Book Details

The Records of the Grand Historian: A Revision of the Twenty-Four Histories

The Records of the Grand Historian: A Revision of the Twenty-Four Histories

[Han] Sima Qian, [Southern Song] Pei Yong's Annotations, [Tang] Sima Zhen's Explanations, [Tang] Zhang Shoujie's Commentaries / Zhonghua Book Company /August 1, 2014

"Records of the Grand Historian" is one of the most important historical works in ancient China and the first general history of my country. The book was written by Sima Qian, a historian of the Han Dynasty. After many revisions and compilations by Pei Qian of the Southern Song Dynasty, Sima Zhen of the Tang Dynasty, and Zhang Shoujie of the Tang Dynasty, it became the revised version of the Twenty-Four Histories that we see today. The book includes 130 chapters, starting from the Yellow Emperor and narrating to the Taichu period of the Western Han Dynasty. It adopts a comprehensive narrative mode and covers historical events and figures in various aspects such as politics, economy, culture, and military. "Records of the Grand Historian" depicts the historical changes and influential figures of ancient Chinese society with its objective, detailed and refined brushwork, and has extremely high historical and literary value. It not only provides precious historical materials for future generations, but also has a profound impact on the development of Chinese culture and literature. Therefore, "Records of the Grand Historian" is praised as "the swan song of historians and the Li Sao without rhyme", and is a shining pearl in the treasure house of ancient Chinese culture.


Outline Notes

Summary of "Records of the Grand Historian" "Records of the Grand Historian" is the first chronicle-style general history of ancient China, written by Sima Qian of the Han Dynasty, with annotations by Pei Yong of the Southern Song Dynasty, explanations by Sima Zhen of the Tang Dynasty, and comments by Zhang Shoujie of the Tang Dynasty. The following is a summary of the book&39;s contents, organized in Markdown source code format. Volume 1 Records of the Five Emperors - Main content: Records the historical legends from the Yellow Emperor to Shun and Yu and the political activities of Yao, Shun and Yu. - Subsections and viewpoints: - Records of the Yellow Emperor: The Chinese nation began with the Yellow Emperor, who unified the tribes, established rituals and official positions, and developed production. - Records of Zhuanxu: Continued the work of the Yellow Emperor, strengthened centralization, and developed education. - Records of Emperor Ku: Political clarity, social stability, and attention to people&39;s livelihood. - Records of Yao: Promoted moral governance, ordered Xihe to observe astronomy and formulate calendars, and selected virtuous people like Shun. - Records of Shun: Shun accepted the throne, appointed eight Kai and eight Yuan to govern the country, and abdicated to Yu. - Yu Ji (including the part of Xia Benji): Dayu controlled floods, established the Xia Dynasty, and started the "family rule". Volume 2 Xia Benji Part 2- Main content: Detailed record of the rise and fall of the Xia Dynasty. - Subsections and viewpoints: - Qi founded the country: Xia Qi abolished the abdication system and established the first dynasty in China. - Taikang lost his country and Shaokang revived the country: Taikang lost his ambition due to playing with things, Houyi seized power, and Shaokang revived the country. - Xia Jie&39;s country was destroyed: Xia Jie was licentious and immoral, Shang Tang made a revolution, and the Xia Dynasty was destroyed. ... (summaries of the volumes in the middle are omitted here) Volume 130 Taishigong Preface No. 70- Main content: Sima Qian described his motivation for writing and the principles of compiling "Historical Records". - Subsections and key points: - Family origin: Sima Qian inherited his father Sima Tan&39;s duties as a historian and was determined to write history books. - Suffering the disaster of Li Ling: Suffering castration for defending Li Ling, he endured humiliation and completed "Historical Records". - Compilation principles: Check the Six Arts, compromise with Confucius, understand the changes of ancient and modern times, and form a unique opinion. Through the above, the framework of the whole book of "Historical Records" and the main content of individual chapters have been reflected. "Historical Records" not only has an important position in historiography, but also has extremely high achievements in literature. It was praised by Lu Xun as "the swan song of historians, the Li Sao without rhyme".


