organization and retelling of the Shiji, offering ordinary readers convenient access to this classic.
Han Zhaoqi is one of the more prolific authors in the field of Chinese book publishing, with nineteen works included in the collection. His editorial work centers mainly on classical Chinese poetry and Eastern philosophical classics. It includes annotated and appreciative editions of poetry anthologies such as Three Hundred Tang Poems and Three Hundred Song Ci Poems, as well as fully annotated, translated, and phonetically glossed editions of pre-Qin classics, including the Book of Songs, the Songs of Chu, the Analects, Mencius, and the Great Learning and Doctrine of the Mean. He has also compiled historical readers such as Classical Chinese Articles by Top Imperial Examination Graduates: A Chinese-Vernacular Bilingual Edition. Overall, he focuses on accessible editions for general readers, characterized by detailed annotations, vernacular translations, and phonetic guides that make traditional texts easier to read. Due to limited public information, reliable details about his personal life, nationality, and dates of birth and death are unavailable, so readers may instead understand his editorial style and thematic choices through the works listed above.