Catchy Sentences

Of course, the following are some wonderful sentences or paragraphs selected from "Records of the Grand Historian" for readers' reference: 1. "To study the relationship between heaven and man, to understand the changes of ancient and modern times, and to form a unique opinion." - This is the purpose of Sima Qian's writing "Records of the Grand Historian", which shows his broad vision and unique insights in exploring the relationship between heaven and human affairs and understanding the changes of ancient and modern history. 2. "The world is bustling, all for profit; the world is bustling, all for profit." - This sentence reveals the common phenomenon that people rush for profit, the language is concise and the meaning is profound. 3. "When the birds are gone, the good bows are put away; when the cunning rabbits die, the running dogs are cooked." - It uses vivid metaphors to express the principle of retiring after success, which is philosophical and has a warning effect. 4. "King Xiang sang sadly and wrote a poem: 'My strength can move mountains and my spirit can conquer the world, but the time is not right and my horse will not move. What can I do if my horse will not move? Yu Xi, Yu Xi, what can I do?'" - It depicts the tragic and heroic end of Xiang Yu, with sincere emotions and tears. 5. "The wind rises and the clouds fly. My power is spread all over the country and I return to my hometown. How can I find brave warriors to guard the four directions!" - Liu Bang's "The Great Wind Song" shows the heroic spirit and lofty ambitions of the founding monarch. 6. "Everyone has to die, some are heavier than Mount Tai, and some are lighter than a feather." - This sentence explains the value and meaning of life and has become a motto to encourage future generations to cherish life and make great efforts. 7. "When the granaries are full, people know etiquette; when they have enough food and clothing, they know honor and disgrace." - It points out the relationship between material civilization and spiritual civilization, which is a profound insight into social development. 8. "When the birds are gone, the good bows are put away; when the cunning rabbits are dead, the running dogs are cooked." - This sentence reveals the relationship between the monarch and his subjects from a unique perspective, which is full of wisdom and practical significance. 9. "The peach and plum trees do not speak, but people walk under them." - This sentence praises the invisible influence of people with noble character in beautiful language. 10. "How can sparrows know the ambition of swans?" - Chen Sheng's bold words show his extraordinary ambition and contempt for mediocrity. 11. "Are kings, princes, generals and ministers of different species?" - This sentence reflects the challenge to the hierarchy and the yearning for equality, which is full of revolution and creativity. 12. "Live as a hero, and die as a ghost hero." - Li Qingzhao's praise for Xiang Yu expresses people's respect and admiration for heroes. 13. "The whole world is turbid, but I am clear. Everyone is drunk, but I am sober." - This sentence by Qu Yuan shows his noble personality and unyielding spirit. 14. "How can I care about my family if the Xiongnu is not destroyed?" - Huo Qubing's lofty words and ambitions show his noble quality of forgetting his family for the sake of his country. 15. "Openly repair the plank road, secretly cross Chencang." - This sentence summarizes Han Xin's clever tactics and has become a common idiom in later generations. 16. "Good medicine tastes bitter but is good for the disease, and honest words are unpleasant to the ear but are good for action." - This ancient saying warns people to be brave enough to accept criticism and suggestions to promote personal growth and social progress. 17. "The power of public opinion can melt gold, and accumulated criticism can destroy bones." - This sentence warns people that the power of public opinion is huge and should not be underestimated. 18. "If you are not fully grown, you cannot fly high; if you are not clear about culture and reason, you cannot do everything at the same time." - It emphasizes the importance of laying a solid foundation and making gradual progress. 19. "Those who are virtuous do not conform to the customs, and those who achieve great success do not consult the crowd." - This sentence points out that extraordinary achievements often come from thinking and actions that go beyond the norm. 20. "The past is a lesson for the future." This ancient saying emphasizes the importance of historical experience and has important guiding significance for future generations. These sentences and paragraphs show the rich connotation and unique charm of "Records of the Grand Historian". Whether for history lovers or ordinary readers, it is a classic work worth tasting and learning.


Author Introduction

Article title: "Records of the Grand Historian": A historical masterpiece spanning thousands of years, the crystallization of wisdom of four outstanding authors Introduction: "Records of the Grand Historian", an ancient historical masterpiece known as "the swan song of historians, the Li Sao without rhyme", carries the civilization history of the Chinese nation for thousands of years.< This work was jointly completed by four outstanding authors, namely Sima Qian of the Western Han Dynasty, Pei Yan of the Southern Song Dynasty, Sima Zhen and Zhang Shoujie of the Tang Dynasty.

This article will introduce these four authors from multiple perspectives, leading readers to have an in-depth understanding of their life trajectories, work styles and profound influence on later generations.< I.

Personal basic information and educational background 1.

Sima Qian (about 145 BC-86 BC): Zichang, a famous historian and writer in the Western Han Dynasty.< He was born in a family of officials for generations.

He received a good education since childhood and was proficient in classics, history, and literature.< 2.

Pei Yan (about 420 AD-500 AD): Zijingren, a writer and historian in the Southern Song Dynasty.< He was born into an official family.

He was smart and studious since childhood, and had a strong interest in literature and history.< 3.

Sima Zhen (about 670 AD-740 AD): Zi Zheng, a famous historian and writer in the Tang Dynasty.< He was born into a scholarly family, read poetry and books since childhood, and had unique insights into history.

4.

Zhang Shoujie (about 690 AD-770 AD): a famous historian and writer in the Tang Dynasty.< He was born into an official family, received a good education since childhood, and had a strong interest in history.

2.< Professional background and writing career 1.

Sima Qian: He served as the Grand Historian during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, responsible for compiling national history.< After being castrated, he worked hard to write books and completed the first draft of "Records of the Grand Historian".

2.

Pei Yan: He served as the Grand Historian during the Southern Song Dynasty, and compiled and explained "Records of the Grand Historian", providing valuable information for later studies of "Records of the Grand Historian".< 3.

Sima Zhen: He was the Grand Historian of the Tang Dynasty.< He searched for hidden meanings in the Records of the Grand Historian, which provided an important reference for the later generations to study the Records of the Grand Historian.

4.

Zhang Shoujie: He was the Grand Historian of the Tang Dynasty.< He made corrections to the Records of the Grand Historian, which provided an important reference for the later generations to study the Records of the Grand Historian.

III.< Style and Theme of Works 1.

Sima Qian: The first draft of the Records of the Grand Historian was mainly in the form of chronicles, focusing on the authenticity of historical facts, while incorporating the author's personal views and emotions, and had a strong literary quality.< 2.

Pei Yan: His collection of annotations mainly supplemented and explained the Records of the Grand Historian, focusing on the interpretation of the original text, so that readers can better understand the content of the Records of the Grand Historian.< 3.

Sima Zhen: His search for hidden meanings mainly focused on verifying the historical facts in the Records of the Grand Historian, focusing on the in-depth excavation of historical facts, which provided an important reference for the later generations to study the Records of the Grand Historian.< 4.

Zhang Shoujie: His corrections mainly focused on commenting on the Records of the Grand Historian, focusing on the evaluation and analysis of historical facts, which provided an important reference for the later generations to study the Records of the Grand Historian.< IV.

Personal life and social influence 1.

Sima Qian: His life was full of ups and downs, but his "Records of the Grand Historian" has become a treasure of Chinese historiography and has had a profound impact on later generations.< 2.

Pei Yan: His collection and interpretation work made important contributions to the dissemination and research of "Records of the Grand Historian", which made "Records of the Grand Historian" more widely disseminated during the Southern Song Dynasty.< 3.

Sima Zhen: His work of searching for hidden meanings provided important references for the research of "Records of the Grand Historian", which made "Records of the Grand Historian" more deeply studied in the Tang Dynasty.< 4.

Zhang Shoujie: His work of justice provided important references for the evaluation and analysis of "Records of the Grand Historian", which made "Records of the Grand Historian" more comprehensively understood in the Tang Dynasty.< V.

Quotations and evaluations 1.< "Records of the Grand Historian" is praised as "the swan song of historians, the Li Sao without rhyme", which is a high evaluation of Sima Qian and his successors.

2.< The evaluation of "Records of the Grand Historian" by authoritative media, experts, and institutions generally believes that this is a work with extremely high historical and literary value, which has had a profound impact on later generations.

VI.< Latest Developments At present, the academic community is still continuing its research on "Records of the Grand Historian", and new research results are constantly emerging.

At the same time, with the development of digital technology, the electronic version of "Records of the Grand Historian" and related research materials are becoming more and more abundant, providing more convenience for readers.

Conclusion: "Records of the Grand Historian", as a historical masterpiece spanning thousands of years, embodies the wisdom and efforts of four outstanding authors.< Their personal experiences, work styles and social influences have provided us with valuable experience and inspiration for studying and inheriting this work today.

Let us continue to inherit and carry forward the spirit of "Records of the Grand Historian" and contribute our own strength to the history and culture of the Chinese nation.


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